New Jersey Fall Foliage 2026
In a typical season, the 1,650-foot high ground peaks around October 11, while 650-foot valleys peak around October 15, within the broader October 10–18 window. The northwest highlands and Delaware Water Gap generally lead the Pine Barrens by about two weeks, with sugar maple, red maple, and oak dominating the display.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
When New Jersey peaks
Oct 10 – Oct 18
Centered on Oct 14. Northwest highlands lead the Pine Barrens by about two weeks.
low confidence. Long range. Treat as a planning estimate only.
Where peak usually lands. Drought or an early freeze moves it by a few days. Method
What turns here
- sugar maple
- red maple
- oak
Yellows show up every year. Reds need sunny days and cool, frost-free nights. A bad year takes those first.
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 14Typical color progression for New Jersey. No change from Sep 6 to Sep 23. First color from Sep 23 to Oct 2. Approaching peak from Oct 2 to Oct 10. Peak from Oct 10 to Oct 18. Past peak from Oct 18 to Oct 28. Bare from Oct 28 to Nov 11.
New Jersey is typically at no change on this date.
New Jersey by county
8 days from Sussex County to Cape May County.
Tap a location marker for coordinates and light times. Where peak usually lands. Boundaries: US Census, 2023. Elevation: USGS 3DEP + SRTM. Method
Every county, as text
| County | Typical peak | Stage today | Median elev. | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic County | Oct 17 – Oct 25 | No change | 29 ft | 0 days |
| Bergen County | Oct 13 – Oct 21 | No change | 91 ft | 2 days |
| Burlington County | Oct 16 – Oct 24 | No change | 72 ft | 0 days |
| Camden County | Oct 16 – Oct 24 | No change | 96 ft | 0 days |
| Cape May County | Oct 18 – Oct 26 | No change | 10 ft | 0 days |
| Cumberland County | Oct 17 – Oct 25 | No change | 55 ft | 1 days |
| Essex County | Oct 13 – Oct 21 | No change | 188 ft | 1 days |
| Gloucester County | Oct 16 – Oct 24 | No change | 81 ft | 1 days |
| Hudson County | Oct 14 – Oct 22 | No change | 22 ft | 0 days |
| Hunterdon County | Oct 13 – Oct 21 | No change | 505 ft | 2 days |
| Mercer County | Oct 15 – Oct 23 | No change | 99 ft | 0 days |
| Middlesex County | Oct 15 – Oct 23 | No change | 77 ft | 1 days |
| Monmouth County | Oct 15 – Oct 23 | No change | 90 ft | 0 days |
| Morris County | Oct 11 – Oct 19 | No change | 773 ft | 1 days |
| Ocean County | Oct 16 – Oct 24 | No change | 54 ft | 0 days |
| Passaic County | Oct 11 – Oct 19 | No change | 677 ft | 3 days |
| Salem County | Oct 17 – Oct 25 | No change | 25 ft | 0 days |
| Somerset County | Oct 14 – Oct 22 | No change | 145 ft | 1 days |
| Sussex County | Oct 10 – Oct 18 | No change | 862 ft | 1 days |
| Union County | Oct 14 – Oct 22 | No change | 98 ft | 0 days |
| Warren County | Oct 12 – Oct 20 | No change | 558 ft | 2 days |
Peak by elevation
4 days between the ridges and the valleys below them. The county map above averages that away.
| Elevation band | Approx. elevation | Typical peak | Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| High ridges & passes | 1,650 ft | Oct 11 | No change |
| Mid elevation | 900 ft | Oct 14 | No change |
| Valleys & lowlands | 650 ft | Oct 15 | No change |
Foliage stages
- No change 0–10%
- First color 10–25%
- Approaching peak 25–60%
- Peak 60–90%
- Past peak 40–70%, dropping
- Bare <20%
Light at peak
New Jersey on October 14, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:41 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 100° | 7:09 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 37 min of low, warm light | 7:46 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:44 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 37 min before sunset | 5:43 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 260° | 6:20 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:48 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 11m · computed from NOAA solar equations
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises E, sets W.
Aim within 45° of those and the canopy glows translucent. Turn your back to them for flat, accurate color.
Location pages name the light directly.
Where to shoot in New Jersey
3 researched locations, earliest peak first.
- High Point Monument No change
Kittatinny Ridge · 1,803 ft · peaks Oct 10
New Jersey's highest point, where a 220-foot obelisk rises straight out of the ridge-top forest. The monument is the subject, framed against color from the summit loop, and the deck at the top opens onto farmland in three states.
- Mount Tammany, Delaware Water Gap No change
Delaware Water Gap · 1,441 ft · peaks Oct 13
The open rock ledge at the top of the Red Dot Trail looks southwest through the gap at Mount Minsi and the Delaware River bending below. Early sun clears the ridge behind you and front-lights the Pennsylvania wall across the water.
- Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge No change
Passaic River Basin · 238 ft · peaks Oct 17
Twelve square miles of swamp and upland oak twenty-six miles west of Times Square, more than a thousand feet below the Kittatinny ridges that are the state's other entries. Standing water under bare-legged hardwood is the composition, and it is close enough to the city to be worth a weekday dawn.
Recent reports from New Jersey
Report what you sawCommon questions
- When do the leaves change in New Jersey?
- New Jersey typically peaks Oct 10 – Oct 18, centered on Oct 14. Northwest highlands lead the Pine Barrens by about two weeks. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.
- Does elevation change when fall color peaks in New Jersey?
- Yes, by about 4 days. High ground around 1,650 ft peaks near Oct 11, while valleys near 650 ft wait until Oct 15. Peak moves roughly 3.5 days earlier for every 1,000 feet you climb. Try lower valleys after high ground has passed peak, or higher ground while valleys are still green.
- Where are the best places to see fall color in New Jersey?
- The guide includes 3 researched locations in New Jersey, including High Point Monument, Mount Tammany, Delaware Water Gap, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. High Point Monument turns first, around Oct 10, and Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is last, around Oct 17. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
- What trees turn color in New Jersey?
- Mainly sugar maple, red maple, oak. Yellows and oranges come from carotenoids that are already in the leaf, so they show up every year. Reds are made fresh each autumn and need warm sunny days with cool, frost-free nights, which is why a dry summer or a warm September produces a duller year.