North Dakota Fall Foliage 2026
Typical peak is September 24, 2026, within a statewide window of September 20–28. At 2,850 feet, high ground usually peaks around September 23, while valleys near 2,250 feet peak around September 25. Late September into the first week of October is the typical statewide season, led by cottonwood, aspen, ash, and oak.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
When North Dakota peaks
Sep 20 – Sep 28
Centered on Sep 24. Late September into the first week of October, statewide.
high confidence. Near typical peak. Check recent reports before traveling.
Where peak usually lands. Drought or an early freeze moves it by a few days. Method
What turns here
- cottonwood
- aspen
- ash
- 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 Sep 24Typical color progression for North Dakota. No change from Aug 17 to Sep 3. First color from Sep 3 to Sep 12. Approaching peak from Sep 12 to Sep 20. Peak from Sep 20 to Sep 28. Past peak from Sep 28 to Oct 8. Bare from Oct 8 to Oct 22.
North Dakota is typically at approaching peak on this date.
North Dakota by county
11 days from Divide County to Richland County.
3 of 53 counties are typically at peak today. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Approaching peak | 2,624 ft | 1 days |
| Barnes County | Sep 24 – Oct 2 | Approaching peak | 1,429 ft | 1 days |
| Benson County | Sep 21 – Sep 29 | Approaching peak | 1,528 ft | 1 days |
| Billings County | Sep 19 – Sep 27 | Approaching peak | 2,593 ft | 1 days |
| Bottineau County | Sep 19 – Sep 27 | Approaching peak | 1,507 ft | 1 days |
| Bowman County | Sep 20 – Sep 28 | Approaching peak | 2,961 ft | 1 days |
| Burke County | Sep 17 – Sep 25 | Peak | 2,073 ft | 1 days |
| Burleigh County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Approaching peak | 1,832 ft | 1 days |
| Cass County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | First color | 971 ft | 1 days |
| Cavalier County | Sep 19 – Sep 27 | Approaching peak | 1,576 ft | 0 days |
| Dickey County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | First color | 1,451 ft | 2 days |
| Divide County | Sep 16 – Sep 24 | Peak | 2,200 ft | 1 days |
| Dunn County | Sep 20 – Sep 28 | Approaching peak | 2,336 ft | 1 days |
| Eddy County | Sep 21 – Sep 29 | Approaching peak | 1,525 ft | 1 days |
| Emmons County | Sep 24 – Oct 2 | Approaching peak | 1,849 ft | 1 days |
| Foster County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Approaching peak | 1,534 ft | 0 days |
| Golden Valley County | Sep 19 – Sep 27 | Approaching peak | 2,625 ft | 2 days |
| Grand Forks County | Sep 23 – Oct 1 | Approaching peak | 1,022 ft | 2 days |
| Grant County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Approaching peak | 2,324 ft | 0 days |
| Griggs County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Approaching peak | 1,452 ft | 1 days |
| Hettinger County | Sep 21 – Sep 29 | Approaching peak | 2,562 ft | 0 days |
| Kidder County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Approaching peak | 1,817 ft | 1 days |
| LaMoure County | Sep 25 – Oct 3 | Approaching peak | 1,478 ft | 2 days |
| Logan County | Sep 23 – Oct 1 | Approaching peak | 1,992 ft | 0 days |
| McHenry County | Sep 20 – Sep 28 | Approaching peak | 1,521 ft | 0 days |
| McIntosh County | Sep 24 – Oct 2 | Approaching peak | 2,058 ft | 1 days |
| McKenzie County | Sep 19 – Sep 27 | Approaching peak | 2,284 ft | 1 days |
| McLean County | Sep 20 – Sep 28 | Approaching peak | 1,931 ft | 0 days |
| Mercer County | Sep 21 – Sep 29 | Approaching peak | 1,995 ft | 1 days |
| Morton County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Approaching peak | 1,972 ft | 2 days |
| Mountrail County | Sep 18 – Sep 26 | Approaching peak | 2,263 ft | 2 days |
| Nelson County | Sep 21 – Sep 29 | Approaching peak | 1,509 ft | 0 days |
| Oliver County | Sep 21 – Sep 29 | Approaching peak | 1,990 ft | 2 days |
| Pembina County | Sep 21 – Sep 29 | Approaching peak | 859 ft | 1 days |
| Pierce County | Sep 20 – Sep 28 | Approaching peak | 1,560 ft | 0 days |
| Ramsey County | Sep 20 – Sep 28 | Approaching peak | 1,489 ft | 0 days |
| Ransom County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | First color | 1,210 ft | 1 days |
| Renville County | Sep 18 – Sep 26 | Approaching peak | 1,716 ft | 1 days |
| Richland County | Sep 27 – Oct 5 | First color | 1,053 ft | 0 days |
| Rolette County | Sep 18 – Sep 26 | Approaching peak | 1,690 ft | 1 days |
| Sargent County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | First color | 1,291 ft | 1 days |
| Sheridan County | Sep 20 – Sep 28 | Approaching peak | 1,912 ft | 1 days |
| Sioux County | Sep 24 – Oct 2 | Approaching peak | 1,993 ft | 2 days |
| Slope County | Sep 20 – Sep 28 | Approaching peak | 2,784 ft | 1 days |
| Stark County | Sep 20 – Sep 28 | Approaching peak | 2,502 ft | 1 days |
| Steele County | Sep 23 – Oct 1 | Approaching peak | 1,226 ft | 2 days |
| Stutsman County | Sep 23 – Oct 1 | Approaching peak | 1,741 ft | 2 days |
| Towner County | Sep 19 – Sep 27 | Approaching peak | 1,539 ft | 0 days |
| Traill County | Sep 24 – Oct 2 | Approaching peak | 935 ft | 0 days |
| Walsh County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Approaching peak | 1,042 ft | 2 days |
| Ward County | Sep 18 – Sep 26 | Approaching peak | 2,007 ft | 2 days |
| Wells County | Sep 21 – Sep 29 | Approaching peak | 1,696 ft | 1 days |
| Williams County | Sep 17 – Sep 25 | Peak | 2,215 ft | 1 days |
Peak by elevation
2 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 | 2,850 ft | Sep 23 | Approaching peak |
| Mid elevation | 2,600 ft | Sep 24 | Approaching peak |
| Valleys & lowlands | 2,250 ft | Sep 25 | Approaching peak |
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
North Dakota on September 24, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:13 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 90° | 6:43 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 40 min of low, warm light | 7:23 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:46 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 40 min before sunset | 6:08 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 270° | 6:48 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:18 PM |
Times in America/Denver · day length 12h 5m · 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 North Dakota
4 researched locations, earliest peak first.
- Lake Metigoshe, Turtle Mountains Peak
Turtle Mountains · 2,138 ft · peaks Sep 20
A wooded lake in the Turtle Mountains on the Manitoba line, where aspen and birch turn the hills a solid yellow that reads nothing like the oak country further south. Still water before the wind picks up doubles the shoreline.
- Pembina Gorge Trailhead Approaching peak
Pembina Gorge · 1,371 ft · peaks Sep 23
The deepest cut in North Dakota, holding the largest continuous undisturbed forest in the state on steep valley walls above the Pembina River. Sixteen miles of trail run the rim and the slope, so the gorge can be shot from above or from inside it.
- Cottonwood Campground, Theodore Roosevelt National Park Approaching peak
Little Missouri Badlands · 2,254 ft · peaks Sep 25
Bottomland cottonwood lines the Little Missouri beneath badland buttes, in the South Unit five miles inside the Medora entrance. Golden cottonwoods contrast with banded clay and dark juniper.
- Mineral Springs Falls First color
Sheyenne River Valley · 1,181 ft · peaks Sep 30
A small spring-fed drop in the wooded Sheyenne valley in Ransom County, and one of very few natural falls in the state. Flat light is the whole game on a low-volume fall like this, where direct sun blows the water out and leaves the oak behind it muddy.
Recent reports from North Dakota
Report what you sawCommon questions
- When do the leaves change in North Dakota?
- North Dakota typically peaks Sep 20 – Sep 28, centered on Sep 24. Late September into the first week of October, statewide. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.
- Where are the best places to see fall color in North Dakota?
- The guide includes 4 researched locations in North Dakota, including Lake Metigoshe, Turtle Mountains, Pembina Gorge Trailhead, Cottonwood Campground, Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Lake Metigoshe, Turtle Mountains turns first, around Sep 20, and Mineral Springs Falls is last, around Sep 30. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
- What trees turn color in North Dakota?
- Mainly cottonwood, aspen, ash, 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.