Rhode Island Fall Foliage 2026
Typical peak window
Oct 11 – Oct 19
Centered on Oct 15 at reference elevation.
moderate confidence in typical timing.
Essentially one window statewide, in the back half of October.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Seasonal timing
Typically, high ground around 800 feet peaks near October 13, followed by valleys around 120 feet near October 15. The statewide peak window is October 11–19, with red maple, oak, and hickory; oak-russet tones often lead the look.
What turns here
- red maple
- oak
- hickory
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 15Typical color progression for Rhode Island. No change from Sep 7 to Sep 24. First color from Sep 24 to Oct 3. Approaching peak from Oct 3 to Oct 11. Peak from Oct 11 to Oct 19. Past peak from Oct 19 to Oct 29. Bare from Oct 29 to Nov 12.
Rhode Island is typically at bare on Nov 1, 2026.
Rhode Island by county
2 days from Providence County to Washington 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 on Nov 1, 2026 | Median elev. | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol County | Oct 12 – Oct 20 | Bare | 25 ft | 1 days |
| Kent County | Oct 11 – Oct 19 | Bare | 271 ft | 2 days |
| Newport County | Oct 12 – Oct 20 | Bare | 64 ft | 0 days |
| Providence County | Oct 10 – Oct 18 | Bare | 413 ft | 2 days |
| Washington County | Oct 12 – Oct 20 | Bare | 128 ft | 0 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 | 800 ft | Oct 13 | Bare |
| Mid elevation | 200 ft | Oct 15 | Bare |
| Valleys & lowlands | 120 ft | Oct 15 | Bare |
Foliage stages
- No change 0–10%
- First color 10–25%
- Approaching peak 25–60%
- Peak 60–90%
- Past peak 40–70%, dropping
- Bare <20%
Plan the light
Rhode Island on October 15, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:30 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 101° | 6:58 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 38 min of low, warm light | 7:36 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:32 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 38 min before sunset | 5:28 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 259° | 6:06 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:34 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 8m · computed from NOAA solar equations.
Local terrain can hide the sun; allow extra time to reach your viewpoint.
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises E, sets W.
Aim within 45° of the sun for translucent leaves. Turn your back to it for flat, accurate color.
Where to shoot in Rhode Island
3 researched locations, earliest peak first. Filter these locations
- Peck Pond, Pulaski State Park Bare
Northwest Rhode Island · 515 ft · peaks Oct 13
A 13-acre pond ringed by red maple swamp that turns deep red a week before the surrounding oak uplands. The loop trail keeps water on one side the whole way, so the reflection can be worked from several angles in one morning.
- Olney Pond, Lincoln Woods State Park Bare
Blackstone Valley · 196 ft · peaks Oct 15
Rhode Island's first state park, 627 acres of glacial boulder field and hardwood around Olney Pond ten minutes from Providence. The erratics give a foreground that most pond shots in this state do not have, and the circumferential road puts a car on the water at several angles.
- Stepstone Falls, Arcadia Management Area Bare
Arcadia Management Area · 266 ft · peaks Oct 15
A run of low stone ledges on the Wood River in the largest block of forest in Rhode Island, dropping in a stair rather than a single fall. Nothing here is tall, so the frame is built out of moving water and the oak-hickory canopy over it, which wants flat light.
Recent reports from Rhode Island
Report what you sawCommon questions
- When do the leaves change in Rhode Island?
- Rhode Island typically peaks Oct 11 – Oct 19, centered on Oct 15. Essentially one window statewide, in the back half of October. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.
- Where are the best places to see fall color in Rhode Island?
- The guide includes 3 researched locations in Rhode Island, including Peck Pond, Pulaski State Park, Olney Pond, Lincoln Woods State Park, Stepstone Falls, Arcadia Management Area. Peck Pond, Pulaski State Park turns first, around Oct 13, and Stepstone Falls, Arcadia Management Area is last, around Oct 15. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
- What trees turn color in Rhode Island?
- Mainly red maple, oak, hickory. 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.