South Carolina Fall Foliage 2026
The Upstate mountains deliver reliable color late October, centered on Caesars Head State Park and Table Rock. Red maple, oak and hickory shift in the Blue Ridge escarpment above 2,000 feet. The Midlands see scattered oak and sweetgum change through early November, but the Lowcountry offers little beyond isolated pockets.
When South Carolina peaks
Oct 22 – Oct 30
Centered on Oct 26. Upstate peaks late October; the Lowcountry barely registers a season.
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
- red maple
- oak
- hickory
- sweetgum
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 26Typical color progression for South Carolina. No change from Sep 18 to Oct 5. First color from Oct 5 to Oct 14. Approaching peak from Oct 14 to Oct 22. Peak from Oct 22 to Oct 30. Past peak from Oct 30 to Nov 9. Bare from Nov 9 to Nov 23.
Color starts around Oct 5.
Peak by elevation
16 days between the ridges and the valleys. County maps average this away, which is how you miss peak at the right place.
| Elevation band | Approx. elevation | Typical peak | Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| High ridges & passes | 4,500 ft | Oct 17 | No change |
| Mid elevation | 2,000 ft | Oct 26 | No change |
| Valleys & lowlands | 0 ft | Nov 2 | 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
South Carolina on October 26, the day it typically peaks. Knowing when color arrives is one thing. Knowing where the sun will be is another.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:20 AM |
| Sunrise Rises ESE · 105° | 7:46 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 35 min of low, warm light | 8:21 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:15 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 35 min before sunset | 6:08 PM |
| Sunset Sets WSW · 255° | 6:43 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:09 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 10h 57m · computed from NOAA solar equations
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises ESE, sets WSW.
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 South Carolina
2 researched locations, earliest peak first.
- Sassafras Mountain Observation Tower No change
Jocassee Gorges · 3,553 ft · peaks Oct 20
South Carolina's high point carries a steel tower that clears the treeline and opens views into the Jocassee Gorges and across the state line. The deck is open on all sides, so sunrise and sunset both work from the same footprint.
- Caesars Head Overlook No change
Blue Ridge Escarpment · 3,215 ft · peaks Oct 21
A gneiss outcrop standing roughly 2,000 feet above the Piedmont, with the Jones Gap headwaters below and Table Rock off to the southwest. Morning inversions put a cloud deck under the overlook rail.
Recent reports from South Carolina
Report what you sawCommon questions
- When do the leaves change in South Carolina?
- South Carolina typically peaks Oct 22 – Oct 30, centered on Oct 26. Upstate peaks late October; the Lowcountry barely registers a season. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model, not a live reading of this year's canopy.
- Does elevation change when fall color peaks in South Carolina?
- Yes, by about 16 days. High ground around 4,500 ft peaks near Oct 17, while valleys near 0 ft wait until Nov 2. Peak moves roughly 3.5 days earlier for every 1,000 feet you climb, so if you miss it low you can often drive up and find it.
- Where are the best places to see fall color in South Carolina?
- We track 2 verified locations in South Carolina, including Sassafras Mountain Observation Tower, Caesars Head Overlook. Sassafras Mountain Observation Tower turns first, around Oct 20, and Caesars Head Overlook is last, around Oct 21. Each has real coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
- What trees turn color in South Carolina?
- Mainly red maple, oak, hickory, sweetgum. 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.