South Carolina Fall Foliage 2026
Typical peak window
Oct 22 – Oct 30
Centered on Oct 26 at reference elevation.
high confidence in typical timing.
Upstate peaks late October; the Lowcountry barely registers a season.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Seasonal timing
In a typical season, the statewide peak is around Oct. 26, 2026, within the Oct. 22–30 window; the Upstate peaks in late October, while the Lowcountry barely registers a season. Near Caesars Head, high ground around 3,550 feet peaks about Oct. 20, while valleys around 1,100 feet peak about Oct. 29, a nine-day elevation spread.
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.
South Carolina is typically at past peak on Nov 1, 2026.
South Carolina by county
10 days from Greenville County to Jasper County.
38 of 46 counties are typically at peak on Nov 1, 2026. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbeville County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 555 ft | 1 days |
| Aiken County | Oct 31 – Nov 8 | Peak | 376 ft | 1 days |
| Allendale County | Nov 2 – Nov 10 | Approaching peak | 162 ft | 0 days |
| Anderson County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | Peak | 727 ft | 0 days |
| Bamberg County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 143 ft | 1 days |
| Barnwell County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 226 ft | 0 days |
| Beaufort County | Nov 4 – Nov 12 | Approaching peak | 7 ft | 0 days |
| Berkeley County | Nov 2 – Nov 10 | Approaching peak | 40 ft | 0 days |
| Calhoun County | Oct 31 – Nov 8 | Peak | 250 ft | 0 days |
| Charleston County | Nov 3 – Nov 11 | Approaching peak | 6 ft | 0 days |
| Cherokee County | Oct 26 – Nov 3 | Peak | 703 ft | 0 days |
| Chester County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 473 ft | 1 days |
| Chesterfield County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 351 ft | 1 days |
| Clarendon County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 89 ft | 1 days |
| Colleton County | Nov 3 – Nov 11 | Approaching peak | 26 ft | 1 days |
| Darlington County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 180 ft | 1 days |
| Dillon County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 102 ft | 0 days |
| Dorchester County | Nov 2 – Nov 10 | Approaching peak | 67 ft | 0 days |
| Edgefield County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 411 ft | 1 days |
| Fairfield County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 445 ft | 1 days |
| Florence County | Oct 31 – Nov 8 | Peak | 85 ft | 0 days |
| Georgetown County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 16 ft | 1 days |
| Greenville County | Oct 25 – Nov 2 | Peak | 1,019 ft | 3 days |
| Greenwood County | Oct 29 – Nov 6 | Peak | 529 ft | 1 days |
| Hampton County | Nov 3 – Nov 11 | Approaching peak | 80 ft | 0 days |
| Horry County | Oct 31 – Nov 8 | Peak | 39 ft | 0 days |
| Jasper County | Nov 4 – Nov 12 | Approaching peak | 20 ft | 0 days |
| Kershaw County | Oct 29 – Nov 6 | Peak | 264 ft | 0 days |
| Lancaster County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | Peak | 564 ft | 1 days |
| Laurens County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 630 ft | 1 days |
| Lee County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 221 ft | 1 days |
| Lexington County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 379 ft | 1 days |
| Marion County | Oct 31 – Nov 8 | Peak | 53 ft | 1 days |
| Marlboro County | Oct 29 – Nov 6 | Peak | 131 ft | 0 days |
| McCormick County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 436 ft | 1 days |
| Newberry County | Oct 29 – Nov 6 | Peak | 481 ft | 0 days |
| Oconee County | Oct 26 – Nov 3 | Peak | 985 ft | 3 days |
| Orangeburg County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 178 ft | 1 days |
| Pickens County | Oct 25 – Nov 2 | Peak | 1,026 ft | 1 days |
| Richland County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 295 ft | 1 days |
| Saluda County | Oct 29 – Nov 6 | Peak | 472 ft | 0 days |
| Spartanburg County | Oct 26 – Nov 3 | Peak | 767 ft | 1 days |
| Sumter County | Oct 31 – Nov 8 | Peak | 141 ft | 0 days |
| Union County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | Peak | 513 ft | 1 days |
| Williamsburg County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 54 ft | 0 days |
| York County | Oct 26 – Nov 3 | Peak | 604 ft | 1 days |
Peak by elevation
9 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 | 3,550 ft | Oct 20 | Past peak |
| Mid elevation | 2,000 ft | Oct 26 | Past peak |
| Valleys & lowlands | 1,100 ft | Oct 29 | 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%
Plan the light
South Carolina on October 26, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| 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.
Local terrain can hide the sun; allow extra time to reach your viewpoint.
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises ESE, sets WSW.
Aim within 45° of the sun for translucent leaves. Turn your back to it for flat, accurate color.
Where to shoot in South Carolina
3 researched locations, earliest peak first. Filter these locations
- Sassafras Mountain Observation Tower Past peak
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 Past peak
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.
- Santee National Wildlife Refuge Peak
Lake Marion · 78 ft · peaks Nov 5
Mixed hardwood and pine along the north shore of Lake Marion, three thousand feet below the escarpment overlooks that were the state's only entries. Loblolly holds green through the season, so the hardwood turn reads as patches against it rather than a full canopy.
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; current conditions may differ.
- Does elevation change when fall color peaks in South Carolina?
- Yes, by about 9 days. High ground around 3,550 ft peaks near Oct 20, while valleys near 1,100 ft wait until Oct 29. 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 South Carolina?
- The guide includes 3 researched locations in South Carolina, including Sassafras Mountain Observation Tower, Caesars Head Overlook, Santee National Wildlife Refuge. Sassafras Mountain Observation Tower turns first, around Oct 20, and Santee National Wildlife Refuge is last, around Nov 5. Each includes 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.