South Dakota Fall Foliage 2026
Typical peak window
Sep 17 – Sep 25
Centered on Sep 21 at reference elevation.
low confidence in typical timing.
The Black Hills peak late September to mid-October; the eastern prairie in mid-October.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Seasonal timing
In a typical season, South Dakota’s overall peak is around Sep. 21, within the Sep. 17–25 window; high ground near 7,250 feet peaks around Sep. 15, while valleys near 4,600 feet peak around Sep. 24. The Black Hills typically peak from late September to mid-October, and the eastern prairie in mid-October; look for quaking aspen, birch, oak, and cottonwood.
What turns here
- quaking aspen
- birch
- oak
- cottonwood
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 21Typical color progression for South Dakota. No change from Aug 14 to Aug 31. First color from Aug 31 to Sep 9. Approaching peak from Sep 9 to Sep 17. Peak from Sep 17 to Sep 25. Past peak from Sep 25 to Oct 5. Bare from Oct 5 to Oct 19.
Leaves are typically down on Nov 1, 2026. Color starts around Aug 31.
South Dakota by county
19 days from Lawrence County to Clay County.
Tap a location marker for coordinates and light times. Where peak usually lands. Boundaries: US Census, 2023. Elevation: USGS 3DEP + SRTM. Method
A county is still an average. Pennington County spans 13 days on its own, ridge to valley.
Every county, as text
| County | Typical peak | Stage on Nov 1, 2026 | Median elev. | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora County | Oct 1 – Oct 9 | Bare | 1,595 ft | 1 days |
| Beadle County | Sep 30 – Oct 8 | Bare | 1,335 ft | 1 days |
| Bennett County | Sep 27 – Oct 5 | Bare | 3,227 ft | 1 days |
| Bon Homme County | Oct 4 – Oct 12 | Bare | 1,404 ft | 1 days |
| Brookings County | Sep 29 – Oct 7 | Bare | 1,706 ft | 1 days |
| Brown County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 1,308 ft | 0 days |
| Brule County | Oct 1 – Oct 9 | Bare | 1,661 ft | 0 days |
| Buffalo County | Sep 30 – Oct 8 | Bare | 1,689 ft | 1 days |
| Butte County | Sep 23 – Oct 1 | Bare | 3,047 ft | 2 days |
| Campbell County | Sep 25 – Oct 3 | Bare | 1,776 ft | 1 days |
| Charles Mix County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 1,574 ft | 1 days |
| Clark County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 1,784 ft | 1 days |
| Clay County | Oct 5 – Oct 13 | Bare | 1,159 ft | 1 days |
| Codington County | Sep 27 – Oct 5 | Bare | 1,785 ft | 1 days |
| Corson County | Sep 25 – Oct 3 | Bare | 2,107 ft | 1 days |
| Custer County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Bare | 4,324 ft | 9 days |
| Davison County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 1,394 ft | 1 days |
| Day County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | Bare | 1,816 ft | 1 days |
| Deuel County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 1,804 ft | 1 days |
| Dewey County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | Bare | 1,918 ft | 2 days |
| Douglas County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 1,576 ft | 0 days |
| Edmunds County | Sep 27 – Oct 5 | Bare | 1,698 ft | 2 days |
| Fall River County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | Bare | 3,598 ft | 2 days |
| Faulk County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 1,621 ft | 2 days |
| Grant County | Sep 29 – Oct 7 | Bare | 1,264 ft | 2 days |
| Gregory County | Oct 1 – Oct 9 | Bare | 2,016 ft | 2 days |
| Haakon County | Sep 27 – Oct 5 | Bare | 2,316 ft | 3 days |
| Hamlin County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 1,720 ft | 1 days |
| Hand County | Sep 29 – Oct 7 | Bare | 1,699 ft | 2 days |
| Hanson County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 1,330 ft | 0 days |
| Harding County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Bare | 3,047 ft | 2 days |
| Hughes County | Sep 29 – Oct 7 | Bare | 1,627 ft | 2 days |
| Hutchinson County | Oct 3 – Oct 11 | Bare | 1,379 ft | 1 days |
| Hyde County | Sep 29 – Oct 7 | Bare | 1,787 ft | 1 days |
| Jackson County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 2,621 ft | 2 days |
| Jerauld County | Sep 30 – Oct 8 | Bare | 1,696 ft | 1 days |
| Jones County | Sep 29 – Oct 7 | Bare | 2,058 ft | 1 days |
| Kingsbury County | Sep 29 – Oct 7 | Bare | 1,701 ft | 1 days |
| Lake County | Sep 30 – Oct 8 | Bare | 1,705 ft | 1 days |
| Lawrence County | Sep 16 – Sep 24 | Bare | 5,465 ft | 10 days |
| Lincoln County | Oct 3 – Oct 11 | Bare | 1,366 ft | 0 days |
| Lyman County | Sep 30 – Oct 8 | Bare | 1,823 ft | 1 days |
| Marshall County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | Bare | 1,778 ft | 2 days |
| McCook County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 1,455 ft | 0 days |
| McPherson County | Sep 25 – Oct 3 | Bare | 1,864 ft | 1 days |
| Meade County | Sep 25 – Oct 3 | Bare | 2,740 ft | 2 days |
| Mellette County | Sep 29 – Oct 7 | Bare | 2,302 ft | 2 days |
| Miner County | Oct 1 – Oct 9 | Bare | 1,431 ft | 1 days |
| Minnehaha County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 1,489 ft | 1 days |
| Moody County | Sep 30 – Oct 8 | Bare | 1,612 ft | 1 days |
| Oglala Lakota County | Sep 27 – Oct 5 | Bare | 3,201 ft | 2 days |
| Pennington County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | Bare | 2,841 ft | 13 days |
| Perkins County | Sep 24 – Oct 2 | Bare | 2,604 ft | 1 days |
| Potter County | Sep 27 – Oct 5 | Bare | 1,942 ft | 1 days |
| Roberts County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 1,201 ft | 3 days |
| Sanborn County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 1,300 ft | 1 days |
| Spink County | Sep 29 – Oct 7 | Bare | 1,306 ft | 0 days |
| Stanley County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 1,892 ft | 1 days |
| Sully County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 1,808 ft | 0 days |
| Todd County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 2,777 ft | 1 days |
| Tripp County | Sep 30 – Oct 8 | Bare | 2,173 ft | 2 days |
| Turner County | Oct 3 – Oct 11 | Bare | 1,318 ft | 1 days |
| Union County | Oct 4 – Oct 12 | Bare | 1,258 ft | 1 days |
| Walworth County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | Bare | 1,930 ft | 1 days |
| Yankton County | Oct 4 – Oct 12 | Bare | 1,322 ft | 2 days |
| Ziebach County | Sep 25 – Oct 3 | Bare | 2,369 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 | 7,250 ft | Sep 15 | Bare |
| Mid elevation | 5,500 ft | Sep 21 | Bare |
| Valleys & lowlands | 4,600 ft | Sep 24 | 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
South Dakota on September 21, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:11 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 88° | 6:39 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 38 min of low, warm light | 7:18 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:47 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 38 min before sunset | 6:16 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 272° | 6:54 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:22 PM |
Times in America/Denver · day length 12h 14m · 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 South Dakota
4 researched locations, earliest peak first. Filter these locations
- Sylvan Lake, Custer State Park Bare
Black Hills · 6,149 ft · peaks Sep 19
Granite fins standing straight out of the water at the top of the Needles, the highest spot on this list at over 6,100 feet. Aspen pockets in the granite go first at this elevation, and still water before the wind doubles the rock.
- Roughlock Falls, Spearfish Canyon Bare
Spearfish Canyon · 5,099 ft · peaks Sep 21
A wide, stepped fall on Little Spearfish Creek under limestone walls, with aspen and birch turning gold against ponderosa that stays dark all season. The canyon is narrow enough that direct sun only reaches the water for a short window, which is why flat light is the safer call here.
- Bridal Veil Falls, Spearfish Canyon Bare
Spearfish Canyon · 4,207 ft · peaks Sep 24
A thin ribbon fall dropping off the canyon wall straight beside US-14A, in the lower canyon nearly 900 feet below Roughlock. Same byway, different elevation band, so the two rarely peak on the same weekend.
- Sica Hollow State Park Bare
Coteau des Prairies · 1,947 ft · peaks Sep 29
Mature oak forest cut by spring-fed draws on the Coteau des Prairies, four hundred miles east of the Black Hills and a completely different fall. Oak, aspen, maple and elm together give this park a redder palette than anything in the western half of the state.
Recent reports from South Dakota
Report what you sawCommon questions
- When do the leaves change in South Dakota?
- South Dakota typically peaks Sep 17 – Sep 25, centered on Sep 21. The Black Hills peak late September to mid-October; the eastern prairie in mid-October. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.
- Does elevation change when fall color peaks in South Dakota?
- Yes, by about 9 days. High ground around 7,250 ft peaks near Sep 15, while valleys near 4,600 ft wait until Sep 24. 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 Dakota?
- The guide includes 4 researched locations in South Dakota, including Sylvan Lake, Custer State Park, Roughlock Falls, Spearfish Canyon, Bridal Veil Falls, Spearfish Canyon. Sylvan Lake, Custer State Park turns first, around Sep 19, and Sica Hollow State Park is last, around Sep 29. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
- What trees turn color in South Dakota?
- Mainly quaking aspen, birch, oak, cottonwood. 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.