Texas Fall Foliage 2026
The Hill Country and Panhandle turn in early November, while East Texas follows mid-month. Lost Maples State Natural Area holds a relict stand of bigtooth maple that colors genuine red, typically peaking around the first week of November. Along the Guadalupe, Frio, and Sabinal rivers, bald cypress goes rust-orange by mid-month.
When Texas peaks
Nov 4 – Nov 12
Centered on Nov 8. The Hill Country and Panhandle peak in early November; East Texas mid-November.
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
- bigtooth maple
- bald cypress
- 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 Nov 8Typical color progression for Texas. No change from Oct 1 to Oct 18. First color from Oct 18 to Oct 27. Approaching peak from Oct 27 to Nov 4. Peak from Nov 4 to Nov 12. Past peak from Nov 12 to Nov 22. Bare from Nov 22 to Dec 6.
Color starts around Oct 18.
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 30 | No change |
| Mid elevation | 2,000 ft | Nov 8 | No change |
| Valleys & lowlands | 0 ft | Nov 15 | 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
Texas on November 8, 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 | 6:32 AM |
| Sunrise Rises ESE · 109° | 6:57 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 34 min of low, warm light | 7:31 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:22 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 34 min before sunset | 5:13 PM |
| Sunset Sets WSW · 251° | 5:47 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:11 PM |
Times in America/Chicago · day length 10h 50m · 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 Texas
2 researched locations, earliest peak first.
- McKittrick Canyon No change
Guadalupe Mountains National Park · 5,014 ft · peaks Oct 23
Bigtooth maple, velvet ash, and chinkapin oak follow a spring-fed creek walled in by fossil limestone reef. The Pratt Cabin stretch 2.4 miles in has the tightest concentration of maple over water.
- Lost Maples State Natural Area No change
Texas Hill Country · 1,792 ft · peaks Nov 8
Relict bigtooth maples crowd the Sabinal River and Can Creek canyons, isolated stands left over from a cooler climate. Color peaks across the first three weeks of November, later than anywhere else in the region.
Recent reports from Texas
Report what you sawCommon questions
- When do the leaves change in Texas?
- Texas typically peaks Nov 4 – Nov 12, centered on Nov 8. The Hill Country and Panhandle peak in early November; East Texas mid-November. 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 Texas?
- Yes, by about 16 days. High ground around 4,500 ft peaks near Oct 30, while valleys near 0 ft wait until Nov 15. 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 Texas?
- We track 2 verified locations in Texas, including McKittrick Canyon, Lost Maples State Natural Area. McKittrick Canyon turns first, around Oct 23, and Lost Maples State Natural Area is last, around Nov 8. Each has real coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
- What trees turn color in Texas?
- Mainly bigtooth maple, bald cypress, 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.