Utah Fall Foliage 2026
Typical peak window
Sep 19 – Sep 27
Centered on Sep 23 at reference elevation.
low confidence in typical timing.
The high Wasatch peaks late September; the canyons and Zion in mid-to-late October.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Seasonal timing
Utah’s typical peak is around September 23, within a September 19–27 window; foliage near 10,000 feet typically peaks around September 16, and valleys near 5,950 feet around September 30. The high Wasatch typically peaks in late September, while canyons and Zion reach peak color in mid-to-late October. Quaking aspen, bigtooth maple, Gambel oak, and cottonwood shape the season, with bigtooth maple adding crimson color
What turns here
- quaking aspen
- bigtooth maple
- gambel 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 23Typical color progression for Utah. No change from Aug 16 to Sep 2. First color from Sep 2 to Sep 11. Approaching peak from Sep 11 to Sep 19. Peak from Sep 19 to Sep 27. Past peak from Sep 27 to Oct 7. Bare from Oct 7 to Oct 21.
Leaves are typically down on Nov 1, 2026. Color starts around Sep 2.
Utah by county
25 days from Summit 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
A county is still an average. Uintah County spans 19 days on its own, ridge to valley.
Every county, as text
| County | Typical peak | Stage on Nov 1, 2026 | Median elev. | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 6,394 ft | 9 days |
| Box Elder County | Sep 27 – Oct 5 | Bare | 4,245 ft | 4 days |
| Cache County | Sep 21 – Sep 29 | Bare | 5,873 ft | 13 days |
| Carbon County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Bare | 7,112 ft | 10 days |
| Daggett County | Sep 17 – Sep 25 | Bare | 7,530 ft | 13 days |
| Davis County | Sep 29 – Oct 7 | Bare | 4,201 ft | 1 days |
| Duchesne County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Bare | 6,775 ft | 8 days |
| Emery County | Sep 29 – Oct 7 | Bare | 5,689 ft | 7 days |
| Garfield County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 6,685 ft | 11 days |
| Grand County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 4,756 ft | 14 days |
| Iron County | Sep 30 – Oct 8 | Bare | 6,024 ft | 11 days |
| Juab County | Sep 29 – Oct 7 | Bare | 5,175 ft | 5 days |
| Kane County | Oct 3 – Oct 11 | Bare | 5,784 ft | 12 days |
| Millard County | Sep 30 – Oct 8 | Bare | 5,127 ft | 11 days |
| Morgan County | Sep 20 – Sep 28 | Bare | 6,550 ft | 9 days |
| Piute County | Sep 24 – Oct 2 | Bare | 7,391 ft | 12 days |
| Rich County | Sep 19 – Sep 27 | Bare | 6,678 ft | 3 days |
| Salt Lake County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 4,668 ft | 14 days |
| San Juan County | Oct 4 – Oct 12 | Bare | 5,249 ft | 6 days |
| Sanpete County | Sep 23 – Oct 1 | Bare | 6,948 ft | 17 days |
| Sevier County | Sep 23 – Oct 1 | Bare | 7,552 ft | 13 days |
| Summit County | Sep 11 – Sep 19 | Bare | 9,310 ft | 15 days |
| Tooele County | Sep 30 – Oct 8 | Bare | 4,261 ft | 14 days |
| Uintah County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Bare | 6,539 ft | 19 days |
| Utah County | Sep 21 – Sep 29 | Bare | 7,061 ft | 12 days |
| Wasatch County | Sep 17 – Sep 25 | Bare | 8,103 ft | 9 days |
| Washington County | Oct 6 – Oct 14 | Bare | 4,863 ft | 15 days |
| Wayne County | Oct 1 – Oct 9 | Bare | 5,382 ft | 13 days |
| Weber County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | Bare | 4,943 ft | 12 days |
Peak by elevation
14 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 | 10,000 ft | Sep 16 | Bare |
| Mid elevation | 8,000 ft | Sep 23 | Bare |
| Valleys & lowlands | 5,950 ft | Sep 30 | 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
Utah on September 23, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:47 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 89° | 7:14 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 36 min of low, warm light | 7:50 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:18 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 35 min before sunset | 6:46 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 270° | 7:22 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:49 PM |
Times in America/Denver · day length 12h 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 Utah
3 researched locations, earliest peak first. Filter these locations
- Guardsman Pass Bare
Wasatch Range · 9,704 ft · peaks Sep 15
The paved climb from Brighton tops out at 9,704 feet with aspen slopes dropping away toward Heber Valley on the east side. Lower Big Cottonwood adds bigtooth maple, so one drive covers gold at the summit and red at the canyon mouth.
- Devils Kitchen Overlook Bare
Mount Nebo Scenic Byway · 8,184 ft · peaks Sep 22
Orange sandstone hoodoos fill a small amphitheater at the head of Red Creek, with bigtooth maple turning crimson on the slopes around the rim. Red rock and red maple stack in one frame from the deck at the end of the paved path.
- Fish Lake Bare
Fishlake National Forest · 8,848 ft · peaks Sep 23
Utah's largest natural mountain lake sits in a basin rimmed by aspen, including the Pando clone on the southwest side. Calm early mornings lay the gold hillsides on the water, and the shoreline pullouts face the color across the lake.
Recent reports from Utah
Report what you sawCommon questions
- When do the leaves change in Utah?
- Utah typically peaks Sep 19 – Sep 27, centered on Sep 23. The high Wasatch peaks late September; the canyons and Zion in mid-to-late October. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.
- Does elevation change when fall color peaks in Utah?
- Yes, by about 14 days. High ground around 10,000 ft peaks near Sep 16, while valleys near 5,950 ft wait until Sep 30. 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 Utah?
- The guide includes 3 researched locations in Utah, including Guardsman Pass, Devils Kitchen Overlook, Fish Lake. Guardsman Pass turns first, around Sep 15, and Fish Lake is last, around Sep 23. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
- What trees turn color in Utah?
- Mainly quaking aspen, bigtooth maple, gambel 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.