Utah Fall Foliage 2026
Peak color typically arrives in the high Wasatch around mid-September, then moves down through the canyons into late September and early October. The 4,500-foot elevation spread means you can chase color for nearly six weeks if you move with it. Bigtooth maple in the lower canyons and around Zion delivers deep crimson that stands apart from the aspen-heavy Rockies.
When Utah peaks
Sep 19 – Sep 27
Centered on Sep 23. The high Wasatch peaks late September; the canyons and Zion in mid-to-late October.
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
- 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.
Color starts around Sep 2.
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 | 10,500 ft | Sep 14 | No change |
| Mid elevation | 8,000 ft | Sep 23 | No change |
| Valleys & lowlands | 6,000 ft | Sep 30 | 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
Utah on September 23, 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 | 6:47 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
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises E, sets W.
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 Utah
3 researched locations, earliest peak first.
- Guardsman Pass No change
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 No change
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 No change
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, not a live reading of this year's canopy.
- Does elevation change when fall color peaks in Utah?
- Yes, by about 16 days. High ground around 10,500 ft peaks near Sep 14, while valleys near 6,000 ft wait until Sep 30. 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 Utah?
- We track 3 verified 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 has real 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.