Washington Fall Foliage 2026
Typical peak window
Sep 13 – Sep 21
Centered on Sep 17 at reference elevation.
low confidence in typical timing.
Larch peaks in the second half of October; the Puget Sound lowlands in early November.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Seasonal timing
In a typical season, the broad peak is around Sep 17, within the Sep 13–21 window. High ground near 7,100 feet peaks around Sep 6, valleys near 1,850 feet around Sep 24, North Cascades larch in the second half of October, and Puget Sound lowlands in early November.
What turns here
- western larch
- vine maple
- bigleaf maple
- quaking aspen
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 17Typical color progression for Washington. No change from Aug 10 to Aug 27. First color from Aug 27 to Sep 5. Approaching peak from Sep 5 to Sep 13. Peak from Sep 13 to Sep 21. Past peak from Sep 21 to Oct 1. Bare from Oct 1 to Oct 15.
Leaves are typically down on Nov 1, 2026. Color starts around Aug 27.
Washington by county
17 days from Chelan County to Clark 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. Pierce County spans 21 days on its own, ridge to valley.
Every county, as text
| County | Typical peak | Stage on Nov 1, 2026 | Median elev. | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | Sep 23 – Oct 1 | Bare | 1,617 ft | 2 days |
| Asotin County | Sep 21 – Sep 29 | Bare | 2,742 ft | 6 days |
| Benton County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 738 ft | 3 days |
| Chelan County | Sep 13 – Sep 21 | Bare | 3,692 ft | 14 days |
| Clallam County | Sep 21 – Sep 29 | Bare | 1,306 ft | 12 days |
| Clark County | Sep 30 – Oct 8 | Bare | 405 ft | 5 days |
| Columbia County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Bare | 2,312 ft | 10 days |
| Cowlitz County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | Bare | 1,242 ft | 5 days |
| Douglas County | Sep 18 – Sep 26 | Bare | 2,421 ft | 2 days |
| Ferry County | Sep 13 – Sep 21 | Bare | 3,313 ft | 9 days |
| Franklin County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | Bare | 955 ft | 2 days |
| Garfield County | Sep 21 – Sep 29 | Bare | 2,599 ft | 10 days |
| Grant County | Sep 23 – Oct 1 | Bare | 1,432 ft | 4 days |
| Grays Harbor County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 178 ft | 2 days |
| Island County | Sep 25 – Oct 3 | Bare | 139 ft | 1 days |
| Jefferson County | Sep 24 – Oct 2 | Bare | 863 ft | 9 days |
| King County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Bare | 1,651 ft | 15 days |
| Kitsap County | Sep 27 – Oct 5 | Bare | 40 ft | 0 days |
| Kittitas County | Sep 16 – Sep 24 | Bare | 3,386 ft | 10 days |
| Klickitat County | Sep 25 – Oct 3 | Bare | 1,757 ft | 7 days |
| Lewis County | Sep 24 – Oct 2 | Bare | 1,637 ft | 12 days |
| Lincoln County | Sep 20 – Sep 28 | Bare | 2,115 ft | 3 days |
| Mason County | Sep 27 – Oct 5 | Bare | 124 ft | 6 days |
| Okanogan County | Sep 15 – Sep 23 | Bare | 2,826 ft | 17 days |
| Pacific County | Sep 29 – Oct 7 | Bare | 253 ft | 4 days |
| Pend Oreille County | Sep 13 – Sep 21 | Bare | 3,350 ft | 7 days |
| Pierce County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Bare | 1,733 ft | 21 days |
| San Juan County | Sep 24 – Oct 2 | Bare | 50 ft | 2 days |
| Skagit County | Sep 21 – Sep 29 | Bare | 1,039 ft | 14 days |
| Skamania County | Sep 23 – Oct 1 | Bare | 2,205 ft | 9 days |
| Snohomish County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Bare | 1,197 ft | 15 days |
| Spokane County | Sep 19 – Sep 27 | Bare | 2,337 ft | 1 days |
| Stevens County | Sep 16 – Sep 24 | Bare | 2,581 ft | 4 days |
| Thurston County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 295 ft | 3 days |
| Wahkiakum County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 565 ft | 4 days |
| Walla Walla County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | Bare | 1,148 ft | 3 days |
| Whatcom County | Sep 16 – Sep 24 | Bare | 2,256 ft | 13 days |
| Whitman County | Sep 22 – Sep 30 | Bare | 1,857 ft | 4 days |
| Yakima County | Sep 17 – Sep 25 | Bare | 3,722 ft | 13 days |
Peak by elevation
18 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 | 7,100 ft | Sep 6 | Bare |
| Mid elevation | 4,000 ft | Sep 17 | Bare |
| Valleys & lowlands | 1,850 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
Washington on September 17, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:11 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 86° | 6:42 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 41 min of low, warm light | 7:23 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:57 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 41 min before sunset | 6:31 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 274° | 7:11 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:42 PM |
Times in America/Los Angeles · day length 12h 29m · 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 Washington
4 researched locations, earliest peak first. Filter these locations
- Carne Mountain Bare
Entiat Mountains · 7,085 ft · peaks Sep 5
The last mile climbs into a basin of subalpine larch around 6,100 feet, then opens on the ridge to Glacier Peak, Mount Maude, and Seven Fingered Jack. The 3,600 feet of gain keeps the crowd far thinner than the roadside larch hikes on Highway 20.
- Blue Lake (Washington Pass) Bare
North Cascades Highway · 6,254 ft · peaks Sep 7
Subalpine larch ring the basin below Liberty Bell Mountain and the Early Winters Spires, which rise straight out of the far shore to the northeast. The larch here go gold in the first half of October, two to three weeks ahead of the western larch down at valley level.
- Gold Creek Pond Bare
Snoqualmie Pass · 2,536 ft · peaks Sep 23
Vine maple turn scarlet around a paved loop that circles the pond, with the Gold Creek valley and the Chikamin ridgeline lined up to the northeast. Cold mornings put mist on the water, and the shoreline is a five-minute walk from the car.
- Tumwater Canyon Bare
Central Cascades · 1,488 ft · peaks Sep 26
US-2 runs ten miles through a granite canyon where vine maple and bigleaf maple fill the slope above the Wenatchee River. Flat light beats sun here because the canyon walls throw hard shadows across the water most of the day.
Recent reports from Washington
Report what you sawCommon questions
- When do the leaves change in Washington?
- Washington typically peaks Sep 13 – Sep 21, centered on Sep 17. Larch peaks in the second half of October; the Puget Sound lowlands in early November. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.
- Does elevation change when fall color peaks in Washington?
- Yes, by about 18 days. High ground around 7,100 ft peaks near Sep 6, while valleys near 1,850 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 Washington?
- The guide includes 4 researched locations in Washington, including Carne Mountain, Blue Lake (Washington Pass), Gold Creek Pond. Carne Mountain turns first, around Sep 5, and Tumwater Canyon is last, around Sep 26. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
- What trees turn color in Washington?
- Mainly western larch, vine maple, bigleaf maple, quaking aspen. 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.