Wisconsin Fall Foliage 2026
Northern counties typically hit peak in the first week of October, with sugar maple, red maple and birch leading the show. Door County and southern areas follow two weeks later, extending the season into late October. The elevation spread runs fourteen days from high ground to valleys, giving you options to chase color across the state.
When Wisconsin peaks
Sep 26 – Oct 4
Centered on Sep 30. Northern counties peak in the first week of October; Door County and the south run 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
- sugar maple
- red maple
- aspen
- birch
- tamarack
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 30Typical color progression for Wisconsin. No change from Aug 23 to Sep 9. First color from Sep 9 to Sep 18. Approaching peak from Sep 18 to Sep 26. Peak from Sep 26 to Oct 4. Past peak from Oct 4 to Oct 14. Bare from Oct 14 to Oct 28.
Color starts around Sep 9.
Peak by elevation
14 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 | 4,000 ft | Sep 22 | No change |
| Mid elevation | 1,500 ft | Sep 30 | No change |
| Valleys & lowlands | 0 ft | Oct 6 | 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
Wisconsin on September 30, 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 | 6:25 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 93° | 6:54 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 40 min of low, warm light | 7:34 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:48 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 39 min before sunset | 6:01 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 267° | 6:41 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:10 PM |
Times in America/Chicago · day length 11h 46m · 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 Wisconsin
4 researched locations, earliest peak first.
- Brownstone Falls No change
Copper Falls State Park · 1,049 ft · peaks Sep 30
Tyler Forks drops 30 feet over black lava rock into the Bad River gorge, framed by maple and birch growing straight out of the canyon walls. The railed platform sits across the gorge, so the falls and both walls fit one frame.
- Rib Mountain State Park No change
Central Wisconsin · 1,917 ft · peaks Oct 1
A quartzite ridge standing 700 feet above the Wisconsin River valley, with an observation tower clearing the treeline for a full circle over Wausau and the surrounding hardwood. Oak holds rust color here a week past the maples, which stretches the season.
- Eagle Tower, Peninsula State Park No change
Door County · 774 ft · peaks Oct 4
A 60-foot tower on Eagle Bluff puts you above the canopy with Eagle Harbor, Horseshoe Island, and the Green Bay shoreline laid out below. Late light rakes across the treetops from behind the tower and lifts the maple crowns off the water.
- Devil's Doorway, East Bluff No change
Baraboo Hills · 1,398 ft · peaks Oct 7
A freestanding quartzite arch stands on the bluff edge with the lake 400 feet below and oak-maple talus slopes filling the frame behind it. Shooting through the arch gives you a hard dark foreground against the color on the opposite bluff.
Recent reports from Wisconsin
Report what you sawCommon questions
- When do the leaves change in Wisconsin?
- Wisconsin typically peaks Sep 26 – Oct 4, centered on Sep 30. Northern counties peak in the first week of October; Door County and the south run 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 Wisconsin?
- Yes, by about 14 days. High ground around 4,000 ft peaks near Sep 22, while valleys near 0 ft wait until Oct 6. 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 Wisconsin?
- We track 4 verified locations in Wisconsin, including Brownstone Falls, Rib Mountain State Park, Eagle Tower, Peninsula State Park. Brownstone Falls turns first, around Sep 30, and Devil's Doorway, East Bluff is last, around Oct 7. Each has real coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
- What trees turn color in Wisconsin?
- Mainly sugar maple, red maple, aspen, birch, tamarack. 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.