Wisconsin Fall Foliage 2026
Typical peak window
Sep 26 – Oct 4
Centered on Sep 30 at reference elevation.
low confidence in typical timing.
Northern counties peak in the first week of October; Door County and the south run mid-to-late October.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Seasonal timing
Wisconsin’s typical peak is around September 30, within a September 26–October 4 window. High ground near 1,950 feet peaks around September 29 and valleys near 1,450 feet around September 30; northern counties typically peak in the first week of October, while Door County and southern Wisconsin run mid-to-late October.
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.
Leaves are typically down on Nov 1, 2026. Color starts around Sep 9.
Wisconsin by county
12 days from Ashland County to Racine County.
Tap a location marker for coordinates and light times. Where peak usually lands. Boundaries: US Census, 2023. Elevation: USGS 3DEP + SRTM. Method
Every county, as text
| County | Typical peak | Stage on Nov 1, 2026 | Median elev. | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | Oct 3 – Oct 11 | Bare | 972 ft | 0 days |
| Ashland County | Sep 25 – Oct 3 | Bare | 1,461 ft | 3 days |
| Barron County | Sep 29 – Oct 7 | Bare | 1,146 ft | 1 days |
| Bayfield County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | Bare | 1,152 ft | 2 days |
| Brown County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 688 ft | 1 days |
| Buffalo County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 867 ft | 1 days |
| Burnett County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 967 ft | 0 days |
| Calumet County | Oct 3 – Oct 11 | Bare | 843 ft | 0 days |
| Chippewa County | Sep 30 – Oct 8 | Bare | 1,022 ft | 0 days |
| Clark County | Oct 1 – Oct 9 | Bare | 1,064 ft | 1 days |
| Columbia County | Oct 4 – Oct 12 | Bare | 911 ft | 1 days |
| Crawford County | Oct 5 – Oct 13 | Bare | 925 ft | 2 days |
| Dane County | Oct 5 – Oct 13 | Bare | 954 ft | 1 days |
| Dodge County | Oct 5 – Oct 13 | Bare | 899 ft | 1 days |
| Door County | Oct 1 – Oct 9 | Bare | 643 ft | 0 days |
| Douglas County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | Bare | 1,128 ft | 0 days |
| Dunn County | Oct 1 – Oct 9 | Bare | 926 ft | 1 days |
| Eau Claire County | Oct 1 – Oct 9 | Bare | 1,041 ft | 1 days |
| Florence County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | Bare | 1,407 ft | 1 days |
| Fond du Lac County | Oct 4 – Oct 12 | Bare | 902 ft | 1 days |
| Forest County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | Bare | 1,602 ft | 1 days |
| Grant County | Oct 6 – Oct 14 | Bare | 969 ft | 1 days |
| Green County | Oct 6 – Oct 14 | Bare | 897 ft | 0 days |
| Green Lake County | Oct 4 – Oct 12 | Bare | 810 ft | 1 days |
| Iowa County | Oct 5 – Oct 13 | Bare | 1,099 ft | 1 days |
| Iron County | Sep 25 – Oct 3 | Bare | 1,593 ft | 0 days |
| Jackson County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 982 ft | 1 days |
| Jefferson County | Oct 6 – Oct 14 | Bare | 842 ft | 0 days |
| Juneau County | Oct 3 – Oct 11 | Bare | 920 ft | 0 days |
| Kenosha County | Oct 7 – Oct 15 | Bare | 755 ft | 0 days |
| Kewaunee County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 709 ft | 0 days |
| La Crosse County | Oct 3 – Oct 11 | Bare | 881 ft | 2 days |
| Lafayette County | Oct 6 – Oct 14 | Bare | 980 ft | 0 days |
| Langlade County | Sep 27 – Oct 5 | Bare | 1,546 ft | 1 days |
| Lincoln County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 1,460 ft | 0 days |
| Manitowoc County | Oct 3 – Oct 11 | Bare | 821 ft | 1 days |
| Marathon County | Sep 30 – Oct 8 | Bare | 1,214 ft | 1 days |
| Marinette County | Sep 29 – Oct 7 | Bare | 908 ft | 2 days |
| Marquette County | Oct 3 – Oct 11 | Bare | 835 ft | 1 days |
| Menominee County | Sep 30 – Oct 8 | Bare | 1,115 ft | 1 days |
| Milwaukee County | Oct 6 – Oct 14 | Bare | 699 ft | 0 days |
| Monroe County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 1,039 ft | 2 days |
| Oconto County | Oct 1 – Oct 9 | Bare | 802 ft | 2 days |
| Oneida County | Sep 26 – Oct 4 | Bare | 1,587 ft | 1 days |
| Outagamie County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 790 ft | 1 days |
| Ozaukee County | Oct 5 – Oct 13 | Bare | 775 ft | 0 days |
| Pepin County | Oct 1 – Oct 9 | Bare | 915 ft | 1 days |
| Pierce County | Sep 30 – Oct 8 | Bare | 1,061 ft | 1 days |
| Polk County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 1,116 ft | 1 days |
| Portage County | Oct 1 – Oct 9 | Bare | 1,112 ft | 0 days |
| Price County | Sep 27 – Oct 5 | Bare | 1,488 ft | 1 days |
| Racine County | Oct 7 – Oct 15 | Bare | 765 ft | 1 days |
| Richland County | Oct 4 – Oct 12 | Bare | 916 ft | 1 days |
| Rock County | Oct 6 – Oct 14 | Bare | 899 ft | 1 days |
| Rusk County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 1,224 ft | 1 days |
| Sauk County | Oct 4 – Oct 12 | Bare | 910 ft | 2 days |
| Sawyer County | Sep 27 – Oct 5 | Bare | 1,369 ft | 1 days |
| Shawano County | Oct 1 – Oct 9 | Bare | 987 ft | 1 days |
| Sheboygan County | Oct 3 – Oct 11 | Bare | 910 ft | 1 days |
| St. Croix County | Sep 30 – Oct 8 | Bare | 1,038 ft | 1 days |
| Taylor County | Sep 28 – Oct 6 | Bare | 1,375 ft | 1 days |
| Trempealeau County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 904 ft | 1 days |
| Vernon County | Oct 3 – Oct 11 | Bare | 1,146 ft | 1 days |
| Vilas County | Sep 25 – Oct 3 | Bare | 1,661 ft | 0 days |
| Walworth County | Oct 6 – Oct 14 | Bare | 955 ft | 0 days |
| Washburn County | Sep 27 – Oct 5 | Bare | 1,240 ft | 1 days |
| Washington County | Oct 4 – Oct 12 | Bare | 979 ft | 1 days |
| Waukesha County | Oct 6 – Oct 14 | Bare | 852 ft | 1 days |
| Waupaca County | Oct 2 – Oct 10 | Bare | 857 ft | 0 days |
| Waushara County | Oct 3 – Oct 11 | Bare | 866 ft | 1 days |
| Winnebago County | Oct 3 – Oct 11 | Bare | 788 ft | 0 days |
| Wood County | Oct 1 – Oct 9 | Bare | 1,033 ft | 1 days |
Peak by elevation
1 day 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 | 1,950 ft | Sep 29 | Bare |
| Mid elevation | 1,500 ft | Sep 30 | Bare |
| Valleys & lowlands | 1,450 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
Wisconsin on September 30, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| 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.
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 Wisconsin
4 researched locations, earliest peak first. Filter these locations
- Brownstone Falls Bare
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 Bare
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 Bare
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 Bare
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; current conditions may differ.
- Where are the best places to see fall color in Wisconsin?
- The guide includes 4 researched 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 includes 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.