Leaf peeping

Fall colors in Idaho

Typical peak runs Sep 16 – Oct 1. Pick the week, then the place.

Photo: Willow Flat Campground

Fall color in Idaho typically peaks between Sep 16 and Oct 1, with the middle of the season around Sep 26. The earliest typical peak we track is at Cloverleaf Campground (around Sep 5) and the latest is at Drake Creek Trail (around Sep 28). We track 62 places here: 44 hikes, 11 campgrounds, 6 mountain biking trails, and 1 summit. Above 8,000 ft, color typically peaks around Sep 23; between 6,000 and 7,000 ft, around Sep 25.

When to go

Week by week

How many places are in their typical peak window each week, with the top pick. Today’s week is highlighted.

  1. Sep 1 – 7

    5 places
    NORTH FORK CAMPGROUND - St. CHARLES CANYONTop pick · campground

  2. Sep 8 – 14

    16 places
    Scout-Bone CanyonTop pick · mountain biking trail

  3. Sep 15 – 21

    38 places
    Bull CanyonTop pick · mountain biking trail

  4. Sep 22 – 28

    Busiest

    57 places
    Willow Flat CampgroundTop pick · campground

  5. Sep 29 – Oct 5

    46 places
    Emigration CampgroundTop pick · campground

  6. Oct 6 – 12

    This week

    24 places
    WildcatTop pick · hike

Elevation

Color walks downhill

In Idaho, the higher the ground, the earlier the turn. Each row is a 1,000-foot band.

  1. 8,000+ ftSep 23
  2. 7,000–8,000 ftSep 27
  3. 6,000–7,000 ftSep 25

Dot = median typical peak for places in that band. Bands with fewer than 10 places are left out.

This week

In typical peak now in Idaho

Places whose usual window includes today.

Where

By park and forest

Typical timing for the public lands with the most places, and the best-known spots in each.

Hikes

Best fall hikes

Trails ranked by how much hardwood forest surrounds them and how consistent the timing is across years.

Camp

Campgrounds in the color

Wake up in it. Check availability and any seasonal closures before you go.

Everything

Map and full list

Every place we track in Idaho, grouped by where it is in its typical window.

  • In typical peak now (2)
  • Past peak (60)

In typical peak now

Today falls inside the usual peak window for these places.

Past peak

The usual peak window has ended for the year.

Questions

Fall colors in Idaho: FAQ

When is peak fall color in Idaho?

Across the 62 places we track in Idaho, typical peak runs from Sep 16 to Oct 1, with the middle of the season around Sep 26. Where you are in the state matters: higher elevations come earlier and valleys later.

Where do leaves change first in Idaho?

Among the places we track in Idaho, Cloverleaf Campground has the earliest typical peak, around Sep 5. The latest is Drake Creek Trail, around Sep 28. Above 8,000 ft, color typically peaks around Sep 23; between 6,000 and 7,000 ft, around Sep 25.

What are the best fall hikes in Idaho?

Hikes with strong typical color in Idaho include Wildcat, Shoshone Indian Trail, Willow Flat, Willow Flat Alt, and Crooked Creek. They are ranked by how much of the surrounding forest is hardwood and how consistent the timing has been across years.

Is this a forecast?

No. These dates are typical timing: when leaves have usually reached peak in past years, from NASA satellite vegetation data from 2017 to 2024 and USGS forest cover. A warm, dry or very wet year can shift them by a week or more, so treat them as a planning window, not a prediction for this year.

Keep going

Nearby states

Typical timing from NASA MODIS vegetation data (2017–2024) and USGS NLCD 2021 forest cover. Not a forecast. Timing is typical, not a forecast. How we time it.