Leaf peeping

Fall colors in Maryland

Typical peak runs Oct 21 – Nov 1. Pick the week, then the place.

Photo: Thurmont Vista Loop Trail

Fall color in Maryland typically peaks between Oct 21 and Nov 1, with the middle of the season around Oct 27. Color starts in the high country (Canyon Trail around Oct 4) and finishes lower (Purple Trail around Oct 28). We track 1,139 places here: 687 hikes, 231 mountain biking trails, 194 campgrounds, 14 summits, and 11 waterfalls. Above 2,000 ft, color typically peaks around Oct 14; under 1,000 ft, around Oct 27.

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 29 – Oct 5

    10 places
    Snaggy Mountain Snowmobile TrailTop pick · hike

  2. Oct 6 – 12

    This week

    97 places
    Cat Rock TrailTop pick · hike

  3. Oct 13 – 19

    566 places
    Charcoal Exhibit TrailTop pick · hike

  4. Oct 20 – 26

    Busiest

    1,078 places
    Thurmont Vista Loop TrailTop pick · hike

  5. Oct 27 – Nov 2

    1,042 places
    Fort Washington TrailTop pick · hike

  6. Nov 3 – 9

    573 places
    TR-5 Blue Ridge Summit TrailTop pick · hike

  7. Nov 10 – 16

    51 places
    Green TrailTop pick · hike

Elevation

Color walks downhill

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

  1. 2,000+ ftOct 14
  2. 1,000–2,000 ftOct 26
  3. 0–1,000 ftOct 27

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 Maryland

Places whose usual window includes today.

Plan ahead

Coming up next

Typical peak starts within the next three weeks.

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.

Drives

Scenic drives

The easiest way to cover a lot of color, and a good fit for a wide window.

Camp

Campgrounds in the color

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

Views

Summits and waterfalls

Overlooks for the big picture, falls for the doubled-up reflection.

Ride

Mountain biking through the color

Singletrack with a canopy overhead.

Everything

Map and full list

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

  • In typical peak now (79)
  • Coming up (21)

In typical peak now

Today falls inside the usual peak window for these places.

Coming up

Typical peak starts within the next three weeks.

Questions

Fall colors in Maryland: FAQ

When is peak fall color in Maryland?

Across the 1,139 places we track in Maryland, typical peak runs from Oct 21 to Nov 1, with the middle of the season around Oct 27. Where you are in the state matters: higher elevations come earlier and valleys later.

Where do leaves change first in Maryland?

Among the places we track in Maryland, Canyon Trail has the earliest typical peak, around Oct 4. The latest is Purple Trail, around Oct 28. Above 2,000 ft, color typically peaks around Oct 14; under 1,000 ft, around Oct 27.

What are the best fall hikes in Maryland?

Hikes with strong typical color in Maryland include Thurmont Vista Loop Trail, Charcoal Exhibit Trail, TR-6 Charcoal Trail, Thurmont Vista Overlook, and TR-5 Blue Ridge Summit Trail. 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.