Leaf peeping

Fall colors in Mississippi

Typical peak runs Nov 1 – 10. Pick the week, then the place.

Photo: Natchez Trace Trail

Fall color in Mississippi typically peaks between Nov 1 and Nov 10, with the middle of the season around Nov 6. Color starts in the high country (DA Bynum Mounds Trail around Oct 24) and finishes lower (NA Mt. Locust Trail, MP 15.6 around Nov 5). We track 59 places here: 33 hikes, 18 campgrounds, 4 mountain biking trails, 2 waterfalls, and 2 scenic drives.

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. Oct 13 – 19

    1 places
    Chewalla LakeTop pick · campground

  2. Oct 20 – 26

    11 places
    Outcroppings TrailTop pick · hike

  3. Oct 27 – Nov 2

    49 places
    Natchez Trace TrailTop pick · hike

  4. Nov 3 – 9

    Busiest

    57 places
    PG Rocky Springs TrailTop pick · hike

  5. Nov 10 – 16

    48 places
    Turnip Patch Hill ATV TrailTop pick · hike

  6. Nov 17 – 23

    10 places
    NA Mt. Locust Trail, MP 15.6Top pick · hike

  7. Nov 24 – 30

    1 places

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.

Everything

Map and full list

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

  • Coming up (42)
  • Later (17)

Coming up

Typical peak starts within the next three weeks.

Later

Typical peak is more than three weeks away.

Questions

Fall colors in Mississippi: FAQ

When is peak fall color in Mississippi?

Across the 59 places we track in Mississippi, typical peak runs from Nov 1 to Nov 10, with the middle of the season around Nov 6. Where you are in the state matters: higher elevations come earlier and valleys later.

Where do leaves change first in Mississippi?

Among the places we track in Mississippi, DA Bynum Mounds Trail has the earliest typical peak, around Oct 24. The latest is NA Mt. Locust Trail, MP 15.6, around Nov 5.

What are the best fall hikes in Mississippi?

Hikes with strong typical color in Mississippi include Natchez Trace Trail, Outcroppings Trail, Ccc Camp Trail, Bear Creek Trail, and Saddle Back Ridge 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.