Leaf peeping

Fall colors in Nebraska

Typical peak runs Oct 17 – 20. Pick the week, then the place.

Photo: Hilltop Trail

Fall color in Nebraska typically peaks between Oct 17 and Oct 20, with the middle of the season around Oct 18. The earliest typical peak we track is at Hilltop Trail (around Oct 11) and the latest is at Hilltop Trail (around Oct 11). We track 28 places here: 15 hikes and 13 mountain biking trails.

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 6 – 12

    This week

    16 places
    Hilltop TrailTop pick · hike

  2. Oct 13 – 19

    Busiest

    28 places
    Red OakTop pick · mountain biking trail

  3. Oct 20 – 26

    Busiest

    28 places
    Settlers TrailTop pick · hike

  4. Oct 27 – Nov 2

    12 places
    Bur OakTop pick · mountain biking trail

This week

In typical peak now in Nebraska

Places whose usual window includes today.

Plan ahead

Coming up next

Typical peak starts within the next three weeks.

Hikes

Best fall hikes

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

Everything

Map and full list

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

  • In typical peak now (5)
  • Coming up (23)

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 Nebraska: FAQ

When is peak fall color in Nebraska?

Across the 28 places we track in Nebraska, typical peak runs from Oct 17 to Oct 20, with the middle of the season around Oct 18. Where you are in the state matters: higher elevations come earlier and valleys later.

Where do leaves change first in Nebraska?

Among the places we track in Nebraska, Hilltop Trail has the earliest typical peak, around Oct 11. The latest is Hilltop Trail, around Oct 11.

What are the best fall hikes in Nebraska?

Hikes with strong typical color in Nebraska include Hilltop Trail, Settlers Trail, Neale Trail, Raccoon Hollow, and Columbine 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.