Leaf peeping

Fall colors in Oklahoma

Typical peak runs Oct 26 – Nov 4. Pick the week, then the place.

Photo: Wilton Mountain

Fall color in Oklahoma typically peaks between Oct 26 and Nov 4, with the middle of the season around Oct 31. The earliest typical peak we track is at Le Doux Trail (around Oct 16) and the latest is at Mount Scott (around Oct 30). We track 267 places here: 161 campgrounds, 46 hikes, 34 mountain biking trails, 19 waterfalls, and 5 summits. Above 1,000 ft, color typically peaks around Nov 2; under 1,000 ft, around Oct 30.

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

    3 places
    Rocky Point (Ft Gibson)Top pick · campground

  2. Oct 13 – 19

    37 places
    Okmulgee Creek TrailTop pick · hike

  3. Oct 20 – 26

    203 places
    Wilton MountainTop pick · summit

  4. Oct 27 – Nov 2

    Busiest

    261 places
    Cavanal MountainTop pick · summit

  5. Nov 3 – 9

    230 places
    Cedar Planting TrailTop pick · hike

  6. Nov 10 – 16

    64 places
    Mount ScottTop pick · summit

  7. Nov 17 – 23

    3 places
    Mahaffey PointTop pick · campground

Elevation

Color walks downhill

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

  1. 1,000+ ftNov 2
  2. 0–1,000 ftOct 30

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 Oklahoma

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 Oklahoma, grouped by where it is in its typical window.

  • In typical peak now (2)
  • Coming up (98)

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 Oklahoma: FAQ

When is peak fall color in Oklahoma?

Across the 267 places we track in Oklahoma, typical peak runs from Oct 26 to Nov 4, with the middle of the season around Oct 31. Where you are in the state matters: higher elevations come earlier and valleys later.

Where do leaves change first in Oklahoma?

Among the places we track in Oklahoma, Le Doux Trail has the earliest typical peak, around Oct 16. The latest is Mount Scott, around Oct 30. Above 1,000 ft, color typically peaks around Nov 2; under 1,000 ft, around Oct 30.

What are the best fall hikes in Oklahoma?

Hikes with strong typical color in Oklahoma include Okmulgee Creek Trail, Le Doux Trail, Wsm Eq - 1007, Natureworks Trail, and Mountain Top 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.