Leaf peeping

Fall colors in South Carolina

Typical peak runs Oct 29 – Nov 6. Pick the week, then the place.

Photo: Pinnacle Mountain

Fall color in South Carolina typically peaks between Oct 29 and Nov 6, with the middle of the season around Nov 2. Color starts in the high country (Kings Creek Falls around Oct 24) and finishes lower (Abandoned Trail around Nov 2). We track 419 places here: 246 hikes, 82 mountain biking trails, 51 campgrounds, 21 summits, and 17 waterfalls. Above 3,000 ft, color typically peaks around Oct 31; under 1,000 ft, around Nov 2.

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

    5 places
    FoothillsTop pick · hike

  2. Oct 20 – 26

    210 places
    Pinnacle MountainTop pick · summit

  3. Oct 27 – Nov 2

    Busiest

    416 places
    Table RockTop pick · summit

  4. Nov 3 – 9

    414 places
    Little MountainTop pick · summit

  5. Nov 10 – 16

    209 places
    Isaqueena FallsTop pick · waterfall

  6. Nov 17 – 23

    3 places
    Parsons MountainTop pick · summit

Elevation

Color walks downhill

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

  1. 3,000+ ftOct 31
  2. 2,000–3,000 ftNov 2
  3. 1,000–2,000 ftNov 4
  4. 0–1,000 ftNov 2

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

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 South Carolina, grouped by where it is in its typical window.

  • Coming up (100)

Coming up

Typical peak starts within the next three weeks.

Questions

Fall colors in South Carolina: FAQ

When is peak fall color in South Carolina?

Across the 419 places we track in South Carolina, typical peak runs from Oct 29 to Nov 6, with the middle of the season around Nov 2. Where you are in the state matters: higher elevations come earlier and valleys later.

Where do leaves change first in South Carolina?

Among the places we track in South Carolina, Kings Creek Falls has the earliest typical peak, around Oct 24. The latest is Abandoned Trail, around Nov 2. Above 3,000 ft, color typically peaks around Oct 31; under 1,000 ft, around Nov 2.

What are the best fall hikes in South Carolina?

Hikes with strong typical color in South Carolina include Carrick Creek Loop, Palmetto Trail, Ridge Trail, Abandoned Trail, and Yellow Branch Falls 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.