Leaf peeping
Fall colors in South Dakota
Typical peak runs Sep 28 – Oct 15. Pick the week, then the place.
Fall color in South Dakota typically peaks between Sep 28 and Oct 15, with the middle of the season around Oct 7. Color starts in the high country (RED LAKE 52 around Sep 19) and finishes lower (Crazy Horse around Oct 10). We track 2 places here: 1 hike and 1 campground.
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.
Sep 15 – 21
Busiest
1 placesRED LAKE 52Top pick · hikeSep 22 – 28
Busiest
1 placesSep 29 – Oct 5
Busiest
1 placesOct 6 – 12
This week
1 placesCrazy HorseTop pick · campgroundOct 13 – 19
Busiest
1 placesOct 20 – 26
Busiest
1 places
This week
In typical peak now in South Dakota
Places whose usual window includes today.
Camp
Campgrounds in the color
Wake up in it. Check availability and any seasonal closures before you go.
Everything
Map and full list
Every place we track in South Dakota, grouped by where it is in its typical window.
- In typical peak now (1)
- Past peak (1)
In typical peak now
Today falls inside the usual peak window for these places.
Past peak
The usual peak window has ended for the year.
Questions
Fall colors in South Dakota: FAQ
When is peak fall color in South Dakota?
Across the 2 places we track in South Dakota, typical peak runs from Sep 28 to Oct 15, with the middle of the season around Oct 7. Where you are in the state matters: higher elevations come earlier and valleys later.
Where do leaves change first in South Dakota?
Among the places we track in South Dakota, RED LAKE 52 has the earliest typical peak, around Sep 19. The latest is Crazy Horse, around Oct 10.
What are the best fall hikes in South Dakota?
Browse the places below for hikes with strong typical color in South Dakota, ranked by forest cover and how consistent the timing has been.
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.
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