Leaf peeping

Fall colors in Texas

Typical peak runs Nov 2 – 16. Pick the week, then the place.

Photo: Wild Rose Loop

Fall color in Texas typically peaks between Nov 2 and Nov 16, with the middle of the season around Nov 8. Color starts in the high country (Lake Somerville State Park - Nails Creek Unit around Oct 18) and finishes lower (Buffalo 35 RV Park around Nov 20). We track 189 places here: 139 campgrounds and 50 hikes.

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

    2 places
    Lake Somerville State Park - Nails Creek UnitTop pick · campground

  2. Oct 20 – 26

    21 places
    Bois D' Arc 1Top pick · hike

  3. Oct 27 – Nov 2

    134 places
    Lbj BlueTop pick · hike

  4. Nov 3 – 9

    Busiest

    171 places
    Lbj WhiteTop pick · hike

  5. Nov 10 – 16

    166 places
    Wild Rose LoopTop pick · hike

  6. Nov 17 – 23

    55 places
    Buffalo 35 RV ParkTop pick · campground

  7. Nov 24 – 30

    16 places
    Clear Fork TrailTop pick · hike

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.

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

  • Coming up (92)
  • Later (8)

Coming up

Typical peak starts within the next three weeks.

Later

Typical peak is more than three weeks away.

Questions

Fall colors in Texas: FAQ

When is peak fall color in Texas?

Across the 189 places we track in Texas, typical peak runs from Nov 2 to Nov 16, with the middle of the season around Nov 8. Where you are in the state matters: higher elevations come earlier and valleys later.

Where do leaves change first in Texas?

Among the places we track in Texas, Lake Somerville State Park - Nails Creek Unit has the earliest typical peak, around Oct 18. The latest is Buffalo 35 RV Park, around Nov 20.

What are the best fall hikes in Texas?

Hikes with strong typical color in Texas include Lbj White, Lbj Blue, Lbj Yellow, Bois D' Arc 4, and Bois D' Arc 3A Shortcut. 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.