Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Travel
  3. News

The 2024 fall foliage map you need to time your next trip

Use this map to plan your fall trip

By
Fall leaves
Valiphotos / Pixabay

Planning a scenic getaway to enjoy the gorgeous color of autumn that say it’s fall? Look no further! The 2024 fall foliage map, recently released by SmokyMountains.com, is your ultimate tool for timing that perfect trip. This interactive map predicts peak fall foliage across the U.S. using a combination of temperature data, tree species, and other factors to provide the most accurate forecast.

Whether you’re headed to the mountains or a local park, this guide will help you catch nature’s stunning display at its finest. Ready to chase the fall colors? Let’s dive into how this map can make your trip unforgettable. 

Recommended Videos

Using the 2024 fall foliage map

Fall Foliage Map
SmokyMountains.com

The 2024 fall foliage map is a user-friendly tool designed to help you pinpoint the best time to see autumn leaves at their peak. The map features a week-by-week slider that spans from September 2 to November 18, allowing you to track the progression of fall colors across the country. Each week, the map updates with color-coded regions, making it easy to visualize where the leaves are in their seasonal transformation.

The color scheme ranges from green, indicating “no change,” to brown, which means the leaves have “past peak.” In between, you’ll find shades representing “patchy,” “near peak,” and “peak,” conditions. By adjusting the slider, you can plan your trip to coincide with the perfect moment. 

2024 fall foliage season: Peak times

Yellow leaves on a tree in fall
congerdesign / Pixabay

The timing of peak fall foliage varies across the U.S., with changes starting in the northern regions and gradually moving south. If you’re planning a trip to catch the early autumn colors, northern states like Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Maine are your best bet, reaching their peak between September 23 and September 29.

For those dreaming of a classic New England road trip, the week of October 7 is prime time. States such as Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island will be bursting with vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows.

As fall progresses, the Midwest and parts of the Appalachian region take center stage. States like Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, along with sections of North Carolina and Virginia and the Appalachian Mountains, will hit peak foliage during the week of October 21. This is an ideal time to explore scenic byways and trails.

In the West, while many states experience minimal fall foliage changes, areas like South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon will showcase their autumn beauty around October 28. These states offer unique landscapes, where fall colors contrast beautifully with the mountainous backdrops.

If you’re planning a later trip, states such as Iowa, Missouri, California, and Nevada will offer spectacular fall colors from November 4 to November 10. Finally, if you’re in the southern states like Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Georgia, the peak season stretches into mid-November, from November 11 to November 18. This extended timeline ensures there’s plenty of time to witness the beauty of fall, no matter where you are.

Amanda Teague
Amanda Teague
Contributor
Amanda, an accomplished freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio, is a dedicated explorer of both the world and the written word… Read Full Bio
Topics
Travel
5 Tips If You’re Traveling With Cigars: I Learned No. 2 the Hard Way
Wood, Hardwood, Accessories

Traveling with cigars can be challenging if you’re not prepared. The lack of preparation can lead to your favorite cigars getting smashed from inadequate storage, or they can peel because they weren’t kept at the proper temperature, among other issues. Sometimes you do all the right things, and still come away shaking your head.

I’ve been smoking cigars for two decades now, and it’s not beneath me to admit that I’ve made plenty of cigar travel mistakes in that span, and as recently as two weeks ago. You live, you learn, and hope you don’t waste a stogie on the next trip. My most recent cigar travel mistake is what inspired me to share these tips. Sure, there are plenty of articles out there offering similar advice. But this list comes from a cigar smoker and writer who has visited six countries and about a dozen states in the last year alone. And in that time, mistakes were made, and lessons were learned.

Read more
Travel
The art of adventure packing: packing light but effective
Clothing, Coat, Jacket

If you are like me, you grew up with stories of adventure. Whether you were fans of fictional adventure like Indiana Jones and Alan Quartermain, or you loved the true-life accounts of Ernest Shackleton and David Livingstone, there is a deep pull to venture into the unknown. The desire to abandon the Mon-Fri 9-5 in search of something deeper. You could spend your time thinking about hopping a boat and sailing the seven seas like the pirates of old. You could look up at the elusive peak of a mountain and believe it begs to be summited. You could stare into the depths of a jungle and wonder what treasures it hides beneath its canopy. No matter what kind of adventurer you are, you need to be prepared for whatever the world throws at you. I have climbed Salkantay Peak and explored the jungles of Peru. I have scanned the plains of Africa in search of a giant cat (the prospect of which was much more comforting than the actual sighting and wondering if I was far enough away). And I have disappeared into the secluded areas of Svalbard. One thing that remained constant was the need for the right pack.

Here is what I learned when packing for my adventures.

Read more
Travel
Savannah Beyond the Postcard
Architecture, Building, Spire

Savannah is one of those cities that seems almost too easy to like. The live oaks are dramatic. The Spanish moss does exactly what it is supposed to do. The brick sidewalks buckle in all the right places. The houses look like they were designed by people who understood proportion, shade, and the value of a proper front step. Even the light seems to arrive with better manners than it does in most places.

I have a built-in advantage when it comes to Savannah. We have family there, so we have been back several times, not just once for the checklist version of the city. I have also done a photography workshop there, which is a terrific way to learn any city. You get up early, stay out late, and pay attention to alleys, doorways, ironwork, reflections, and the way a city changes when the tourists are still asleep.

Read more