October is finally here, and with it comes more fall foliage reaching its peak throughout the U.S.
Each year, as trees begin to store a chemical called chlorophyll, their leaves lose their green coloring, leaving yellow, orange, red, brown, and sometimes purple tints instead.
The changing of the leaves draws nature enthusiasts, often called leaf-peepers, to see the bright colors from Hudson Valley, New York to Boulder, Colorado, and Snoqualmie Valley, Washington.
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There are even interactive maps online that help onlookers pinpoint when specific areas in the U.S. will have the largest amount of fall foliage to see. One such site, Smokymountains.com, keeps track of fall foliage, sorting parts of the U.S. into categories such as near peak, peak, and even past peak.
Here’s a breakdown of what U.S. leaf-peepers can expect to see this weekend and early next week.
Travel: Top 10 US destinations for fall colors travelers can’t miss
The end of summer is near, and the transition of seasons brings cooler temperatures, colorful foliage and cozy atmospheres. Every fall, travelers flock to natural landscapes around the country to immerse themselves in the warm, vibrant hues of the leaves changing colors – a popular activity known as leaf peeping. "Seasonal activities provide travelers with unique experiences and leaf peeping is a consistent favorite for its beauty and ease – nationwide travelers can hop in the car and be within a few hours of stunning vistas," Priceline's consumer travel trends expert Christina Bennett told USA TODAY in a statement. Here are the best domestic destinations to go leaf peeping, according to Priceline.
1. Hudson Valley, New York
Just a quick escape from New York City, Hudson Valley is ranked by Priceline as the top destination for leaf peeping in 2025. Travelers can explore numerous parks and preserves to take in the shades of autumn, from Croton Gorge Park to Hudson State Historic Park. 2. Boulder, Colorado
Boulders' natural landscapes draw in travelers from all over, and one of the most famous leaf peeping activities is to drive the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway for 55 miles of colors. 4. Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Last year, Bucks County earned the top spot on Priceline's leaf peeping list. About an hour away from Philadelphia, Bucks County offers hot air balloon rides and drives over picturesque historic bridges. 6. Columbia River Gorge, Oregon
Throughout the year, the Columbia River Gorge is stunning, but the forests become truly vibrant in the fall. Travelers can hike to waterfalls or go on romantic horseback rides to experience the fall colors. 7. French Lick West Baden, Indiana
Travelers to French Lick West Baden can pick from several prime leaf peeping locales, such as hiking through Hoosier National Forest or taking the charming French Like Scenic Railway. 8. North Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada
Compared to its counterpart South Lake Tahoe, North Lake Tahoe is a quieter, more laidback retreat. In the fall, travelers are invited to leaf peep along its iconic shoreline and hiking trails. 10. The Berkshires, Massachusetts
The Berkshires remain one of the most iconic places for leaf peeping, with a wide array of viewpoints. Hiking trails lead to stunning vistas of the canopy. People can see the colors from down below by kayaking on the lake. Top 10 US destinations for fall colors travelers can’t miss 1 of 7 The end of summer is near, and the transition of seasons brings cooler temperatures, colorful foliage and cozy atmospheres. Every fall, travelers flock to natural landscapes around the country to immerse themselves in the warm, vibrant hues of the leaves changing colors – a popular activity known as leaf peeping. "Seasonal activities provide travelers with unique experiences and leaf peeping is a consistent favorite for its beauty and ease – nationwide travelers can hop in the car and be within a few hours of stunning vistas," Priceline's consumer travel trends expert Christina Bennett told USA TODAY in a statement. Here are the best domestic destinations to go leaf peeping, according to Priceline.
1. Hudson Valley, New York
Just a quick escape from New York City, Hudson Valley is ranked by Priceline as the top destination for leaf peeping in 2025. Travelers can explore numerous parks and preserves to take in the shades of autumn, from Croton Gorge Park to Hudson State Historic Park.
Fall foliage map: See where leaves are approaching peak color
There are still some areas where leaf-peepers can only see minimal fall foliage, and that will continue over the weekend and until at least Tuesday, Oct. 7, according to Smokymountains.com.
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Areas with minimal fall foliage colors include most of Missouri, most of South Carolina, central California, eastern New Mexico, and northern and western Kansas, Oklahoma, southeastern Nebraska, southern Iowa, southern Illinois, western Tennessee, parts of central North Carolina, northern Georgia, and northeastern Alabama.
Large portions of patchy or partial fall colors are spread throughout the U.S., especially in South Dakota, Nebraska, most of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, Kentucky, and West Virginia.
There are also patchy or partial fall colors in the western part of the country, primarily in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada.
By Oct. 7, some parts of the U.S. will have already had their peak fall colors on display, such as northeastern Maine, northern New Hampshire, and northern Vermont, central Idaho, and western Montana.
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Other parts of the country are nearing their peak, like northeastern Washington, central Oregon, eastern Montana, most of North Dakota, just over half of Michigan, as well as a large portion of Upstate New York.
Meanwhile some parts of the country are full of peak fall colors, including eastern Idaho, southwestern Montana, northern parts of North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
Peak fall colors are also heavily concentrated in central and southern Vermont and New Hampshire, and northeastern Pennsylvania.
Contributing: Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Foll foliage map 2025: See where leaves are approaching peak color
[SRC] https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/fall-foliage-map-shows-where-093048181.html
