When do the leaves change in Albuquerque?
Albuquerque's autumn is pure gold: the Rio Grande bosque, a sixteen-mile cottonwood forest running straight through the city, turns luminous yellow while aspens crown the Sandias above. For reds, locals drive to Fourth of July Canyon, where bigtooth maples stage New Mexico's best crimson show.
Peak: October 17–October 21
Color builds from October 9 · mostly bare by November 11
Sampled at Albuquerque’s own coordinates rather than a regional average. Dates are computed for Albuquerque at 1515 m, about 1 day later than the surrounding terrain. Street trees vary block to block, so check locally before you plan a weekend around it.
New Mexico is sampled at 51 weather points, then moved 5 days earlier so the model agrees with 2 published peak dates from krqe.com. New Mexico is running 3 days earlier than its own average this year. Across New Mexico the first place to turn and the last sit about 12 days apart. How the forecast works
Fall activities in Albuquerque
Drag the date slider to see when color moves through the country around Albuquerque, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.
Aspen Vista Trail
67 miTrail
Peak October 7
A wide, gently graded old logging road climbs six miles above Santa Fe through what may be the largest aspen grove in New Mexico, gaining…
in New Mexico
Where locals go
Sandia Crest
ViewpointPeak October 12
A scenic byway switchbacks to Albuquerque's 10,678-foot skyline ridge, where aspen groves color the upper slopes and the summit deck looks…
Things to do in fall in Albuquerque
Orchards, cider, haunts, and harvest season. These are the iconic fall stops within a day trip of Albuquerque.
ABQ Tours Ghost Walk
Ghost tourColor nearby peaks October 19
ABQ Tours has led ghost walks through Old Town Albuquerque since 2001.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks October 18
Hundreds of hot-air balloons fill the sky over Balloon Fiesta Park each early October in the world's largest ballooning event, with mass…
Galloping Goat Pumpkin Patch
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks October 17
The Galloping Goat sets up its pumpkin patch on Rio Rancho's civic plaza from late September through Halloween, with a giant corn pit…
Pumpkin patch
Color nearby peaks October 16
In its 29th season on the Estancia Valley plains east of Albuquerque, McCall's runs a daytime pumpkin patch with hay rides, a corn maze and…
in New Mexico
Madrid
36 miHistoric town
Color nearby peaks October 16
Madrid stretches along a half-mile of the Turquoise Trail highway, its old miners' cabins turned into galleries and shops after the coal…
in New Mexico
Guides
2026 Fall Foliage Forecast: When Leaves Peak in Every State
Our 2026 fall foliage forecast for the US and Canada, region by region, built from ERA5 weather data and a phenology model, with live peak dates on the map.
5 Leaf-Peeping Road Trips for 2026
Five real fall road trips for 2026, from Vermont's Route 100 to Germany's Alpine Road, with route feel, standout stops, and how many days to plan for each.
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in Albuquerque in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 17–October 21 (best estimate October 19). Color starts around October 9 and trees are mostly bare by November 11. These dates are computed for Albuquerque itself, at 1515 m elevation, using the same weather model as the tracker.
- When is fall foliage season in Albuquerque?
- Albuquerque colors during autumn (September to November). Counting from the first turn to bare branches that is about 33 days, and the best of it falls in the week either side of October 19.
- What's the best foliage near Albuquerque?
- Aspen Vista Trail (67 mi). For a longer trip: New Mexico (57 mi, peak ~October 21); Colorado (278 mi, peak ~October 10); Arizona (292 mi, peak ~November 3).
- What are the best things to do in fall in Albuquerque?
- Beyond the leaves: ABQ Tours Ghost Walk (1 mi); Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (8 mi); Galloping Goat Pumpkin Patch (16 mi); McCall's Pumpkin Patch (33 mi); Madrid (36 mi). All of them are mapped on this page.