When do the leaves change in Raleigh?
They call it the City of Oaks for a reason. Umstead State Park holds thousands of acres of oak-hickory forest between downtown and the airport, the Eno River corridor glows upstream near Durham, and the Victorian streets of Historic Oakwood go amber under old hardwoods. Color runs late here, and it lingers.
Peak: November 14–November 18
Color builds from November 1 · mostly bare by December 9
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures (Open-Meteo) drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Raleigh’s own coordinates rather than a regional average. Dates are computed for Raleigh itself at 114 m elevation. Estimates, not promises — street trees vary block to block. Check locally before you plan around a weekend.
Fall activities in Raleigh
North Carolina
37 miPeak November 17
The Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains National Park turn sourwood, maple, and hickory to scarlet by mid-October, while Piedmont oaks and the coastal plain hold color into November.
Virginia
120 miPeak October 27
Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway carry travelers through oak-hickory ridges and scattered sugar maples in Shenandoah National Park, with color typically peaking in mid-October at higher elevations.
South Carolina
183 miPeak November 11
Upstate maples and oaks around Table Rock and Caesars Head State Parks turn by late October, while blackwater cypress-tupelo swamps at Congaree National Park hold muted color into November across the Lowcountry.
West Virginia
231 miPeak October 20
Almost entirely mountainous, West Virginia's sugar and red maples turn early, with the Highland Scenic Highway and Blackwater Falls State Park in the Allegheny highlands often peaking by late September into early October.
Maryland
259 miPeak November 3
From Garrett County's sugar maple ridges peaking in early October to the oak-hickory woods around Catoctin Mountain Park and the Eastern Shore's cypress sloughs coloring into November, Maryland spans the season.
Where locals go
Things to do in fall in Raleigh
Orchards, cider, haunts, and harvest season — the iconic fall stops within a day trip of Raleigh.
North Carolina State Fair
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks November 16
Eleven days of rides and midway games at the state fairgrounds in west Raleigh, running mid to late October. Thousands of animals fill the livestock barns and deep-fried food stands line the walkways, an easy stop while the Piedmont oaks around Raleigh are turning.
Don’t miss: Rides, games, and a full midway · Livestock shows and competitions · 11 days, mid to late October
Haunted Forest at Panic Point
20 miHaunted attraction
Color nearby peaks November 15
Five attractions on a Franklin County farm north of Raleigh, anchored by a half-mile Haunted Forest trail of 12 scenes. The site advertises 38 unique scenes and 100 creatures across the property, plus a Carny Crypt trailer for an extra $7. Box office opens 7:30 p.m.
Don’t miss: Half-mile Haunted Forest trail · Killers in the Corn and Stalkers Farm · Contact hayride through the woods
in North Carolina
Dean's Farm Market
37 miFarm
Color nearby peaks November 17
A farm market and kitchen east of Raleigh in Wilson, where fall brings hayrides around the property and a free pumpkin for every paying rider. The market sells the farm's own produce alongside prepared food from its kitchen, an easy stop on the way toward the coastal plain's later color.
Don’t miss: Hayrides with a free pumpkin included · Farm market and kitchen · East of Raleigh toward Wilson
in North Carolina
Millstone Creek Orchards
53 miOrchard
Color nearby peaks November 15
An orchard and cider house near Ramseur, between Greensboro and Raleigh, built around an Apple Barn market and a weekend Cider House pouring hard ciders alongside flatbreads and salads. U-pick peaches and blueberries run earlier in the year, with seasonal donuts from the barn once fall arrives.
Don’t miss: Apple Barn market and weekend Cider House · Hard cider, flatbreads, and salads · Seasonal donuts in the fall
in North Carolina
Kersey Valley Spookywoods
73 miHaunted attraction
Color nearby peaks November 13
Running since 1985 across 92 acres of working farm outside Greensboro, with 180+ scare actors staffing the trail every night and a 1925 farmhouse still standing on site. America Haunts named it a Top 5 US Haunt Destination in 2025.
Don’t miss: 92 acres of working farm · 180+ scare actors nightly · USA Today top-10 haunted attraction
in North Carolina
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 Raleigh in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for November 14–November 18 (best estimate November 16). Color starts around November 1 and trees are mostly bare by December 9. These dates are computed for Raleigh itself — at 114 m elevation — from the same weather model as the tracker.
- When is fall foliage season in Raleigh?
- Raleigh colors during autumn (September–November). They call it the City of Oaks for a reason. Umstead State Park holds thousands of acres of oak-hickory forest between downtown and the airport, the Eno River corridor glows upstream near Durham, and the Victorian streets of Historic Oakwood go amber under old hardwoods. Color runs late here, and it lingers.
- What's the best foliage near Raleigh?
- North Carolina (37 mi, peak ~November 17); Virginia (120 mi, peak ~October 27); South Carolina (183 mi, peak ~November 11).
- What are the best things to do in fall in Raleigh?
- Beyond the leaves: North Carolina State Fair (4 mi); Haunted Forest at Panic Point (20 mi); Dean's Farm Market (37 mi); Millstone Creek Orchards (53 mi); Kersey Valley Spookywoods (73 mi). All of them are mapped on this page.
- What are the best things to do in autumn near Raleigh?
- Come autumn — autumn (September–November) — locals head for North Carolina State Fair (4 mi); Haunted Forest at Panic Point (20 mi); Dean's Farm Market (37 mi); Millstone Creek Orchards (53 mi); Kersey Valley Spookywoods (73 mi). Each is on the map with the distance from Raleigh.