When do the leaves change in Alabama?
Cheaha State Park and Little River Canyon on Alabama's southern Appalachian foothills turn oak, hickory, and sweetgum by late October, with milder color continuing into November across the rest of the state.
Peak: November 8–November 23
Color builds from November 5 · mostly bare by December 10
26 weather points cover Alabama, and the model shifts their answer 1 day earlier, which is what it takes to match 1 published peak date from explorefall.com. This year's weather has the peak running 4 days earlier than a normal year. Alabama does not turn all at once, and the gap from the earliest corner to the latest runs about 15 days. How the forecast works
Known for
Things to do in fall in Alabama
10 iconic stops, including scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
Cheaha State Park
State parkPeak November 7
Alabama's highest point at 2,407 feet anchors this Talladega National Forest park, where stone-built Bunker Tower's observation deck…
DeSoto State Park
State parkPeak November 5
Little River Canyon's upper reaches cut through this Lookout Mountain park, where 104-foot DeSoto Falls drops into a rhododendron-lined…
Old Baker Farm
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks November 10
A Shelby County farm with over 200 years of history, opening its pumpkin patch southeast of Birmingham on September 26, 2026.
Atrox Factory
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks November 9
Fifty thousand square feet of indoor haunt east of Birmingham, billed as the largest all-indoor haunted house in the Southeast and ranked…
Hidden Rivers Farm
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks November 6
A Morgan County farm halfway between Birmingham and Huntsville, open late September through Halloween for a pumpkin patch and corn maze.
Moundville Native American Festival
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks November 13
Every October, Moundville Archaeological Park sets up between its earthen mounds south of Tuscaloosa for two days of Native American dance…
Huntsville Ghost Walk
Ghost tourColor nearby peaks November 5
Three historic Huntsville districts, three sets of ghost stories.
Eufaula
Historic townColor nearby peaks November 23
Eufaula holds one of Alabama's largest collections of homes on the National Register, antebellum mansions lined up along Broad Street and…
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in Alabama in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for November 8–November 23 (best estimate November 16). Color starts around November 5 and trees are mostly bare by December 10.
- How reliable is the Alabama forecast?
- The forecast blends recent-year weather normals with photoperiod and elevation; it tightens as the season approaches. Against published peak dates the model lands within a few days for most regions, but it can be a week or more out. Mountains and coastlines are the hardest. Higher elevations turn roughly one day earlier per 300 m.
- When is Alabama's autumn season?
- Alabama is in the northern hemisphere, so its color season is autumn (September to November). The turn takes roughly 35 days end to end, centered on November 16, and the last 15 of those are thinning canopy rather than color.
- What are the best things to do in fall in Alabama?
- The iconic stops: Cheaha State Park, DeSoto State Park, Old Baker Farm, Atrox Factory, Hidden Rivers Farm, Moundville Native American Festival. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
Nearby & similar
Cities in Alabama
Local peak timing and things to do in fall, computed for each city.
Season by season
2026 (forecast)
Peak November 8–November 23
November 5 → December 10