When do the leaves change in Arkansas?
The Ozark and Ouachita Mountains fill with oak, hickory, and sweetgum color each fall, with sourwood adding early crimson. The Talimena Scenic Drive and Mount Magazine offer sweeping overlooks, typically peaking in late October.
Peak: October 31–November 6
Color builds from October 26 · mostly bare by November 27
This window comes from 26 weather points across Arkansas, nudged 2 days earlier to match 1 published peak date from farmersalmanac.com. This year's weather has the peak running 7 days earlier than a normal year. Arkansas does not turn all at once, and the gap from the earliest corner to the latest runs about 6 days. How the forecast works
Known for
Things to do in fall in Arkansas
9 iconic stops, including scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
Peak October 28
A roughly 3-mile round-trip hike through the Upper Buffalo Wilderness ends at a narrow sandstone ledge jutting over the Buffalo River…
Queen Wilhelmina State Park
State parkPeak November 2
Perched atop 2,681-foot Rich Mountain near where the Talimena Scenic Byway crosses into Oklahoma, this park's 'Castle in the Sky' lodge…
War Eagle Mill Fair
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks October 30
A working 1973 reconstruction of an 1832 gristmill on War Eagle Creek hosts the region's biggest craft fair every third week of October…
BoBrook Farms Pumpkin Patch
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks November 4
A working farm, event venue and winery in Roland just west of Little Rock.
Color nearby peaks November 3
An 800-acre organic vegetable farm on Highway 64 between Augusta and McCrory in east-central Arkansas.
Farmland Adventures
Corn mazeColor nearby peaks October 30
A Springdale farm whose giant corn maze anchors a fall festival in the Ozarks of northwest Arkansas, alongside a pumpkin patch, sunflower…
Horror in the Hollow
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks November 1
Pumpkin Hollow's daytime pumpkin patch in far northeast Arkansas turns into a haunted attraction on weekend evenings from September 19…
King Biscuit Blues Festival
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks November 7
Helena's riverfront festival brings blues musicians to stages along the Mississippi each October, a tradition tracing back to the King…
Leaves & views
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in Arkansas in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 31–November 6 (best estimate November 3). Color starts around October 26 and trees are mostly bare by November 27.
- How reliable is the Arkansas 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 Arkansas's autumn season?
- Arkansas is in the northern hemisphere, so its color season is autumn (September to November). The turn takes roughly 32 days end to end, centered on November 3, and the last 15 of those are thinning canopy rather than color.
- What are the best things to do in fall in Arkansas?
- The iconic stops: Whitaker Point (Hawksbill Crag), Queen Wilhelmina State Park, War Eagle Mill Fair, BoBrook Farms Pumpkin Patch, Peebles Farm Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze, Farmland Adventures. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
Nearby & similar
Season by season
2026 (forecast)
Peak October 31–November 6
October 26 → November 27