When do the leaves change in British Columbia?
Larch turn gold in the alpine bowls of the BC Rockies while big-leaf maple and cottonwood color the coastal valleys, giving the province two distinct fall seasons.
Peak: August 29–September 21
Color builds from August 26 · mostly bare by September 28
British Columbia is sampled at 235 weather points, with no published peak dates to correct it against yet. British Columbia is running 14 days earlier than its own average this year. British Columbia does not turn all at once, and the gap from the earliest corner to the latest runs about 23 days. How the forecast works
Known for
Things to do in fall in British Columbia
9 iconic stops, including scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
Peak September 17
BC's answer to Alberta's larch pilgrimage: the Heather Trail from Blackwall Peak crosses subalpine meadows where alpine larch turn gold in…
Peak October 16
Vancouver's 22-hectare botanical garden turns its Japanese maple, katsura, and ginkgo collections into a curated fall show through late…
Maan Farms Halloween Fright Festival
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks October 18
Billed as the Scariest Corn Maze in Canada, the Halloween Fright Festival takes over Maan Farms, an Abbotsford farm the family started in…
Aldor Acres Family Farm Pumpkin Patch
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks October 17
A three-generation, 80-acre working farm in Langley's Fraser Valley whose pumpkin patch sprawls across five acres.
Taves Family Farms
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks October 18
A Fraser Valley farm in Abbotsford with a pumpkin patch, corn mazes and a princess-carriage photo spot for younger kids.
Fright Nights at Playland
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks October 14
Playland's rides keep spinning after dark each October for Fright Nights, Western Canada's best-known haunt, with multiple haunted houses…
Fort Langley Cranberry Festival
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks October 17
Fort Langley's Glover Road closes to traffic for a one-day cranberry festival on Thanksgiving weekend, with more than a hundred vendors…
Color nearby peaks October 19
A Langley farm and bakery known for its berries, with a market, cafe and estate winery open seven days a week.
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in British Columbia in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for August 29–September 21 (best estimate September 9). Color starts around August 26 and trees are mostly bare by September 28.
- How reliable is the British Columbia 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 British Columbia's autumn season?
- British Columbia is in the northern hemisphere, so its color season is autumn (September to November). The turn takes roughly 33 days end to end, centered on September 9, and the last 10 of those are thinning canopy rather than color.
- What are the best things to do in fall in British Columbia?
- The iconic stops: Manning Park, Blackwall Peak, VanDusen Botanical Garden, Maan Farms Halloween Fright Festival, Aldor Acres Family Farm Pumpkin Patch, Taves Family Farms, Fright Nights at Playland. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
Nearby & similar
Season by season
2026 (forecast)
Peak August 29–September 21
August 26 → September 28