When do the leaves change in Illinois?
Shawnee National Forest's Garden of the Gods and the bluffs of Starved Rock State Park turn oak-hickory and sugar maple gold, with peak color reaching most of Illinois by mid-to-late October.
Peak: October 20–October 26
Color builds from October 15 · mostly bare by November 14
Illinois is sampled at 27 weather points, then moved 2 days later so the model agrees with 1 published peak date from smokymountains.com and almanac.com. Illinois is running 7 days earlier than its own average this year. Peak dates spread about 6 days inside Illinois, so the high ground turns well before the valleys. How the forecast works
Known for
Things to do in fall in Illinois
11 iconic stops, including scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
Starved Rock State Park
State parkPeak October 18
Eighteen sandstone canyons cut into the bluffs above the Illinois River near Oglesby, many holding seasonal waterfalls that run heaviest…
Morton Arboretum
ArboretumPeak October 17
Salt magnate Joy Morton founded this 1,700-acre living museum in 1922; it now holds over 4,300 plant varieties across 16 miles of trails…
Richardson Adventure Farm
Corn mazeColor nearby peaks October 15
The Richardson family's Spring Grove farm has cut a corn maze every fall since 2000, now spanning about 28 acres and nine miles of paths…
Goebbert's Farm - South Barrington
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks October 16
A 40-acre fall destination northwest of Chicago where the fields fill with pig races, corn mazes, wagon rides, an Animal Land petting barn…
HellsGate Haunted House
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks October 17
A multi-level haunted mansion in Lockport laced with secret passages, giant slides and zombie-infested woods, reached by a shuttle from…
Kuipers Family Farm
OrchardColor nearby peaks October 16
A 230-acre working farm in Maple Park, far west of Chicago, growing apples, pumpkins, tulips and sunflowers.
Bengtson's Pumpkin Farm
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks October 18
Chicagoland's favorite fall festival and pumpkin patch since 1981, this Homer Glen farm packs 14 themed mechanical rides and 25-plus…
Long Grove Apple Fest
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks October 17
Long Grove's antique shopping village turns over to apple everything for a weekend: pies, doughnuts, candied and caramel apples, apple wine…
Understand the season in Illinois
Short explainers on why and when the color arrives here.
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in Illinois in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 20–October 26 (best estimate October 23). Color starts around October 15 and trees are mostly bare by November 14.
- How reliable is the Illinois 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 Illinois's autumn season?
- Illinois is in the northern hemisphere, so its color season is autumn (September to November). The turn takes roughly 30 days end to end, centered on October 23, and the last 13 of those are thinning canopy rather than color.
- What are the best things to do in fall in Illinois?
- The iconic stops: Starved Rock State Park, Morton Arboretum, Richardson Adventure Farm, Goebbert's Farm - South Barrington, HellsGate Haunted House, Kuipers Family Farm. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
Nearby & similar
Cities in Illinois
Local peak timing and things to do in fall, computed for each city.
Season by season
2026 (forecast)
Peak October 20–October 26
October 15 → November 14