When do the leaves change in Indiana?
Brown County State Park and the Hoosier National Forest turn sugar maple, oak-hickory, and sweetgum into a patchwork of red and gold across Indiana's forested hill country by mid-to-late October.
Peak: October 15–October 21
Color builds from October 10 · mostly bare by November 9
This window comes from 19 weather points across Indiana, nudged 2 days later to match 1 published peak date from smokymountains.com. This year's weather has the peak running 7 days earlier than a normal year. Indiana 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 Indiana
10 iconic stops, including scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
Brown County State Park
State parkPeak October 22
Indiana's largest state park, 15,696 acres opened in 1929 near Nashville, earned the nickname 'Little Smokies' for ridge-and-hollow scenery…
Parke County Covered Bridge Festival
Covered bridgeColor nearby peaks October 22
Parke County holds 31 historic covered bridges and calls itself the Covered Bridge Capital of the World, backing it up each October with a…
Beasley's Orchard
OrchardColor nearby peaks October 20
Family-owned in Danville since 1946, this 165-acre farm centers on a Civil War-era barn market and draws crowds for U-pick apples, hayrides…
Indy Scream Park
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks October 18
A sprawling Halloween park in Anderson, up I-69 northeast of Indianapolis, packing in named haunts including Zombieland: Unchained…
Tuttle Orchards
OrchardColor nearby peaks October 19
A fourth-generation apple orchard east of Indianapolis, founded in 1928 and open year-round.
Stuckey Farm Orchard and Cider Mill
Cider millColor nearby peaks October 18
North of Indianapolis in Hamilton County, Stuckey Farm presses its own cider and fries the doughnuts to match, the kind of stop locals…
Autumntidings Fall Fest
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks October 19
The Indianapolis Art Center throws this one-day cider festival every October, pairing tastings from Ash and Elm Cider Co.
Waterman's Family Farm
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks October 19
A family farm on the east side of Indianapolis that has run its pumpkin patch since 1978, now with a walk-through dinosaur exhibit…
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in Indiana in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 15–October 21 (best estimate October 18). Color starts around October 10 and trees are mostly bare by November 9.
- How reliable is the Indiana 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 Indiana's autumn season?
- Indiana 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 18, and the last 13 of those are thinning canopy rather than color.
- What are the best things to do in fall in Indiana?
- The iconic stops: Brown County State Park, Parke County Covered Bridge Festival, Beasley's Orchard, Indy Scream Park, Tuttle Orchards, Stuckey Farm Orchard and Cider Mill. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
Nearby & similar
Cities in Indiana
Local peak timing and things to do in fall, computed for each city.
Season by season
2026 (forecast)
Peak October 15–October 21
October 10 → November 9