When do the leaves change in Montana?
Western larch, a needle-dropping conifer, turns gold across the Rockies each October alongside aspen groves, especially along Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road and the Bitterroot Valley. Peak usually falls late September into early October.
Peak: October 3–October 13
Color builds from September 23 · mostly bare by October 28
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures (Open-Meteo) drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model; terrain shifts timing ~1 day earlier per 300 m of elevation. Temperature alone can’t tell a maritime autumn from a continental one — two places at the same latitude and the same September can peak weeks apart, because the trees differ — so each region is also calibrated against published peak dates. Estimates, not promises: typically within a few days, occasionally a week or more out. Check locally before you travel.
Known for
Things to do in fall in Montana
8 iconic stops — scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
Going-to-the-Sun Road
Scenic drivePeak September 26
Glacier National Park's 50-mile alpine crossing peaks at Logan Pass, 6,646 feet on the Continental Divide, where subalpine larch needles turn gold in late September alongside valley aspen. The road typically closes to full-length travel by mid-October.
Don’t miss: Logan Pass at 6,646 feet · Golden subalpine larch
Beartooth Highway
Scenic drivePeak September 29
US 212 climbs from Red Lodge to nearly 11,000 feet across switchbacks above treeline, and Rock Creek Vista Point, just below the summit, frames an aspen-lined valley and jagged Beartooth peaks on a drive Charles Kuralt once called America's most beautiful.
Don’t miss: Rock Creek Vista Point overlook · Climbs to near 11,000 feet
The Bozeman Maze
Corn mazeColor nearby peaks September 20
A family maze farm on the north edge of Bozeman that cuts a new design into the corn every fall, wrapped with hayrides, a mini-train, a bungee trampoline, corn bins and games. It opens Wednesday and Friday evenings and runs full days on Saturdays and Sundays through the harvest season.
Don’t miss: New corn maze design yearly · Mini-train and bungee trampoline · Evenings midweek, full weekends
Montana Corn Maze
Corn mazeColor nearby peaks September 18
West of Bozeman near Manhattan, this six-acre corn maze is cut with three difficulty levels and reached by a wagon ride out to the field. Trikes, disc golf, a six-hole mini-golf course, a barrel-train ride and weekend food vendors fill out the farm, with pumpkins and honey for sale at the market.
Don’t miss: Six-acre maze, three levels · Wagon ride to the field · Disc golf and mini-golf
Spooks and Spirits Haunted Tours
Ghost tourColor nearby peaks September 28
A two hour walking tour through Uptown Butte's mining era streets, stopping at sites tied to the city's documented hauntings, from old boarding houses to former saloons. Guides work in real local history about the copper kings and the hard lives of the miners who built the Mining City.
Don’t miss: Uptown Butte mining-era sites · Local ghost history, not generic scares · About two hours on foot
Harvest Fest at Ravalli County Fairgrounds
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks September 29
Local makers fill heated vendor barns at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds for a fall craft market, with Halloween and holiday goods laid out side by side and a food truck parked outside. The main day runs one Saturday in mid October, with a bonus free admission day right after.
Don’t miss: Indoor fall and holiday craft market · Heated vendor barns · Free admission the second day
Missoula Fall Fest at Grass Valley Farms
Corn mazeColor nearby peaks September 25
A brand new corn maze cut into the fields at Grass Valley Farms outside Missoula, with three difficulty levels and more than five miles of paths. Between maze runs you can ride the barrel train, climb the giant hay slide, pick a pumpkin, and let the kids loose in the petting zoo.
Don’t miss: 10-acre corn maze, three difficulty levels · Barrel train and giant hay slide · Petting zoo and pumpkin patch
Philipsburg
Historic townColor nearby peaks September 29
A silver mining town gone quiet, with a false front Broadway Street that still looks much like it did a century ago. Granite County's sapphire mines and a scatter of real ghost towns sit in the hills around it, and the Sweet Palace candy shop anchors the downtown block.
Don’t miss: Preserved 19th-century Broadway Street · Sapphire mining country · The Sweet Palace candy shop
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in Montana in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 3–October 13 (best estimate October 8). Color starts around September 23 and trees are mostly bare by October 28.
- How reliable is the Montana 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 Montana's autumn season?
- Montana colors during autumn (September–November). Western larch, a needle-dropping conifer, turns gold across the Rockies each October alongside aspen groves, especially along Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road and the Bitterroot Valley. Peak usually falls late September into early October.
- What are the best things to do in fall in Montana?
- The iconic stops: Going-to-the-Sun Road, Beartooth Highway, The Bozeman Maze, Montana Corn Maze, Spooks and Spirits Haunted Tours, Harvest Fest at Ravalli County Fairgrounds. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
- What are the best things to do in autumn in Montana?
- Autumn — autumn (September–November) — is peak season here. Pair the color with Going-to-the-Sun Road, Beartooth Highway, The Bozeman Maze, Montana Corn Maze, Spooks and Spirits Haunted Tours; each is on the map above with the window to catch it.
Nearby & similar
Season by season
2026 (forecast)
Peak October 3–October 13
September 23 → October 28