When do the leaves change in North Dakota?
Cottonwoods along the Missouri and Red rivers turn gold, and the Turtle Mountains' aspen and birch color the state's northern hills. Theodore Roosevelt National Park's badlands draws add rust tones by late September.
Peak: September 30–October 4
Color builds from September 21 · mostly bare by October 22
39 weather points cover North Dakota, and the model shifts their answer 6 days earlier, which is what it takes to match 1 published peak date from smokymountains.com. Against North Dakota's own climatology, the 2026 weather puts the peak 4 days earlier. North Dakota turns close to together, with about 2 days between its earliest corner and its latest. How the forecast works
Known for
Things to do in fall in North Dakota
7 iconic stops, including scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit)
National parkPeak October 2
The South Unit's 36-mile scenic loop near Medora crosses badlands banded in red and gray, with cottonwood groves along the Little Missouri…
Papa's Pumpkin Patch
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks October 2
Bismarck's family pumpkin patch since 1983, ranked by the Travel Channel among the top 10 in the country.
Lil' Bitz Pumpkin Patch
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks October 3
A family-run pumpkin patch in north Fargo where one gate admission covers over 25 attractions, from horse-drawn wagon rides to a corn maze.
Haunted Fort
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks October 2
Fort Abraham Lincoln's reconstructed 1870s military buildings, the same ones George Custer once walked, get turned into a haunted house on…
Ellendale AppleFest
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks October 3
A small town celebration that takes over Ellendale's Main Street for a day, with a parade, a kids' pedal pull, a rib cook off, and an apple…
Bonanzaville
Historic townColor nearby peaks October 3
More than 40 preserved buildings make up this pioneer village outside Fargo, among them a one-room schoolhouse and an old general store…
Nelson's Pumpkin Patch
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks October 1
A Grand Forks area pumpkin patch with a corn cannon, a game called Pumpkin Pitch, a maze named after Spookley the Square Pumpkin, and a…
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in North Dakota in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for September 30–October 4 (best estimate October 2). Color starts around September 21 and trees are mostly bare by October 22.
- How reliable is the North Dakota 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 North Dakota's autumn season?
- North Dakota is in the northern hemisphere, so its color season is autumn (September to November). The turn takes roughly 31 days end to end, centered on October 2, and the last 11 of those are thinning canopy rather than color.
- What are the best things to do in fall in North Dakota?
- The iconic stops: Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit), Papa's Pumpkin Patch, Lil' Bitz Pumpkin Patch, Haunted Fort, Ellendale AppleFest, Bonanzaville. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
Nearby & similar
Season by season
2026 (forecast)
Peak September 30–October 4
September 21 → October 22