When do the leaves change in Oregon?
Bigleaf and vine maple flare red and gold through the Columbia River Gorge by mid-October, while aspen colors eastern Oregon's Wallowas and Steens Mountain a few weeks earlier. Both regions draw dedicated leaf-peeping drives.
Peak: October 15–November 2
Color builds from October 5 · mostly bare by November 14
50 weather points cover Oregon, and the model shifts their answer 8 days later, which is what it takes to match 2 published peak dates from smokymountains.com and explorefall.com. Oregon is running 2 days later than its own average this year. Oregon does not turn all at once, and the gap from the earliest corner to the latest runs about 17 days. How the forecast works
Known for
Things to do in fall in Oregon
15 iconic stops, including scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
Columbia River Gorge
Scenic drivePeak October 26
The Historic Columbia River Highway threads waterfalls and bigleaf maples between Troutdale and Hood River, with Vista House at Crown Point…
Silver Falls State Park
State parkPeak October 26
The Trail of Ten Falls loop passes behind and beside ten waterfalls through a canyon of vine maple and Douglas fir that color through…
Portland Japanese Garden
GardenPeak November 2
Terraced ponds and a strolling garden in Washington Park turn deep red and gold as Japanese and vine maples color through late October into…
Hood River Fruit Loop
OrchardColor nearby peaks October 16
A signed 35-mile drive loops through the orchards and vineyards between Hood River and Parkdale, where pear and apple trees turn color…
Mount Angel Oktoberfest
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks October 31
The Pacific Northwest's largest Oktoberfest fills this small Willamette Valley town's streets with biergartens, a Grand Parade, and…
Color nearby peaks November 1
Bauman's Harvest Festival turns this fourth-generation Gervais farm into one of Oregon's biggest fall outings, with a corn maze cut fresh…
Topaz Farm
FarmColor nearby peaks October 31
Twenty minutes from downtown Portland, this 130-acre farm on Sauvie Island opened as Kruger's Farm in 1999 and now runs cow train rides…
Bella Organic Farm
Corn mazeColor nearby peaks October 31
A hundred-acre certified organic farm on Sauvie Island, twenty five minutes from Portland, where summer u-pick berries give way to a fall…
Farms & harvest
Cider & donuts
Halloween
Guides
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in Oregon in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 15–November 2 (best estimate October 24). Color starts around October 5 and trees are mostly bare by November 14.
- How reliable is the Oregon 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 Oregon's autumn season?
- Oregon is in the northern hemisphere, so its color season is autumn (September to November). The turn takes roughly 41 days end to end, centered on October 24, and the last 12 of those are thinning canopy rather than color.
- What are the best things to do in fall in Oregon?
- The iconic stops: Columbia River Gorge, Silver Falls State Park, Portland Japanese Garden, Hood River Fruit Loop, Mount Angel Oktoberfest, Bauman's Farm & Garden. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
Nearby & similar
Cities in Oregon
Local peak timing and things to do in fall, computed for each city.
Season by season
2026 (forecast)
Peak October 15–November 2
October 5 → November 14