When do the leaves change in Utah?
Quaking aspen turns the Wasatch and high plateaus gold along the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway, while Fishlake National Forest hosts Pando, the massive aspen clone. Peak color typically falls in late September to early October.
Peak: October 11–October 17
Color builds from September 30 · mostly bare by November 5
46 weather points cover Utah, and the model shifts their answer 5 days earlier, which is what it takes to match 1 published peak date from smokymountains.com. Peak dates spread about 6 days inside Utah, so the high ground turns well before the valleys. How the forecast works
Known for
Things to do in fall in Utah
11 iconic stops, including scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
Alpine Loop Scenic Byway
Scenic drivePeak October 5
A 20-mile paved loop climbs American Fork Canyon past Timpanogos Cave and over an 8,000-foot summit between Mount Timpanogos and Cascade…
Guardsman Pass
Scenic drivePeak September 30
A steep, narrow road switchbacks to 9,717 feet between Big Cottonwood Canyon and the Heber Valley, linking Brighton to Midway through some…
Pando
ForestPeak October 6
A single quaking aspen clone spanning 106 acres on Fish Lake's southwest shore, Pando shares one root system across an estimated 47,000…
Cedar Breaks National Monument
National parkPeak October 10
A 2,000-foot amphitheater of eroded limestone spires above Cedar City sits at 10,000 feet, ringed by ancient bristlecone pines and aspen…
Nightmare on 13th
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks October 11
Utah's longest-running indoor haunted attraction, going on 35 years of Hollywood-quality sets in a warehouse south of downtown Salt Lake.
Fear Factory SLC
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks October 11
A haunt built into a derelict cement plant in Salt Lake's industrial west side: six buildings, some six stories high, plus two underground…
Cross E Ranch Fall Festival
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks October 12
A working ranch on Salt Lake City's north edge that turns over to an adventure farm each fall: corn maze, pumpkin patch, pig racing, zip…
Rowley's Red Barn
Corn mazeColor nearby peaks October 4
A Utah County fruit farm at the foot of the Wasatch running a fall festival built around a corn maze that gets a new design every year…
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in Utah in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 11–October 17 (best estimate October 14). Color starts around September 30 and trees are mostly bare by November 5.
- How reliable is the Utah 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 Utah's autumn season?
- Utah is in the northern hemisphere, so its color season is autumn (September to November). The turn takes roughly 37 days end to end, centered on October 14, and the last 13 of those are thinning canopy rather than color.
- What are the best things to do in fall in Utah?
- The iconic stops: Alpine Loop Scenic Byway, Guardsman Pass, Pando, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Nightmare on 13th, Fear Factory SLC. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
Nearby & similar
Cities in Utah
Local peak timing and things to do in fall, computed for each city.
Season by season
2026 (forecast)
Peak October 11–October 17
September 30 → November 5