When do leaves peak in Washington in 2026?

Peak color is predicted for October 1–October 19 (best estimate October 10). Color starts around September 25 and trees are mostly bare by October 30.

How reliable is the Washington 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.

What are the best things to do in fall in Washington?

The iconic stops: Washington Park Arboretum, Kubota Garden, Green Lake Park, Franklin Falls, Mount Rainier, Paradise, The Enchantments. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.

What are the best things to do in autumn in Washington?

Autumn — autumn (September–November) — is peak season here. Pair the color with Washington Park Arboretum, Kubota Garden, Green Lake Park, Franklin Falls, Mount Rainier, Paradise; each is on the map above with the window to catch it.

When do the leaves change in Washington?

Western larch turns whole North Cascades slopes gold along Washington Pass and the Methow Valley, while vine maple flares scarlet in lower Cascade foothills. Peak color typically arrives mid-to-late October across the mountains.

Autumn foliage at Washington Park Arboretum — 📍 Washington Park Arboretum, Washington· Photo: Chiwauk / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

2026 Forecast35 weather anchors

Peak: October 1–October 19

Color builds from September 25 · mostly bare by October 30

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

Washington Pass (North Cascades Highway)
Methow Valley larch
Vine maple in the Cascade foothills

Things to do in fall in Washington

19 iconic stops — scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.

Washington Park Arboretum

Arboretum

Peak October 13 2026 forecast

The 230-acre arboretum on Lake Washington runs vivid from mid-October into November, with Japanese maples along Azalea Way, the Pacific Connections gardens, and canoe-level color from the Foster Island waterside trail.

Don’t miss: Azalea Way · Japanese Garden maples · Foster Island trail

Kubota Garden

Garden

Peak October 10 2026 forecast

Fujitaro Kubota's 20-acre Japanese garden in Rainier Beach layers maples over ponds, bridges, and stonework. It's Seattle's most concentrated fall-color spot, usually peaking late October into mid-November, free, and quieter than it deserves.

Don’t miss: Heart Bridge · Mountainside maples

Green Lake Park

City park

Peak October 13 2026 forecast

The city's favorite 2.8-mile loop rings Green Lake with sweetgums, maples, and cottonwoods that color through late October. It's an easy golden-hour walk, with the water doubling every tree on a still evening.

Don’t miss: The 2.8-mile loop

Franklin Falls

Trail

Typically October 1–October 20

An easy two-mile round trip off Snoqualmie Pass through old-growth hemlock and cedar to a 70-foot waterfall, with vine maple burning red and gold through the understory in early-to-mid October.

Don’t miss: Vine maple understory · The falls amphitheater

Mount Rainier, Paradise

National park

Typically September 15–October 5

Paradise at 5,400 feet doesn't do tree color. It does tundra: huckleberry and mountain-ash meadows turn scarlet against Rainier's glaciers from mid-September to early October, some of the earliest fall color in the Lower 48.

Don’t miss: Skyline Trail meadows · Reflection Lakes

The Enchantments

Trail

Typically September 25–October 15

Washington's alpine larches turn gold in the first week of October, and the Enchantments' granite basins near Leavenworth are their cathedral. It's a brutal day hike or lottery-permit overnight, but Colchuck Lake delivers the postcard for mortal legs.

Don’t miss: Colchuck Lake · Larch gold in the Core Zone

Leavenworth

Historic town

Color nearby peaks September 13 2026 forecast

This Bavarian-themed village at the foot of the Cascades leans hard into fall, with an Oktoberfest running three weekends in October and half-timbered facades that make the theme oddly convincing against real alpine scenery.

Don’t miss: Bavarian-style Front Street · Autumn Oktoberfest weekends · Cascade mountain backdrop

Smallwood's Harvest

Farm

Color nearby peaks September 16 2026 forecast

A roadside fruit stand and farm park on Highway 2 between Leavenworth and Cashmere, Smallwood's has anchored Wenatchee Valley apple country for decades with a pumpkin patch, corn maze, and petting zoo alongside its fruit stand each fall.

Don’t miss: Pumpkin patch and corn maze · Petting zoo · Fresh fruit stand

Guides

2026 Fall Foliage Forecast: When Leaves Peak in Every State

Our 2026 fall foliage forecast for the US and Canada, region by region, built from ERA5 weather data and a phenology model, with live peak dates on the map.

Understand the season in Washington

Short explainers on why and when the color arrives here.

A single autumn leaf in macro close-up, beaded with dew

Photography & Observation

Beyond the Postcard: Photographing Autumn's Small Details

The wide hillside shot isn't the only one worth taking. How to photograph single backlit leaves, frost edges, tiny reflections, and the textures beneath the color.

2026-07-17 · 4 min read

Frequently asked

When do leaves peak in Washington in 2026?: Peak color is predicted for October 1–October 19 (best estimate October 10). Color starts around September 25 and trees are mostly bare by October 30.
How reliable is the Washington 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 Washington's autumn season?: Washington colors during autumn (September–November). Western larch turns whole North Cascades slopes gold along Washington Pass and the Methow Valley, while vine maple flares scarlet in lower Cascade foothills. Peak color typically arrives mid-to-late October across the mountains.
What are the best things to do in fall in Washington?: The iconic stops: Washington Park Arboretum, Kubota Garden, Green Lake Park, Franklin Falls, Mount Rainier, Paradise, The Enchantments. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
What are the best things to do in autumn in Washington?: Autumn — autumn (September–November) — is peak season here. Pair the color with Washington Park Arboretum, Kubota Garden, Green Lake Park, Franklin Falls, Mount Rainier, Paradise; each is on the map above with the window to catch it.

See it on the map