Morton Arboretum
Arboretum · Illinois
Salt magnate Joy Morton founded this 1,700-acre living museum in 1922; it now holds over 4,300 plant varieties across 16 miles of trails and is metro Chicago's benchmark fall-color destination. Tram tours and a tree-canopy walk put maple, oak, and hickory color at eye level and above it.
Don’t miss
Peak: October 22–October 26
Color builds from October 9 · mostly bare by November 15
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Morton Arboretum’s own coordinates and elevation (204 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
Morton Arboretum on the map
More things to do in Illinois
Starved Rock State Park
State parkPeak October 25
Eighteen sandstone canyons cut into the bluffs above the Illinois River near Oglesby, many holding seasonal waterfalls that run heaviest after fall rain. Maple and oak color the canyon rims through October across roughly 2,630 acres of trails, Illinois's signature fall hiking destination.
Don’t miss: 18 sandstone canyons · seasonal waterfalls · trails above the Illinois River
Richardson Adventure Farm
Corn mazeColor nearby peaks October 22
The Richardson family's Spring Grove farm has cut a corn maze every fall since 2000, now spanning about 28 acres and nine miles of paths across four linked mazes, marketed as the world's largest. Roughly 100,000 visitors a season also come for the pumpkin patch and corn cannons.
Don’t miss: 28-acre, four-part corn maze · cut annually since 2000 · pumpkin patch and corn cannons
Goebbert's Farm - South Barrington
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks October 23
A 40-acre fall destination northwest of Chicago where the fields fill with pig races, corn mazes, wagon rides, an Animal Land petting barn and giraffe feeding. Its mascot is a fiberglass pumpkin-eating dinosaur, and an 18-foot 'Happy Jack' pumpkin silo marks the entrance.
Don’t miss: Pumpkin-eating dinosaur · Pig races and wagon rides · Animal Land and giraffe barn
HellsGate Haunted House
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks October 24
A multi-level haunted mansion in Lockport laced with secret passages, giant slides and zombie-infested woods, reached by a shuttle from off-site parking. This season the cast of the shuttered Statesville Prison joins HellsGate's crew at a single location.
Don’t miss: Multi-level mansion with giant slides · Zombie-infested woods and cemetery · Statesville cast joins this season
Plan from a city
Frequently asked
- When does Morton Arboretum peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 22–October 26 (best estimate October 24). Color starts around October 9 and is mostly bare by November 15.
- What is Morton Arboretum best for?
- Chicago's premier fall-color arboretum.
- How do I get to Morton Arboretum?
- The closest city is Chicago, about 23 mi away. It's part of Illinois's fall lineup.
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