Oak Creek Canyon
Scenic drive · Arizona
Highway 89A drops 2,000 feet in 12 miles between Flagstaff and Sedona through a canyon of red-rock cliffs and bigtooth maple, with Oak Creek Vista's switchback overlook offering the classic view where Arizona's fall color meets its red rock.
Don’t miss
Peak: October 18–October 22
Color builds from October 8 · mostly bare by November 13
Sampled at Oak Creek Canyon’s own coordinates and elevation (1955 m) rather than a regional average.
This window comes from 52 weather points across Arizona, nudged 4 days earlier to match 1 published peak date from flagstaffarizona.org and fs.usda.gov. This year's weather has the peak running 3 days earlier than a normal year. How the forecast works
When to go to Oak Creek Canyon
Good color holds through about October 29, giving you roughly 21 days from the first turn to past peak. Against Arizona overall, that is 14 days earlier. Most of that is elevation. It sits at 6,414 ft.
Oak Creek Canyon on the map
Drag the date slider to see when color reaches this corner of Arizona, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.
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Farms & harvest
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Frequently asked
- When does Oak Creek Canyon peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 18–October 22 (best estimate October 20). Color starts around October 8 and is mostly bare by November 13.
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