Scary Acres

Typically October 10–October 20

A spring-fed creek drops 63 feet over a sandstone ledge into a shaded canyon on the south side of the Niobrara River, the tallest waterfall in Nebraska. Paper birch and quaking aspen, boreal species that persist here as a cooler-climate relict, color gold in the canyon while cottonwoods along the river turn a week or two later.

Don’t miss: Nebraska's tallest waterfall · Paper birch and aspen canyon · Niobrara River cottonwoods

Typically October 10–October 20

Nebraska's first state park sits among the buttes and pine-covered canyons of the Pine Ridge escarpment, nine miles south of Chadron. Ponderosa pine holds its green year-round, but maple along Chadron Creek and around the campground turns orange and gold by mid-October, and a stand of aspen that spread in after the 2012 West Ash Creek fire adds a patch of white and gold to the ridgeline.

Don’t miss: Maple color along Chadron Creek · Pine Ridge escarpment views · Aspen stand from post-fire regrowth

Typically October 24–October 31

Wooded bluffs above the Platte River, roughly halfway between Omaha and Lincoln, carry cottonwood, bur oak, and green ash that color through most of October. Two observation towers on the ridgeline look out over the river's braided channel, and a trail along Stone Creek follows a shaded ravine down to Jenny Newman Lake.

Don’t miss: Observation tower views of the Platte · Stone Creek ravine trail · Cottonwood and bur oak color

Dates TBA Color nearby peaks October 24 2026 forecast

One of the largest fall festivals in the country, this Gretna pumpkin patch and apple orchard is celebrating 40 years and spreads 50-plus attractions across its fields just outside Omaha. Founders Tim and Jan Vala's site is promoting 'Fall 2026!' but has not yet posted opening or closing dates.

Don’t miss: 40 years of fall festivals · 50+ attractions · Among the largest in the U.S.