This Interactive Fall Foliage Map Tells You Exactly When Your Leaves Will Peak

Natalia Senanayake
·2 min read
Fall Foliage Prediction Map
Fall Foliage Prediction Map

Smokymountains.com

Calling all fall fanatics! There is an interactive map that tells you the best time to see vibrant fall leaves across the United States.

SmokyMountain.com's fall foliage map is here to help leaf peepers pick the perfect time for an autumnal getaway by showing when different regions will hit peak fall foliage, state to state and even county to county.

Every year, the map uses an "in-depth algorithm" to track the leaves' progress from September 5 to November 21, according to Travel + Leisure.

Thanks to the user-friendly key at the bottom right corner, visitors on the Smoky Mountain website can see which states will start changing first and which will be the last to reach their peak.

Towards the end of September, foliage in states like Montana, Michigan and Maine will be majority at peak or near peak. States like Texas, Louisiana and Florida will be the last to transition to beautiful reds, yellows and oranges at the end of November.

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Autumn road in the White Mountains National Forest region of New Hampshire
Autumn road in the White Mountains National Forest region of New Hampshire

Getty Images

According to T+L, the map was created after visitors to the Smoky Mountain range — which is located on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina — wanted to know when the leaves would be most colorful in the region.

"What started as a fun side-project quickly became the most respected nationwide fall leaf map and one of the best fall resources in the country. Now, tens of millions of people use our map each year to plan vacations, weddings, and photography trips," David Angotti, creator and brand founder of the interactive map, tells the outlet.

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While Angotti explains how it is impossible to make the tool 100% accurate, he says, "after publishing our predictive fall foliage map for nearly a decade, we are confident in our data sources, process, and algorithm."

Also on the map's website is a questionnaire that users can fill out to help with "real-time leaf reports," Angotti adds. The two-minute online form asks users their zip code, what state they live in, and how brilliant the leaves are in their area to get the most precise prediction.

Along with the map and questionnaire, fall enthusiasts can also appreciate the science behind their favorite season with the website's detailed explanation of how and why leaves change color in the fall.