This 2023 Fall Foliage Map Shows When Leaves Will Peak Near You

Let the leaf peeping begin.

Summer is coming to an end and that means cozy sweaters, PSLs, apple picking, and gorgeous fall foliage. But predicting exactly when the changing leaves will peak has always been a bit of a guessing game.

That’s where SmokyMountains.com comes in, using data like temperature and precipitation, historical trends, user-generated reports, and the type of trees in each area to produce an annual Fall Leaf Map. And now, the 2023 version is ready, the company shared with Travel + Leisure.

The interactive map allows users to drag a tool across the timeline, seeing peak foliage move across the country.

“Similar to a weekend weather forecast, the timing of our map update is important,” the map’s creator David Angotti said in a statement provided to T+L. “The backbone of the map is meteorology… With our unique blend of historical and forecast data, we are able to make a highly accurate prediction by the end of August. The drastic year-to-year changes dictate that we create a new map from scratch with new data each year. Our end goal is to produce a map that's useful and fun."

Fall foliage is expected to start to peak in the northern parts of New York state around late-September and last until about Oct. 7. Further down, New York will see peak foliage from about Oct. 9 through Oct. 13.

A similar timeline can be found in other East Coast states like in Vermont when the ultimate peak is expected to hit around Oct. 9 to Oct. 13 (though the company added it may go later in some southern parts of the state), and in Maine when peak foliage will occur around the same time.

Predictions are also similar on the West Coast as leaf peepers can expect to see peak colors change around the same Oct. 9 to Oct. 13 dates in Washington state.

Travelers hoping to extend the foliage season should head further south to states like North Carolina where peak colors won’t come out until Oct. 23 through about Oct. 30.

SmokyMountains.com produces a fall foliage map every year, but this year they’ve gone a step further to improve it. Starting in 2023, users who fill out a fall foliage report will also be able to submit photos, helping improve the accuracy for future prediction maps.

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