Kentuckyfall foliage
When does fall color peak in Kentucky?
Fall color usually peaks from September to November.
Updated Sep 28.
Places by state
Kentucky
- Cumberland GapStarts in 3 days
Local timing: Oct 1–31
- Mammoth CaveStarts in ~3 weeks
Local timing: Oct 21–31
- Daniel Boone National ForestStarts in ~3 weeks
Statewide: usually well under way by late October
Official reports
- Sep 27Park ServiceBest in spring, late March to late AprilSource (opens US Forest Service, Celebrating Wildflowers: Sheltowee Trace at Whittleton Branch in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceFlowers late March/early April to mid-October frost; best show in springSource (opens US Forest Service, Celebrating Wildflowers: Rock Bridge Trail in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceDifferent wildflowers from March through OctoberSource (opens National Park Service, Mammoth Cave wildflowers in a new tab)
Show all 13
- Sep 27Park ServiceAnnual spring event (2026: Saturday, April 11) with wildflower walks on park trailsSource (opens National Park Service, Mammoth Cave Wildflower Day in a new tab)
- Sep 26Park ServicePeak fall foliage typically in October; spring wildflowers March–MaySource (opens National Park Service, Cumberland Gap weather in a new tab)
- Sep 26Park ServiceSeason May through August; book by noon the day beforeSource (opens National Park Service, Gap Cave tours in a new tab)
- Sep 26Park ServicePinnacle Overlook about 2,440 ft; Tri-State Peak 2.4 miles; Powell Valley OverlookSource (opens National Park Service, Cumberland Gap overlooks in a new tab)
- Sep 26Park ServiceSeason mid-May through OctoberSource (opens National Park Service, Hensley Settlement tours in a new tab)
- Sep 26Park ServiceColor doesn't usually begin until late October; historic churches; tickets sell out on fall breaksSource (opens National Park Service, Visiting Mammoth Cave in fall in a new tab)
- Sep 26Park ServiceCave tours every day except December 25Source (opens National Park Service, Visiting Mammoth Cave in winter in a new tab)
- Sep 26Park Service0.6 mile to Sunset Point over the Green River ValleySource (opens National Park Service, Heritage Trail in a new tab)
- Sep 26Park ServiceMarch–May: wildflower seasonSource (opens National Park Service, Visiting Mammoth Cave in spring in a new tab)
- Sep 26Park ServiceJune–August, the busiest timeSource (opens National Park Service, Visiting Mammoth Cave in summer in a new tab)
Questions people ask
Where can I see fall foliage in Kentucky?
We track 3 places: Cumberland Gap, Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky and Mammoth Cave.
Why does color come earlier in some places?
Higher ground turns first. In the Great Smoky Mountains, color can start as early as mid-September at the highest elevations, develops above 4,000 feet from early to mid-October, and reaches the lower and middle slopes between mid-October and early November.Source: National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains fall color ↗ (opens in a new tab)
How do you track fall foliage?
Each place moves through 6 stages: Still green, First color, Moderate, High color, Peak and Past peak. Every stage we show comes from a dated report with its source, and every forecast lists its sources.