Natchez Trace Parkway, Mississippifall foliage
No reports yet this season for Natchez Trace Parkway near Tupelo.
Right now in Natchez Trace Parkway, Mississippi · September
17days to the next fall foliage seasonOct 15–Nov 20, The parkway timing: color normally starts near Nashville around mid-October and reaches the Jackson, MS area just before Thanksgiving
Next 7 days
- Rain likely · up to 66% chanceSunday, Sunday Night
National Weather Service forecast, issued Mon 11:41 AM (Eastern). Frost: a low of 36°F or less; wind: 20 mph or more; rain: 60% chance or more.
Natchez Trace Parkway near Tupelo through the year
- Early spring wildflowers (middle section)Mar–Apr
- Mid-spring wildflowers (middle section)Apr–May
- Fall color moving southOct–Nov
Best spots around Natchez Trace Parkway near Tupelo
- Beech Springs Trail (milepost 266)Paved trail from the Parkway Visitor Center near Tupelo, with stops naming the plants of a hardwood forest
- Old Town Overlook Trailhead (milepost 263.9)Start of a Natchez Trace Scenic Trail day hike to see the colors up close
- Dogwood Valley (milepost 275.5)Short trail about the natural history of mature hardwood trees
- Little Mountain Overlook (milepost 193.1)Quick fall-color stop in the Jeff Busby Campground
How we know
National Weather Service forecast and alerts (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28) · National Park Service, Leaf Peeping Along the Natchez Trace (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · National Park Service, Natchez Trace Parkway fall colors (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · National Park Service, Natchez Trace Parkway trails in northern Mississippi (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · National Park Service, Finding Flowers on the Natchez Trace (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27)
Questions people ask
When is peak fall foliage in Natchez Trace Parkway near Tupelo in 2026?
The parkway timing: color normally starts near Nashville around mid-October and reaches the Jackson, MS area just before Thanksgiving: Oct 15–Nov 20. That's general timing for this place, not a peak date or a forecast.
How is the fall color in Natchez Trace Parkway near Tupelo right now?
Not now: the fall foliage season is over for this year. The next one starts in about 17 days (Oct 15–Nov 20, The parkway timing: color normally starts near Nashville around mid-October and reaches the Jackson, MS area just before Thanksgiving).
When does the color reach Mississippi on the Natchez Trace?
The park says leaves normally start to change around mid-October at the northern end near Nashville, and the color works its way south to the Jackson area just before Thanksgiving. It also says the peak cannot be predicted, and it posts color reports every Friday in the fall.Sources: National Park Service, Leaf Peeping Along the Natchez Trace ↗ (opens in a new tab), National Park Service, Natchez Trace Parkway fall colors ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Is the Parkway Visitor Center near Tupelo open in the fall?
Yes. It is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day, except Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1.Source: National Park Service, Natchez Trace Parkway fall colors ↗ (opens in a new tab)
When is the best time of day to drive the parkway?
By day. The parkway has no street lights, and many deer cross the road at dawn and dusk, when they are hard to see.Source: National Park Service, Leaf Peeping Along the Natchez Trace ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where are the best spots in Natchez Trace Parkway near Tupelo?
Beech Springs Trail (milepost 266): paved trail from the Parkway Visitor Center near Tupelo, with stops naming the plants of a hardwood forest; Old Town Overlook Trailhead (milepost 263.9): start of a Natchez Trace Scenic Trail day hike to see the colors up close; Dogwood Valley (milepost 275.5): short trail about the natural history of mature hardwood trees; Little Mountain Overlook (milepost 193.1): quick fall-color stop in the Jeff Busby Campground.
What is Natchez Trace Parkway near Tupelo like through the year?
Early spring wildflowers (middle section) (Mar–Apr), Mid-spring wildflowers (middle section) (Apr–May) and Fall color moving south (Oct–Nov).