Mingo Refugefall foliage
At Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, the timing for fall foliage comes in 2 separate phases, each its own display: Bald cypress turning color, September; and Fall color peak across the refuge, usually the last week of October. No official report yet this season.
- SeptemberBald cypress turning colorSeptember
- OctoberFall color peak across the refugeusually the last week of October
Right now at Mingo Refuge
Visitor reports, not verified
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Next 7 days at Mingo Refuge
- TodayMostly Sunny91° / 68°1% rain
- ThuPartly Sunny91° / 66°59% rain
- FriShowers And Thunderstorms76° / 58°84% rain
- SatChance Rain Showers72° / 55°31% rain
- SunSlight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny75° / 51°23% rain
- MonSunny72° / 45°–
- TueSunny72° / 49°1% rain
Today: sunrise 6:56 a.m., sunset 6:47 p.m., light until 7:13 p.m. · moon waning gibbous, 78% lit (our calculation)
Your guide to the area
Best spots around Mingo National Wildlife Refuge
- Swampwalk Nature TrailAn accessible 0.8-mile raised boardwalk and asphalt path through bottomland hardwood forest beside Ditch 11, near Rockhouse Marsh just below the visitor center; open all year, reached from Bluff Road off MO-51 or down the short, steep Bluff Trail from the visitor center
- Ozark Highlands Auto Tour RouteOne of the refuge's three wildlife drives, open March to November when conditions and weather allow (it can close at any time for maintenance or management); the 0.8-mile round-trip Sweet Cabin Trail starts near Stanley Creek along it
Nearby
Statewide timing, for places without their own: Illinois: usually well under way by late October; Indiana: usually well under way by late October.
- Shawnee National Forest107 miSatSlight Chance Rain Showers
- Natchez Trace Parkway180 mimid- to late OctoberSatPatchy Fog
- Natchez Trace Parkway, Mississippi199 mifrom mid-October near Nashville to just before Thanksgiving near Jackson, MississippiSatShowers And Thunderstorms
- Hoosier National Forest217 miSatSlight Chance Rain Showers
- Mammoth Cave224 mistarting in late OctoberSatChance Showers And Thunderstorms
- Noxubee Refuge267 miNovember: … Peak of fall colorsSatShowers And Thunderstorms
The year at Mingo Refuge
- Ozark Highlands Auto Tour Route and Sweet Cabin Trail open, March to NovemberNowMar–Nov
- All refuge waters open to fishing and boating, March 1 to September 30NowMar–Sep
- Spring migratory birds: April and May are the best monthsApr–May
- Fall migratory birds: September and October are the best monthsNowSep–Oct
- Sep: Bald cypress turn color in SeptemberNowSep
- Oct: Fall color peak, usually the last week of OctoberOct
- Waterfowl sanctuary areas closed to access, October to FebruaryOct–Feb
- Winter waterfowl in large numbers, November to February (peak usually early to mid-December)Nov–Feb
- Bald eagles nest, December to AprilDec–Apr
- More bald eagles as winter visitors arrive, December to FebruaryDec–Feb
Mingo Refuge in pictures
Questions people ask
When is peak fall foliage in Mingo National Wildlife Refuge in 2026?
In 2 separate phases: Bald cypress turning color, September and Fall color peak across the refuge, usually the last week of October. They're separate displays, not one long season.
How is the fall color in Mingo National Wildlife Refuge right now?
There's no official report yet this season.
Can I drive the Ozark Highlands Auto Tour in the fall?
Usually: it's open March through November when conditions and weather allow, but it can close at any time for maintenance or management. Bluff Road and Red Mill Drive are open all year.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mingo NWR: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Are there restrooms?
Yes, inside and outside the visitor center, plus several pit toilets around the refuge.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mingo NWR: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Do the bald cypress and the rest of Mingo turn at the same time?
No. The refuge puts bald cypress color in September and its usual fall color peak in the last week of October.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mingo NWR: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Do bald cypress keep their needles?
No. They're conifers, but the refuge notes they drop their leaves after turning a fiery red.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mingo NWR: Species ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where can I walk into the bottomland forest?
The Swampwalk Nature Trail: an accessible boardwalk that winds 0.8 miles through the bottomland hardwoods.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mingo NWR: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where are the best spots in Mingo National Wildlife Refuge?
Swampwalk Nature Trail: an accessible 0.8-mile raised boardwalk and asphalt path through bottomland hardwood forest beside Ditch 11, near Rockhouse Marsh just below the visitor center; open all year, reached from Bluff Road off MO-51 or down the short, steep Bluff Trail from the visitor center; Ozark Highlands Auto Tour Route: one of the refuge's three wildlife drives, open March to November when conditions and weather allow (it can close at any time for maintenance or management); the 0.8-mile round-trip Sweet Cabin Trail starts near Stanley Creek along it.
Are there closures or permits to know about in Mingo National Wildlife Refuge?
Waterfowl sanctuary areas closed to access, October to February (Oct–Feb).
What is Mingo National Wildlife Refuge like through the year?
Bald cypress turn color in September (Sep), Fall color peak, usually the last week of October (Oct), Spring migratory birds: April and May are the best months (Apr–May), Fall migratory birds: September and October are the best months (Sep–Oct), Winter waterfowl in large numbers, November to February (peak usually early to mid-December) (Nov–Feb), More bald eagles as winter visitors arrive, December to February (Dec–Feb), Bald eagles nest, December to April (Dec–Apr), Ozark Highlands Auto Tour Route and Sweet Cabin Trail open, March to November (Mar–Nov), Waterfowl sanctuary areas closed to access, October to February (Oct–Feb) and All refuge waters open to fishing and boating, March 1 to September 30 (Mar–Sep).