Oregonfall foliage
When does fall color peak in Oregon?
Fall color usually peaks from September to November.
Updated Sep 28.
Places by state
Oregon
- McKenzie PassStarts in ~3 weeks
Statewide: usually well under way by late October
- Mt. HoodStarts in ~3 weeks
Statewide: usually well under way by late October
Official reports
- Sep 27Park ServiceThe ~40-mile trail around Mt. Hood near tree line; season July to October; wilderness permits May 15 to October 15Source (opens US Forest Service, Timberline Trail #600 in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceLevel 2-mile loop with Mt. Hood views; road gates closed December 1 to April 1; Sno-Park permit November 1 to April 30Source (opens US Forest Service, Trillium Lake Loop Trail #761 in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceTrillium Lake at 3,600 feet, with views of Mt. Hood and a 2-mile loop trail around the lakeSource (opens US Forest Service, Trillium Lake Campground in a new tab)
Show all 8
- Sep 27Park ServiceLoop trail to Lower and Upper Proxy Falls off Highway 242; wilderness permits June 15 to October 15Source (opens US Forest Service, Proxy Falls Trail #3532 in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceAn 82-mile loop past lava fields, Cascade peaks and Sahalie and Koosah Falls; Highway 242 closes in winterSource (opens US Forest Service, McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass Scenic Byway in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceTwo waterfalls on the McKenzie River joined by the Waterfalls Loop Trail, at 3,300 feetSource (opens US Forest Service, Sahalie and Koosah Falls in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceOpening and closing dates for 2026; Ice Cap (by Koosah Falls) May 15 to October 11Source (opens US Forest Service, Willamette National Forest 2026 seasonal campground schedule in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceWinter season November to April; Oregon Sno-Park permit November 1 to April 30Source (opens US Forest Service, Santiam Sno-Park in a new tab)
Questions people ask
Where can I see fall foliage in Oregon?
We track 2 places: McKenzie Pass and Mt. Hood.
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.