Foliage map › Destinations › North Carolina › Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in the Raleigh area peaks around November 3, with the best viewing from roughly November 2 to November 10.
- Typical peak
- November 3
- Best viewing
- Nov 2 – Nov 10
- Color starts
- Around Oct 22
- Leaves mostly down
- Around Nov 16
- Elevation
- 320 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around November 3. Turn on JavaScript to see today’s estimated status and the five-week outlook.
The season at a glance
Bar height shows how good the viewing typically is on each day, from September 1 through November 30. Colors show the stage, from green through peak red to bare.
Open Raleigh on the foliage mapIf you arrive too early or too late
Too early? Still mostly green
Head higher or farther north
Roanoke, VA (126 miles away, farther north) typically peaks about 5 days earlier, and Blacksburg, VA (141 miles away, higher up) typically peaks about 10 days earlier.
Too late? Already past peak
Nothing nearby turns later
None of the destinations we track within 150 miles of Raleigh typically peaks much later.
Nearby destinations
- Roanoke, VATypical peak Oct 29, 5 days earlier. 126 miles away.
- Charlotte, NCTypical peak Nov 2, about the same time. 130 miles away.
- Richmond, VATypical peak Nov 2, about the same time. 139 miles away.
- Blacksburg, VATypical peak Oct 24, 10 days earlier. 140 miles away.
- Charlottesville, VATypical peak Oct 30, 4 days earlier. 156 miles away.
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Raleigh?
In a typical year, fall color in the Raleigh area peaks around November 3, with the best viewing from roughly November 2 to November 10. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
How long does peak color last in Raleigh?
Near-peak color usually holds for about 9 days. Color starts to show around October 22, and most leaves are down by about November 16.
Is Raleigh early or late compared with the rest of North Carolina?
Raleigh typically peaks about 12 days later than the North Carolina average of Oct 22. It ranks 7 of 7 North Carolina destinations from earliest to latest.
What trees color up around Raleigh?
The main fall color in this area comes from red maple, sweetgum, tulip tree, and shagbark hickory. See the leaf guide to identify them.
Estimates come from the Leaves.com model of typical years, based on latitude, elevation, and distance from large bodies of water. They are not live observations. How it works.