Foliage map › Destinations › Arizona › Flagstaff
Flagstaff, Arizona fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in the Flagstaff area peaks around October 9, with the best viewing from roughly October 7 to October 15.
- Typical peak
- October 9
- Best viewing
- Oct 7 – Oct 15
- Color starts
- Around Sep 27
- Leaves mostly down
- Around Oct 22
- Elevation
- 6,900 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 9. 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 Flagstaff on the foliage mapWhere to see the color around Flagstaff
Flagstaff sits at the foot of the San Francisco Peaks, home to Humphreys Peak, the highest point in Arizona, and aspen groves turn gold on their slopes. Snowbowl Road climbs through aspen toward the Arizona Snowbowl, and Lockett Meadow, reached by a rough road, has aspen ringing a high meadow beneath the peaks. Hart Prairie, on the west side of the peaks, has more aspen.
Scenic drive
Arizona 89A drops south from Flagstaff through Oak Creek Canyon toward Sedona, with maples and sycamores along the creek turning later in the season beneath red rock cliffs.
If you arrive too early or too late
Too early? Still mostly green
Look for higher ground
None of the destinations we track within 150 miles of Flagstaff typically peaks much earlier. Look for higher ground nearby: in this part of the country, color tends to arrive about 3 to 4 days earlier for every 1,000 feet you climb.
Too late? Already past peak
Look for lower valleys
None of the destinations we track within 150 miles of Flagstaff typically peaks much later. Lower valleys nearby are your best bet: color tends to hang on about 3 to 4 days longer for every 1,000 feet lower.
Nearby destinations
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Flagstaff?
In a typical year, fall color in the Flagstaff area peaks around October 9, with the best viewing from roughly October 7 to October 15. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
How long does peak color last in Flagstaff?
Near-peak color usually holds for about 9 days. Color starts to show around September 27, and most leaves are down by about October 22.
What trees color up around Flagstaff?
The main fall color in this area comes from quaking aspen and gambel oak. 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.