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Arkansas fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in Arkansas peaks from about October 24 around Mount Magazine (2,700 ft) to about November 3 around Hot Springs (600 ft).
2026 foliage season
Arkansas fall foliage map
- Mostly green
- Starting to turn
- Moderate color
- Near peak
- Peak color
- Past peak
- Leaves down
Dots show the 5 Arkansas destinations we track, colored by today’s estimated stage. Select one for its forecast, or open the full foliage map to check any city or ZIP code.
Peak calendar
Bars show the typical best-viewing window for each destination. The dark mark is the typical peak. The last column shows today’s estimated status.
How fall color moves through Arkansas
Arkansas’s fall color comes late, from late October into early November, in the hardwood forests of the Ozarks in the north and the Ouachita Mountains in the west-central part of the state. Mount Magazine, the highest point in the state, typically peaks first, around October 24. In the Ozarks, Eureka Springs follows around October 28, and the Buffalo National River around October 30. Petit Jean State Park, high above the Arkansas River Valley, comes around November 1, and Hot Springs, in the Ouachitas, is typically last, around November 3.
Best places for Arkansas fall foliage
- Mount Magazine, the highest point in Arkansas, at 2,753 feet, has wide views from its south bluff and is typically the first Arkansas destination to peak.
- Eureka Springs is a Victorian town built into the wooded hills of the Ozarks, near the Pig Trail Scenic Byway.
- Buffalo National River, the country’s first national river, runs between tall bluffs near Ponca, with elk in Boxley Valley.
- Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas’s first state park, has Cedar Falls and overlooks above the Arkansas River Valley.
- Hot Springs sits in the Ouachita Mountains, surrounded by Hot Springs National Park, and is typically the last to peak.
Scenic drives
Arkansas Scenic Byway 7 runs north from Hot Springs through the Ouachita National Forest and on through the Ozarks past Jasper, near the Buffalo National River. South of Eureka Springs, Highway 23 becomes the Pig Trail Scenic Byway, a winding road through the Ozark National Forest. Highway 309, the Mount Magazine Scenic Byway, climbs to the state’s highest point, and Highways 43 and 21 follow the Buffalo River through Boxley Valley near Ponca.
Planning around elevation
Arkansas’s mountains are lower than the Appalachians, so latitude and elevation both play a part. The color usually comes first on the highest ground, like Mount Magazine, and in the northern Ozarks, then moves south and down into the river valleys. Hot Springs, lower and farther south in the Ouachitas, typically holds color into early November.
Trees behind the color
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Arkansas?
In a typical year, fall color in Arkansas peaks from about October 24 around Mount Magazine (2,700 ft) to about November 3 around Hot Springs (600 ft). Timing can shift by about a week in either direction depending on the weather.
Where does fall color peak first in Arkansas?
Mount Magazine is usually first among the Arkansas destinations we track, with peak around October 24. Higher and more northern spots turn before lower and more southern ones.
Where is the latest fall color in Arkansas?
Hot Springs usually peaks last, around November 3. Later color here is usually found lower down and farther south, so if you miss peak elsewhere, head toward places like Hot Springs.
What trees give Arkansas its fall color?
The biggest contributors at the destinations we track include shagbark hickory, northern red oak, sassafras, and black gum.
Check any city or ZIP code in Arkansas.
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