Foliage map › Destinations › Kentucky › Red River Gorge
Red River Gorge, Kentucky fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color around Red River Gorge peaks about October 28, with the best viewing from roughly October 27 to November 4.
- Typical peak
- October 28
- Best viewing
- Oct 27 – Nov 4
- Color starts
- Around Oct 16
- Leaves mostly down
- Around Nov 10
- Elevation
- 1,000 ft
- Color potential
- Strong
Updated
Typical season
Peak around October 28. Turn on JavaScript to see today’s 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 Red River Gorge on the live mapNearby destinations
- Lexington, KYTypical peak Oct 28, about the same time. 47 miles away.
- Cincinnati, OHTypical peak Oct 29, about the same time. 99 miles away.
- Louisville, KYTypical peak Oct 30, 2 days later. 117 miles away.
- Hocking Hills, OHTypical peak Oct 27, 2 days earlier. 127 miles away.
- Knoxville, TNTypical peak Oct 31, 3 days later. 129 miles away.
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Red River Gorge?
In a typical year, fall color around Red River Gorge peaks about October 28, with the best viewing from roughly October 27 to November 4. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
How long does peak color last in Red River Gorge?
Near-peak color usually holds for about 9 days. Color starts to show around October 16, and most leaves are down by about November 10.
Is Red River Gorge early or late compared with the rest of Kentucky?
Red River Gorge peaks close to the middle of the Kentucky season, about Oct 29 on average across the 3 Kentucky destinations we track.
What trees color up around Red River Gorge?
The main fall color in this area comes from sugar maple, red maple, shagbark hickory, white 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.