Foliage map › Destinations › Michigan › Detroit
Detroit, Michigan fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in the Detroit area peaks around October 17, with the best viewing from roughly October 16 to October 24.
- Typical peak
- October 17
- Best viewing
- Oct 16 – Oct 24
- Color starts
- Around Oct 5
- Leaves mostly down
- Around Oct 30
- Elevation
- 600 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 17. 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 Detroit on the foliage mapWhere to see the color around Detroit
Detroit’s color is in its parks and along the Detroit River. Belle Isle, an island park in the river, has woods, lagoons, and views of the skyline. On the west side, Rouge Park follows the Rouge River through woods and meadows. Northwest of the city, Kensington and Stony Creek metroparks have lakes surrounded by forest.
Scenic drive
Huron River Drive follows the Huron River between Ann Arbor and Dexter, winding along the water through wooded parks and metroparks, one of the area’s favorite fall drives.
If you arrive too early or too late
Too early? Still mostly green
Nothing nearby turns earlier
None of the destinations we track within 150 miles of Detroit typically peaks much earlier.
Too late? Already past peak
Head farther south
Cleveland, OH (90 miles away, farther south) typically peaks about 7 days later.
Nearby destinations
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Detroit?
In a typical year, fall color in the Detroit area peaks around October 17, with the best viewing from roughly October 16 to October 24. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
How long does peak color last in Detroit?
Near-peak color usually holds for about 9 days. Color starts to show around October 5, and most leaves are down by about October 30.
Is Detroit early or late compared with the rest of Michigan?
Detroit typically peaks about 12 days later than the Michigan average of Oct 5. It ranks 5 of 5 Michigan destinations from earliest to latest.
What trees color up around Detroit?
The main fall color in this area comes from sugar maple, red maple, and northern red 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.