Foliage map › Destinations › Ohio › Columbus
Columbus, Ohio fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in the Columbus area peaks around October 27, with the best viewing from roughly October 25 to November 2.
- Typical peak
- October 27
- Best viewing
- Oct 25 – Nov 2
- Color starts
- Around Oct 15
- Leaves mostly down
- Around Nov 9
- Elevation
- 780 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 27. 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 Columbus on the foliage mapWhere to see the color around Columbus
Columbus sits where the Olentangy and Scioto rivers meet, and its metro parks follow the river valleys. North of the city, Highbanks Metro Park has shale bluffs about 100 feet above the Olentangy River, with an overlook into the valley. Downtown, the Scioto Mile follows the riverfront, and west of the city, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park has wooded creek valleys and open prairie.
Scenic drive
US 33 heads southeast from Columbus into the hills of southeastern Ohio, where the land turns rugged and forested, and leads to the gorges and recess caves of the Hocking Hills.
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 Columbus typically peaks much earlier.
Too late? Already past peak
Nothing nearby turns later
None of the destinations we track within 150 miles of Columbus typically peaks much later.
Nearby destinations
- Hocking Hills, OHTypical peak Oct 27, about the same time. 44 miles away.
- Cincinnati, OHTypical peak Oct 29, 2 days later. 100 miles away.
- Cleveland, OHTypical peak Oct 24, 2 days earlier. 126 miles away.
- Red River Gorge, KYTypical peak Oct 28, 2 days later. 152 miles away.
- Lexington, KYTypical peak Oct 28, 2 days later. 155 miles away.
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Columbus?
In a typical year, fall color in the Columbus area peaks around October 27, with the best viewing from roughly October 25 to November 2. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
How long does peak color last in Columbus?
Near-peak color usually holds for about 9 days. Color starts to show around October 15, and most leaves are down by about November 9.
Is Columbus early or late compared with the rest of Ohio?
Columbus peaks close to the middle of the Ohio season, about Oct 27 on average across the 4 Ohio destinations we track.
What trees color up around Columbus?
The main fall color in this area comes from sugar maple, tulip tree, shagbark hickory, and sassafras. 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.