Foliage map › National parks and forests › Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park fall foliage
Glacier National Park covers more than a million acres of the northern Rockies in Montana, along the Canadian border. Most of its forest is evergreen, so the fall color comes from cottonwood, aspen, and birch along the lakes and rivers, and from western larch, a conifer that turns gold and drops its needles each fall, usually later in the season.
- Typical peak
- Oct 1 – Oct 7
- Location
- Montana
- Size
- More than 1 million acres
- Elevation
- About 3,150 to 10,479 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 7 at West Glacier. Turn on JavaScript to see today’s status and the five-week outlook.
Status shown for West Glacier, at 3,200 feet. See below for other parts of the park.
Peak by place and elevation
Bars show the typical best-viewing window for each place. The dark mark is the typical peak. The last column shows today’s status.
The season at West Glacier
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.
Where to see the color in Glacier
Lake McDonald, the largest lake in the park, stretches about 10 miles beneath the mountains on the west side, with cottonwood, birch, and larch along the shore. On the east side, Many Glacier has aspen around Swiftcurrent Lake beneath steep peaks, and St. Mary Lake, with tiny Wild Goose Island, is one of the most photographed views in the park.
Scenic drive
The Going-to-the-Sun Road crosses the park for about 50 miles from West Glacier to St. Mary, along Lake McDonald and up over Logan Pass on the Continental Divide. Parts of the road close for the season in fall, so check its status before you go. US 2 follows the Middle Fork of the Flathead River along the park’s southern edge.
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Glacier National Park?
In a typical year, the aspen and cottonwoods on the east side, around Many Glacier and St. Mary, peak around the start of October, and the west side around Lake McDonald peaks in early October. The western larch usually turns gold a little later.
What trees change color in Glacier National Park?
Mostly cottonwood, aspen, birch, and willow along the lakes and rivers, and western larch, a conifer whose needles turn gold before they fall.