Fall Color

Posted Nov. 5, 2026

Peak color change is in effect throughout the Central Region. Sugar maples are at peak, while oaks in the northern part of the region are finally turning. This weekend’s near-freezing temperatures should do the trick for oaks in the southern portion of the region.

White oaks are ramping up to full color in the northern part of the region. Boone County, for instance, has sugar maple, dogwood, and sassafras blossoming in orange; sycamores have reached full yellow; and sumacs growing in fields are red.

Farther south, the maples are at peak red, pink, and orange. Hickories are generally browning out, with an exceptional few currently at brilliant yellow. Brushy species like smooth sumac, Virginia creeper, and dogwood are adding some nice color down low.

Fall Color Hot Spots

Rudolph Bennett Conservation Area in Randolph County has hiking trails and roads offering fall foliage viewing. Clifty Creek Conservation Area in southern Maries County has a nice hiking trail and could have great color next week between the black gums and sugar maples. The oaks are in the first stage of change.

Posted Nov. 5, 2026

Trees are glowing everywhere in the Kansas City Region! Oaks and hickories are beautiful this year. White oaks are glowing red, and most hickories are showing yellow. Surviving white ash trees are shades of orange, burnt red, and yellow. Black gum trees are on fire. Red maples are still showy, and sugar maples are still holding onto beautiful shades of orange, too.

Fall Color Hot Spots

Catch the maples in Forest Hill Calvary Cemetery, Maple Woods in Gladstone, and around your own neighborhood. Keep an eye on the ginkgo trees in the south lawn of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Take a hike at Burr Oak Woods Conservation Area. Seats are still open in the winter tree identification class on Dec.16. If you are looking for more fall color in Kansas City, the Visit Kansas City website gives additional fall color recommendations for the area.

Posted Nov. 5, 2026

Fall color has not changed much this past week in the Northeast Region. Small pockets of rusty reds, yellows, and oranges line the roadsides. Most oaks have started turning; the white oaks are holding onto their reds, while the hickories have either lost all their leaves or are brown and will drop soon.

Some urban trees are still holding on to their leaves, but their color is not as bright as it once was. Some Japanese zelkova trees are still holding on to their leaves and are the brightest this late in the year. The invasive Callery pear is starting to turn red, too.

The weather forecast for the next week doesn’t call for very cold temperatures, but the wind could knock down most of the leaves in the following week. With all this leaf drop, you can really see the nonnative invasive bush honeysuckle and autumn olive in the understory along roadsides and creeks in the cities. Japanese honeysuckle has started to turn purple; this vine carpets forest floors and can be hard to treat chemically because it has waxy leaves and spreads rapidly. These bushes are the last to lose their leaves and among the first to get them back.

Fall Color Hot Spots

Some notable conservation areas to visit in the region:

• Deer Ridge Conservation Area
• Fox Valley Lake Conservation Area
• Indian Hills Conservation Area
• Union Ridge Conservation Area
• DuPont Conservation Area
• Edward Anderson Conservation Area
• Ranacker Conservation Area
• Atlanta Conservation Area
• Hidden Hollow Conservation Area
• Sugar Creek Conservation Area
• Locust Creek Conservation Area

Posted Nov. 5, 2026

Early November has finally brought peak fall coloration, though recent storms and windy conditions have left most of the vibrant foliage on the ground. While much of the canopy is bare and dormant, the midstory still holds vibrant yellows from small shagbark hickory, bitternut hickory, eastern redbud, pawpaw, and ironwood.

Silver maples, in the later stages of color progression, have begun to turn yellow, adding more brightness to the landscape. Most oak species are still green but exhibit patches or large portions of yellow and rusty orange in their crowns. Some black walnuts are still holding onto some color, but most are fully dormant. Many yard trees such as maples are still glowing orange or red.

Fall Color Hot Spots

Although the canopy may have many bare crowns, you might consider taking advantage of local hiking trails to enjoy the midstory colors provided by shade-tolerant and later-turning species. Great areas for leisurely nature walks include Poosey Conservation Area, The Eva N. Davis Memorial Conservation Area, and Bluffwoods Conservation Area. Some parts of our region may still have color in the overstory, so enjoy a short road trip through rural areas and look along fence rows and tree lines.

Posted Nov. 5, 2026

Peak color continues into a second week, with essentially all species in the Ozark Region changing or starting to change. Our long-awaited final holdouts, the oaks, primarily white, chinkapin, post, black, scarlet, and blackjack, are showing fall colors, although some are showing just around the edges for now. However, the unfortunate story is that many oaks are a dull color this year. For instance, many scarlet oaks lack the brilliant red that gives them their name.

Multiple factors contribute to autumn colors. Site quality, meaning the nutritional value of the soil, water quality, and sunlight exposure, is a major factor. Another huge factor is nighttime temperatures. Fall has been warm thus far, while some mornings have felt cool. This October was one of the warmest on record for Missouri. These factors have dampened our potential for bold fall color across all species. This is not to suggest that fall color has not been pleasant. The highway corridors, the hilly landscapes, and the yards still look like fall, even if it hasn’t quite felt like it. Our palette this year isn’t as vibrant as usual, but it’s still colorful.

Keep an eye out for the color in the following lists of some of our local tree species. Keep in mind that some species will change color as the season progresses.

• Reds/oranges: White oak, scarlet oak, black oak, northern red oak, post oak, chinkapin oak, sassafras, black gum, sumac, flowering dogwood, red maple, sugar maple, and black cherry. Even poison ivy is a brilliant red. 
• Yellows: Black hickory, mockernut hickory, shagbark hickory, pignut hickory, eastern redbud, serviceberry, black walnut, tulip tree (yellow poplar), silver maple, Ozark chinquapin, and American sycamore.
• Greens: Yes, we still love green in fall — it adds such a nice contrast! Shortleaf pine (Missouri’s only native pine), red cedar, eastern white pine, and Norway spruce. You may even have a southern magnolia tree in your neighborhood that keeps its broad leaves green year-round!

Fall Color Hot Spots

If you find yourself rolling down U.S. Highway 60, either on your way to an Ozark site or just passing through, consider a stop at Twin Pines Conservation Center. Found just west of Winona and State Highway 19, Twin Pines offers a peaceful respite among the managed woods. You could forget what season it is walking through the pines, which remain green year-round, but the understory and the occasional overstory oak tree will remind you of fall. A small trail system, pond, and interpretive displays are open year-round outdoors, while the indoor education center is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Posted Nov. 5, 2026

Enjoy the fall colors while you can; peak color will likely fade after this week. Recent rain has slowly replenished the ground and tree roots. However, the wind is blowing leaves left and right, quickly thinning the canopy. Many leaves are settling into a fresh layer of leaf litter on the forest floor, while others continue to swirl across yards and trails before coming to rest.

Black gum, sassafras, sumacs, and poison ivy are still showing off magnificent shades of red. Sweet gums continue to offer a mix of fall colors. Lots of yellow-leaved species, including hickories, are still holding strong. Stately bald cypress trees tower along waterways, streets, and swamps; their copper-colored needles carpeting the ground or floating on the water’s surface. 

Fall is truly upon us, bringing shorter days and a gradual transition toward winter slumber.

Fall Color Hot Spots

Don't let a little rain keep you inside. Take an umbrella and explore one of these areas:

• Holly Ridge Conservation Area
• University Forest Conservation Area
• Clearwater Conservation Area
• Magnolia Hollow Conservation Area
• Lake Wappapello State Park
• Duck Creek Conservation Area
• Mingo National Wildlife Refuge

Posted Nov. 5, 2026

The Southwest Region is at peak and even starting to lean past peak. Trees and vines with red shades include red maple, sassafras, smooth sumac, Virginia creeper, black cherry, northern red oak, and flowering dogwood in select locations. Yellows are found on hickories with leaves falling, hackberry, silver maple, and American sycamore. Oaks are still predominantly green unless drought has browned them out, and they are expected to mostly go brown.

Fall Color Hot Spots

Conservation areas, fence rows, field edges, woodland edges, and communities are where you will see most color. Good fall color drives are along State Highway 59 in McDonald County and State Highway 90 through McDonald and Barry counties.

Posted Nov. 5, 2026

With the drop in temperature and the amount of rain we received over Halloween weekend, hopefully the St. Louis Region will reach peak fall color soon! Temperatures over the next week are cooler, so bundle up as you go on hikes looking for fall color. Ash, hickories, and lindens have brightened our forests with their golden yellows. Red maples and sumacs have bursts of ruby that break up the still-lingering green.

Some trees that haven’t fully changed yet but will be spectacular to keep an eye out for, are oaks and ginkgo trees. The oaks in our forests have started the barest hint of fall color, but more color should start coming in with colder weather and rain. In our cities, ginkgo trees will have dazzling, bright-yellow fan leaves. Crabapples have started their transition to yellow but still have their red fruit on display.

Keep an eye out for holly, an evergreen. Watch for both American holly, with its dark, glossy leaves and bright red fruit, and deciduous holly, which will leave only its bright red fruit after its leaves drop. Birds will be attracted to fruiting trees and shrubs as they begin their migration to warmer climates, which creates a great opportunity for birding!

Fall Color Hot Spots

While hiking and walking this month, dress warmly and be mindful of any managed deer hunts where you’re hiking. Some areas to visit to view the transitioning fall colors are August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area and Bellefontaine Conservation Area. Enjoy a scenic drive on Interstates 44 or 64; watch for the bright yellow of the hickories!