National Forest·Arizona, New Mexico·2,625,500 acres
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests
Forecast issued Nov 10, 7:57am ET
Higher ground turns first, so the slopes above the road lead the valley by a few days.
Weather Hard frost Wednesday night. Peak may come early and go fast.
No new reports from the ground here this week.
When is peak fall foliage at Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests around Oct 17, and the four days to aim for are Oct 16 to 19.
The forest runs from about 4,713 to 8,901 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 14 days: the high stands around Oct 10, the low ground around Oct 22. That's 3 days earlier than our model alone would say, because this season's reports from the ground moved it.
| Week | In the forest | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 21 to Sep 27 | Starting to turn | |
| Sep 28 to Oct 4 | Starting to turn | |
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Nearly peak | 8,000 to 9,000 ft |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Peak color | 5,000 to 6,000 ft, 6,000 to 7,000 ft, 7,000 to 8,000 ft |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Peak color | 4,000 to 5,000 ft |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Just past peak |
- 8,000–9,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1017%
- 7,000–8,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1328%
- 6,000–7,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1628%
- 5,000–6,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1817%
- 4,000–5,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 227%
Height off 3DEP inside the forest’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the forest stands in it.
That’s 3 days earlier than our model alone would say. This season’s reports from the ground moved it, and they outrank us.
Plan this tripIf you can only come on certain days
Set the days you can be here. Everything under them answers for those days, not for peak.
Friday, October 16 to Saturday, October 17
You’ll find it just past peak up high, peak color lower down.
Up at 8,000 feet the stands peak around Oct 10; down at 6,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 18. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 8,000–9,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 10
- 7,000–8,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 13
- 6,000–7,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 16
- 5,000–6,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 18
- What turns
- Gambel oak, bigtooth maple, serviceberry, quaking aspen, willow
What turns, and when
- Gambel oak42%
- bigtooth maple18%
- serviceberry14%
- quaking aspen10%
- willow6%
- velvet ash4%
Also named across Arizona, outside what the canopy read measures here: Arizona Sycamore, Fremont Cottonwood.
Aspens on the San Francisco Peaks turn gold above 8,000 feet, Gambel oaks go orange and russet at mid-elevations, and cottonwoods line the creek bottoms in butter yellow.
Questions people ask about Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests
- When is peak fall foliage at Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests?
Our forecast puts peak color at Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests around Oct 17, and the four days to aim for are Oct 16 to 19.
- Where is the best fall color at Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests right now?
On Nov 10 the forest is leaves down. The last band to peak was 4,000 to 5,000 feet, around Oct 22.
- How long does peak last at Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests?
About four days at the top, Oct 16 to 19, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the forest's elevations the color moves over about 14 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 18 days.
- Is Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 17, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.
- What trees turn color at Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests?
Quaking Aspen, Bigtooth Maple, Gambel Oak, Arizona Sycamore, Fremont Cottonwood. Aspens on the San Francisco Peaks turn gold above 8,000 feet, Gambel oaks go orange and russet at mid-elevations, and cottonwoods line the creek bottoms in butter yellow.
This forecast is built from the species that stand here, their elevation and this September’s weather, and corrected in season by cameras, foresters and our own crew. Out here we score it against NASA's satellite record of when the canopy shuts down, read inside each unit’s own boundary: two dates in three land within 12 days of it. How this map is made
Nearby, and when they turn
Gila and Tonto are on the map above, with their own date.
- Peak Oct 17 best Oct 16 to 19
- Peak Oct 21 best Oct 20 to 23
- Peak Oct 22 best Oct 21 to 24
- Peak Oct 28 best Oct 27 to 30