National Forest·Arizona·1,543,565 acres
Kaibab National Forest
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.
2 reports came in from Coconino County this week, 2 of them at peak. They moved our date 1 day later. See the county on the map.
When is peak fall foliage at Kaibab National Forest in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Kaibab National Forest around Oct 21, and the four days to aim for are Oct 20 to 23.
The forest runs from about 4,464 to 8,166 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 11 days: the high stands around Oct 16, the low ground around Oct 27. That's 8 days later than our model alone would say, because this season's reports from the ground moved it.
| Week | In the forest | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 28 to Oct 4 | Starting to turn | |
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Starting to turn | |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Nearly peak | 8,000 to 9,000 ft |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Peak color | 5,000 to 6,000 ft, 6,000 to 7,000 ft, 7,000 to 8,000 ft |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Just past peak | 4,000 to 5,000 ft |
| Nov 2 to Nov 8 | Just past peak |
- 8,000–9,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 166%
- 7,000–8,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1917%
- 6,000–7,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2139%
- 5,000–6,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2524%
- 4,000–5,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2714%
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 8 days later 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.
Tuesday, October 20 to Wednesday, October 21
You’ll find it peak color up high, nearly peak lower down.
Up at 7,000 feet the stands peak around Oct 19; down at 5,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 27. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 7,000–8,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 19
- 6,000–7,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 21
- 5,000–6,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 25
- 4,000–5,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 27
- Where to drive
- Boulder Mountain (UT 12), about 149 miles
- What turns
- quaking aspen, Gambel oak, bigtooth maple, serviceberry, willow
What turns, and when
- quaking aspen61%
- Gambel oak21%
- bigtooth maple8%
- serviceberry7%
- willow3%
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 Kaibab National Forest
- When is peak fall foliage at Kaibab National Forest?
Our forecast puts peak color at Kaibab National Forest around Oct 21, and the four days to aim for are Oct 20 to 23.
- Where is the best fall color at Kaibab National Forest right now?
On Nov 10 the forest is fading. The last band to peak was 4,000 to 5,000 feet, around Oct 27.
- How long does peak last at Kaibab National Forest?
About four days at the top, Oct 20 to 23, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the forest's elevations the color moves over about 11 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 15 days.
- Is Kaibab National Forest past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 21, and on Nov 10 it's fading.
- What trees turn color at Kaibab National Forest?
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
Grand Canyon and Coconino and Prescott and Zion are on the map above, with their own date.
- Peak Oct 21 best Oct 20 to 23
- Peak Oct 26 best Oct 25 to 28
Fall color roads near Kaibab National Forest
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the forest, so allow more by road.
- Boulder Mountain (UT 12)
Torrey to Boulder over the aspen plateau, with Capitol Reef below.