National River·Arkansas·89,040 acres
Buffalo National River
Forecast issued Nov 9, 5:27pm ET
white oak and black oak
shagbark hickory and sugar maple, peak Oct 29
Peak color should arrive around Oct 29 for the shagbark hickory and sugar maple, and around Nov 7 for the white oak and black oak.
Higher ground turns first, so the slopes above the road lead the valley by a few days.
Weather Hard frost Saturday night. Peak may come early and go fast.
No new reports from the ground here this week.
When is peak fall foliage at Buffalo National River in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Buffalo National River around Nov 4, and the four days to aim for are Nov 3 to 6. shagbark hickory and sugar maple peak later, around Oct 29.
The river runs from about 552 to 1,975 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 5 days: the high stands around Nov 1, the low ground around Nov 5. That's 6 days later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.
| Week | In the river | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Starting to turn | |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Starting to turn | |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Nearly peak | 2,000 to 2,500 ft |
| Nov 2 to Nov 8 | Peak color | 500 to 1,000 ft, 1,000 to 1,500 ft, 1,500 to 2,000 ft |
| Nov 9 to Nov 15 this week | Just past peak |
- 2,000–2,500 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 15%
- 1,500–2,000 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 212%
- 1,000–1,500 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 422%
- 500–1,000 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 560%
Height off 3DEP inside the river’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the river stands in it.
That’s 6 days later than our model alone would say. This September has been running warm, which shifts peak color.
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, November 3 to Wednesday, November 4
You’ll find it peak color.
That's the day our forecast puts peak color here.
- 1,500–2,000 ftPeak colorpeak Nov 2
- 1,000–1,500 ftPeak colorpeak Nov 4
- 500–1,000 ftPeak colorpeak Nov 5
- Where to drive
- Route 7 Scenic Byway, about 18 miles · Pig Trail Scenic Byway (Route 23), about 54 miles · Route 19 through Ozark National Scenic Riverways, about 117 miles
- What turns
- white oak, black oak, shagbark hickory, sugar maple
What turns, and when
- white oak43%
- black oak28%
- shagbark hickory15%
- sugar maple14%
Also named across Arkansas, outside what the canopy read measures here: Red Maple, Sweetgum, Blackgum.
The Ozark Mountains produce a warm-toned fall of gold oaks, bronze hickories, crimson blackgums, and the occasional sweetgum burning purple and red along the creek bottoms.
Questions people ask about Buffalo National River
- When is peak fall foliage at Buffalo National River?
Our forecast puts peak color at Buffalo National River around Nov 4, and the four days to aim for are Nov 3 to 6. shagbark hickory and sugar maple peak later, around Oct 29.
- Where is the best fall color at Buffalo National River right now?
On Nov 9 the river is just past peak. The last band to peak was 500 to 1,000 feet, around Nov 5.
- How long does peak last at Buffalo National River?
About four days at the top, Nov 3 to 6, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the river's elevations the color moves over about 5 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 9 days.
- Is Buffalo National River past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Nov 4, and on Nov 9 it's just past peak.
- What trees turn color at Buffalo National River?
Red Maple, White Oak, Hickory, Sweetgum, Blackgum. The Ozark Mountains produce a warm-toned fall of gold oaks, bronze hickories, crimson blackgums, and the occasional sweetgum burning purple and red along the creek bottoms.
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. We score it here against 7 long-running forest cameras: two dates in three land within 13 days of the camera’s own peak. How this map is made
Nearby, and when they turn
Ozark-St. Francis is on the map above, with its own date.
- Peak Nov 4 best Nov 3 to 6
- Peak Nov 5 best Nov 4 to 7
- Peak Nov 2 best Nov 1 to 4
- Peak Nov 3 best Nov 2 to 5
- Peak Nov 9 best Nov 8 to 11
Fall color roads near Buffalo National River
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the river, so allow more by road.
- Route 7 Scenic Byway
Often called the most scenic drive in Arkansas. The section between Jasper and Harrison through the Buffalo River valley is the highlight.
- Pig Trail Scenic Byway (Route 23)
Twists through the Ozark National Forest between Ozark and Brashears. Tight switchbacks through dense hardwood canopy. Best in late October.
- Route 19 through Ozark National Scenic Riverways
Missouri's Ozarks produce a warm-toned fall of oaks and hickories. The Current River section is the highlight.
- Talimena National Scenic Byway
Runs the ridge of the Ouachita Mountains from Talihina, OK to Mena, AR. Ridgetop views of color-covered mountains in every direction. Peaks late October to early November.