Where is the best fall color at Angeles National Forest right now?

On Nov 10 the forest is just past peak. The last band to peak was 0 to 2,000 feet, around Nov 2.

How long does peak last at Angeles National Forest?

About four days at the top, Oct 31 to Nov 3, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the forest's elevations the color moves over about 16 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 20 days.

Is Angeles National Forest past peak?

Yes. Peak was around Nov 1, and on Nov 10 it's just past peak.

Back to the map

National Forest·California·662,020 acres

Angeles National Forest

Forecast issued Nov 10, 5:22pm ET

Peak color, most of the standNov 1Aim for Oct 31 to Nov 3

In the forest today, Nov 10Just past peak

California black oak and blue oak

valley oak, peak Nov 18

Peak color should arrive around Oct 28 for the California black oak and blue oak, and around Nov 18 for the valley oak.

Higher ground turns first, so the slopes above the road lead the valley by a few days.

No new reports from the ground here this week.

Still greenStartingNearly peakPeakPast peakNo fall canopy we forecastInside the line, each band of elevation is painted on its own date.

Around Angeles National Forest Nearly all of the forest is in Los Angeles County, which is fading today. That’s the county as a whole, which peaks 5 days earlier than the forest’s own stands: the forest is just past peak.

When is peak fall foliage at Angeles National Forest in 2026?

Our forecast puts peak color at Angeles National Forest around Nov 1, and the four days to aim for are Oct 31 to Nov 3. valley oak peak later, around Nov 18.

The forest runs from about 1,167 to 6,532 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 16 days: the high stands around Oct 17, the low ground around Nov 2. That's 1 day later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.

Angeles, fall color week by week, 2026
Week	In the forest	Elevation at peak
Sep 28 to Oct 4	Still green
Oct 5 to Oct 11	Starting to turn
Oct 12 to Oct 18	Starting to turn	6,000 to 8,000 ft
Oct 19 to Oct 25	Nearly peak	4,000 to 6,000 ft
Oct 26 to Nov 1	Peak color	2,000 to 4,000 ft
Nov 2 to Nov 8	Peak color	0 to 2,000 ft
Nov 9 to Nov 15 this week	Just past peak

By elevation The forest runs from about 1,167 to 6,532 feet. That’s 16 days of season between the top and the bottom: the high stands peak around Oct 17, the low ground holds until about Nov 2, and the color comes downhill in between. The date at the top of this page is the 0 to 2,000 foot band.

6,000–8,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 178%
4,000–6,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2327%
2,000–4,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2851%
0–2,000 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 214%

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 1 day later than our model alone would say. This September has been running warm, which shifts peak color.

Plan this trip

If you can only come on certain days

Set the days you can be here. Everything under them answers for those days, not for peak.

ArrivingLeaving

Saturday, October 31 to Sunday, November 1

You’ll find it fading up high, peak color lower down.

Up at 6,000 feet the stands peak around Oct 17; down at 2,000 feet they hold on until about Nov 2. Pick your elevation for the day you come.

6,000–8,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 17
4,000–6,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 23
2,000–4,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 28
0–2,000 ftPeak colorpeak Nov 2

What turns: California black oak, blue oak, valley oak, Fremont cottonwood

What turns, and when

California black oak37%
blue oak36%
valley oak18%
Fremont cottonwood9%

Also named across California, outside what the canopy read measures here: Quaking Aspen, Bigleaf Maple, White Alder.

Eastern Sierra aspens turn brilliant gold against granite walls, black oaks in Yosemite Valley go bronze and russet, and cottonwoods line the desert creeks in pale yellow.

Questions people ask about Angeles National Forest

When is peak fall foliage at Angeles National Forest?: Our forecast puts peak color at Angeles National Forest around Nov 1, and the four days to aim for are Oct 31 to Nov 3. valley oak peak later, around Nov 18.
Where is the best fall color at Angeles National Forest right now?: On Nov 10 the forest is just past peak. The last band to peak was 0 to 2,000 feet, around Nov 2.
How long does peak last at Angeles National Forest?: About four days at the top, Oct 31 to Nov 3, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the forest's elevations the color moves over about 16 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 20 days.
Is Angeles National Forest past peak?: Yes. Peak was around Nov 1, and on Nov 10 it's just past peak.
What trees turn color at Angeles National Forest?: Quaking Aspen, Black Oak, Bigleaf Maple, Fremont Cottonwood, White Alder. Eastern Sierra aspens turn brilliant gold against granite walls, black oaks in Yosemite Valley go bronze and russet, and cottonwoods line the desert creeks in pale 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

All of California

Nearby, and when they turn

San Bernardino and Los Padres and Cleveland are on the map above, with their own date.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation AreaCA · about 43 miles
Peak Nov 6 best Nov 5 to 8
Channel Islands National ParkCA · about 108 miles
Peak Nov 6 best Nov 5 to 8
Sequoia National ForestCA · about 114 miles
Peak Oct 16 best Oct 15 to 18