National Forest·Illinois·273,666 acres
Shawnee National Forest
Forecast issued Nov 10, 7:57am ET
Roadsides and wetland edges turn first, and the woods behind them run a few days later.
Weather Hard frost Friday night. Peak may come early and go fast.
No new reports from the ground here this week.
When is peak fall foliage at Shawnee National Forest in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Shawnee National Forest around Nov 2, and the four days to aim for are Nov 1 to 4.
That's 6 days later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.
| Week | In the forest |
|---|---|
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Nearly peak |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Peak color |
| Nov 2 to Nov 8 | Peak color |
| Nov 9 to Nov 15 this week | Just past peak |
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.
Sunday, November 1 to Monday, November 2
You’ll find it peak color.
That's the day our forecast puts peak color here.
- Where to drive
- Route 19 through Ozark National Scenic Riverways, about 138 miles
- What turns
- white oak, red maple, northern red oak, shagbark hickory, blackgum
What turns, and when
- white oak31%
- red maple19%
- northern red oak18%
- shagbark hickory10%
- blackgum5%
- sweetgum5%
Also named across Illinois, outside what the canopy read measures here: Sugar Maple.
The Shawnee Hills of southern Illinois produce surprisingly intense color, with sugar maples blazing orange above sandstone bluffs and oaks turning deep burgundy across the ridges.
Across Illinois as a whole: Early-to-mid October in the north, late October in the Shawnee.
Questions people ask about Shawnee National Forest
- When is peak fall foliage at Shawnee National Forest?
Our forecast puts peak color at Shawnee National Forest around Nov 2, and the four days to aim for are Nov 1 to 4.
- Where is the best fall color at Shawnee National Forest right now?
On Nov 10 the forest is just past peak.
- How long does peak last at Shawnee National Forest?
About four days at the top, Nov 1 to 4, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive.
- Is Shawnee National Forest past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Nov 2, and on Nov 10 it's just past peak.
- What trees turn color at Shawnee National Forest?
Sugar Maple, Red Oak, White Oak, Hickory, Sweetgum. The Shawnee Hills of southern Illinois produce surprisingly intense color, with sugar maples blazing orange above sandstone bluffs and oaks turning deep burgundy across the ridges.
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
Land Between the Lakes is on the map above, with its own date.
- Peak Nov 2 best Nov 1 to 4
- Peak Nov 1 best Oct 31 to Nov 3
- Peak Oct 29 best Oct 28 to 31
- Peak Nov 1 best Oct 31 to Nov 3
- Peak Oct 21 best Oct 20 to 23
Fall color roads near Shawnee National Forest
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the forest, so allow more by road.
- 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.