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Forecast issued Nov 10, 7:57am ET

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National Forest·Nebraska·140,857 acres

Nebraska National Forest

Forecast issued Nov 10, 7:57am ET

Peak colorOct 11Aim for Oct 10 to 13
In the forest today, Nov 10Leaves down
SepOctNov

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

Weather Wind to 40 mph Tuesday. Color may come down before it turns.

Weather Hard frost Friday night. Peak may come early and go fast.

No new reports from the ground here this week.

I-80I-25I-76I-90GordonAllianceNorth PlatteScottsbluffChadronCheyennePine RidgeOgallalaSamuel R. McKelviepeak Oct 12Nebraska
I-80I-76US 385US 30GordonAllianceChadronPine RidgeScottsbluffOgallalaValentineMartinSamuel R. McKelviepeak Oct 12Nebraska
Still greenStartingNearly peakPeakPast peakNo fall canopy we forecastInside the line, each band of elevation is painted on its own date.
Around Nebraska National Forest Dawes County holds most of the forest and is fading today. That’s the county as a whole, which peaks 13 days later than the forest’s own stands: the forest is leaves down. Thomas County, to the east, is 10 days ahead. Blaine County, to the east, is 9 days ahead.
Nebraska National Forest fall foliage map 2026: the unit and the counties around it painted by how far along their color is on Nov 10. Peak forecast around Oct 11, best Oct 10 to 13.
Save or share this mapToday’s Nebraska National Forest fall foliage map as a picture, redrawn every morning. Free to reuse with credit to More Than Just Parks and a link back; the terms.Save the mapPin itFacebookXEmail

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

Our forecast puts peak color at Nebraska National Forest around Oct 11, and the four days to aim for are Oct 10 to 13.

The forest runs from about 2,834 to 3,509 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 2 days: the high stands around Oct 11, the low ground around Oct 13. That's 5 days later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.

Nebraska, fall color week by week, 2026
WeekIn the forestElevation at peak
Sep 21 to Sep 27Starting to turn
Sep 28 to Oct 4Nearly peak
Oct 5 to Oct 11Peak color3,500 to 3,750 ft
Oct 12 to Oct 18Peak color2,750 to 3,000 ft, 3,000 to 3,250 ft, 3,250 to 3,500 ft
Oct 19 to Oct 25Just past peak
By elevation The forest runs from about 2,834 to 3,509 feet. That’s 2 days of season between the top and the bottom: the high stands peak around Oct 11, the low ground holds until about Oct 13, and the color comes downhill in between. The date at the top of this page is the 3,500 to 3,750 foot band.
  1. 3,500–3,750 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 117%
  2. 3,250–3,500 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1219%
  3. 3,000–3,250 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 134%
  4. 2,750–3,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1369%

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 5 days 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.

Saturday, October 10 to Sunday, October 11

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

Up at 3,250 feet the stands peak around Oct 12; down at 3,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 13. Pick your elevation for the day you come.

  • 3,250–3,500 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 12
  • 2,750–3,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 13
What turns
plains cottonwood, green ash, bur oak, boxelder, willow

What turns, and when

Also named across Nebraska, outside what the canopy read measures here: Red Oak, Hackberry.

Cottonwoods along the Platte and Niobrara rivers turn gold, and the Pine Ridge in the northwest produces a surprising mix of ponderosa pine and hardwood color.

Questions people ask about Nebraska National Forest

When is peak fall foliage at Nebraska National Forest?

Our forecast puts peak color at Nebraska National Forest around Oct 11, and the four days to aim for are Oct 10 to 13.

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

On Nov 10 the forest is leaves down. The last band to peak was 2,750 to 3,000 feet, around Oct 13.

How long does peak last at Nebraska National Forest?

About four days at the top, Oct 10 to 13, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the forest's elevations the color moves over about 2 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 6 days.

Is Nebraska National Forest past peak?

Yes. Peak was around Oct 11, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.

What trees turn color at Nebraska National Forest?

Cottonwood, Bur Oak, Red Oak, Hackberry, Green Ash. Cottonwoods along the Platte and Niobrara rivers turn gold, and the Pine Ridge in the northwest produces a surprising mix of ponderosa pine and hardwood color.

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 Nebraska

Nearby, and when they turn

Samuel R. McKelvie is on the map above, with its own date.

  1. Niobrara National Scenic RiverNE · about 78 miles
    Peak Oct 13 best Oct 12 to 15
  2. Pine Ridge National Recreation AreaNE · about 95 miles
    Peak Oct 23 best Oct 22 to 25
  3. Badlands National ParkSD · about 122 miles
    Peak Oct 20 best Oct 19 to 22
  4. Wind Cave National ParkSD · about 142 miles
    Peak Oct 23 best Oct 22 to 25
  5. Black Hills National ForestSD, WY · about 178 miles
    Peak Oct 14 best Oct 13 to 16