National Forest·Nevada·2,400,115 acres
Humboldt National Forest
Forecast issued Nov 10, 5:22pm ET
Higher ground turns first, so the slopes above the road lead the valley by a few days.
Weather Wind to 30 mph Saturday. Color may come down before it turns.
No new reports from the ground here this week.
When is peak fall foliage at Humboldt National Forest in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Humboldt National Forest around Sep 30, and the four days to aim for are Sep 29 to Oct 2.
The forest runs from about 4,413 to 8,848 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 33 days: the high stands around Sep 18, the low ground around Oct 21. That's 1 day later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.
| Week | In the forest | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 31 to Sep 6 | Still green | |
| Sep 7 to Sep 13 | Starting to turn | |
| Sep 14 to Sep 20 | Starting to turn | 9,000 to 10,000 ft |
| Sep 21 to Sep 27 | Nearly peak | 8,000 to 9,000 ft |
| Sep 28 to Oct 4 | Peak color | 7,000 to 8,000 ft |
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Just past peak | 6,000 to 7,000 ft |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Just past peak | 5,000 to 6,000 ft |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Fading | 4,000 to 5,000 ft |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Leaves down |
- 9,000–10,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 184%
- 8,000–9,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 267%
- 7,000–8,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 213%
- 6,000–7,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 923%
- 5,000–6,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1531%
- 4,000–5,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2122%
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 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, September 29 to Wednesday, September 30
You’ll find it nearly peak up high, starting to turn lower down.
Up at 7,000 feet the stands peak around Oct 2; down at 5,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 21. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 7,000–8,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 2
- 6,000–7,000 ftStarting to turnpeak Oct 9
- 5,000–6,000 ftStarting to turnpeak Oct 15
- 4,000–5,000 ftStarting to turnpeak Oct 21
- What turns
- quaking aspen, narrowleaf cottonwood, willow
What turns, and when
- quaking aspen94%
- narrowleaf cottonwood4%
- willow3%
Every one of these turns yellow or gold here. The shades only tell the species apart.
Also named across Nevada, outside what the canopy read measures here: Fremont Cottonwood, Water Birch, Rocky Mountain Maple, Curlleaf Mountain Mahogany.
Aspens turn gold in isolated mountain ranges rising from the Great Basin, creating dramatic contrasts of bright yellow groves against sagebrush gray and limestone white.
Questions people ask about Humboldt National Forest
- When is peak fall foliage at Humboldt National Forest?
Our forecast puts peak color at Humboldt National Forest around Sep 30, and the four days to aim for are Sep 29 to Oct 2.
- Where is the best fall color at Humboldt National Forest right now?
On Nov 10 the forest is leaves down. The last band to peak was 4,000 to 5,000 feet, around Oct 21.
- How long does peak last at Humboldt National Forest?
About four days at the top, Sep 29 to Oct 2, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the forest's elevations the color moves over about 33 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 37 days.
- Is Humboldt National Forest past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Sep 30, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.
- What trees turn color at Humboldt National Forest?
Quaking Aspen, Fremont Cottonwood, Water Birch, Rocky Mountain Maple, Curlleaf Mountain Mahogany. Aspens turn gold in isolated mountain ranges rising from the Great Basin, creating dramatic contrasts of bright yellow groves against sagebrush gray and limestone white.
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
- Peak Oct 6 best Oct 5 to 8
- Peak Oct 21 best Oct 20 to 23
- Peak Oct 13 best Oct 12 to 15