National Forest·New Mexico·1,545,109 acres
Santa Fe National Forest
Forecast issued Nov 10, 7:57am ET
Higher ground turns first, so the slopes above the road lead the valley by a few days.
4 reports came in from Santa Fe County this week, 2 of them at peak and 1 of them near peak. They moved our date 2 days later. See the county on the map.
When is peak fall foliage at Santa Fe National Forest in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Santa Fe National Forest around Oct 20, and the four days to aim for are Oct 19 to 22.
The forest runs from about 6,141 to 10,508 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 17 days: the high stands around Oct 6, the low ground around Oct 17. That's 4 days later than our model alone would say, because this season's reports from the ground moved it.
| Week | In the forest | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 21 to Sep 27 | Still green | |
| Sep 28 to Oct 4 | Starting to turn | |
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Starting to turn | 9,000 to 10,000 ft, 10,000 to 11,000 ft |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Nearly peak | 6,000 to 7,000 ft, 7,000 to 8,000 ft, 8,000 to 9,000 ft |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Peak color | |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Just past peak |
- 10,000–11,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 66%
- 9,000–10,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 912%
- 8,000–9,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1224%
- 7,000–8,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1531%
- 6,000–7,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1721%
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 4 days later than our model alone would say. This season’s reports from the ground moved it, and they outrank us.
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.
Monday, October 19 to Tuesday, October 20
You’ll find it peak color.
That's the day our forecast puts peak color here.
- 9,000–10,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 9
- 8,000–9,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 12
- 7,000–8,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 15
- 6,000–7,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 17
- Where to drive
- Alpine Loop (NM 475), about 26 miles · High Road to Taos, about 28 miles · Sandia Crest Road (NM 536), about 50 miles
- What turns
- quaking aspen, Gambel oak, narrowleaf cottonwood, willow, bigtooth maple
What turns, and when
- quaking aspen42%
- Gambel oak15%
- narrowleaf cottonwood15%
- willow10%
- bigtooth maple6%
- serviceberry6%
Also named across New Mexico, outside what the canopy read measures here: Rocky Mountain Maple.
Aspens turn gold in the Sangre de Cristo and Jemez mountains, Gambel oaks go russet and orange at lower elevations, and cottonwoods line the Rio Grande bosque in butter yellow.
Questions people ask about Santa Fe National Forest
- When is peak fall foliage at Santa Fe National Forest?
Our forecast puts peak color at Santa Fe National Forest around Oct 20, and the four days to aim for are Oct 19 to 22.
- Where is the best fall color at Santa Fe National Forest right now?
On Nov 10 the forest is leaves down. The last band to peak was 6,000 to 7,000 feet, around Oct 17.
- How long does peak last at Santa Fe National Forest?
About four days at the top, Oct 19 to 22, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the forest's elevations the color moves over about 17 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 21 days.
- Is Santa Fe National Forest past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 20, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.
- What trees turn color at Santa Fe National Forest?
Quaking Aspen, Narrowleaf Cottonwood, Gambel Oak, Rocky Mountain Maple, Bigtooth Maple. Aspens turn gold in the Sangre de Cristo and Jemez mountains, Gambel oaks go russet and orange at lower elevations, and cottonwoods line the Rio Grande bosque in butter 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
Nearby, and when they turn
Carson is on the map above, with its own date.
- Peak Oct 9 best Oct 8 to 11
- Peak Oct 16 best Oct 15 to 18
- Peak Oct 28 best Oct 27 to 30
- Peak Oct 6 best Oct 5 to 8
- Peak Oct 12 best Oct 11 to 14
Fall color roads near Santa Fe National Forest
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the forest, so allow more by road.
- Alpine Loop (NM 475)
Climbs from Santa Fe to the Ski Basin through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. One of the most accessible aspen drives in the Southwest.
- High Road to Taos
Cottonwood in the villages, aspen above Truchas.
- Sandia Crest Road (NM 536)
Aspen near the top of Albuquerque's mountain.
- Enchanted Circle (NM 38, 522 and 64)
Taos, Questa, Red River, Eagle Nest and Angel Fire, aspen on the Sangre de Cristo the whole loop.
- Cumbres and La Manga passes (CO 17)
Antonito to Chama through the Conejos aspen, with the narrow-gauge train doing the same route.
- Wolf Creek Pass (US 160)
South Fork to Pagosa Springs, aspen on the west side of the pass.