National Recreation Area·Oklahoma·26,617 acres
Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area
Forecast issued Nov 10, 7:57am ET
white oak and black oak
shagbark hickory and sugar maple, peak Nov 1
Peak color should arrive around Nov 1 for the shagbark hickory and sugar maple, and around Nov 10 for the white oak and black 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.
When is peak fall foliage at Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area around Nov 7, and the four days to aim for are Nov 6 to 9. shagbark hickory and sugar maple peak later, around Nov 1.
The recreation area runs from about 847 to 1,942 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 4 days: the high stands around Nov 5, the low ground around Nov 8. That's 6 days later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.
| Week | In the recreation area | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Starting to turn | |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Nearly peak | |
| Nov 2 to Nov 8 | Peak color | 750 to 1,000 ft, 1,000 to 1,250 ft, 1,250 to 1,500 ft, 1,500 to 1,750 ft, 1,750 to 2,000 ft |
| Nov 9 to Nov 15 this week | Peak color | |
| Nov 16 to Nov 22 | Just past peak |
- 1,750–2,000 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 59%
- 1,500–1,750 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 613%
- 1,250–1,500 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 716%
- 1,000–1,250 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 733%
- 750–1,000 ftPeak colorpeak Nov 826%
Height off 3DEP inside the recreation area’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the recreation area stands in it.
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.
Friday, November 6 to Saturday, November 7
You’ll find it peak color.
That's the day our forecast puts peak color here.
- 1,750–2,000 ftPeak colorpeak Nov 5
- 1,500–1,750 ftPeak colorpeak Nov 6
- 1,250–1,500 ftPeak colorpeak Nov 7
- 1,000–1,250 ftPeak colorpeak Nov 7
- 750–1,000 ftPeak colorpeak Nov 8
- Where to drive
- Talimena National Scenic Byway, about 6 miles · Pig Trail Scenic Byway (Route 23), about 87 miles · Route 7 Scenic Byway, about 120 miles
- What turns
- white oak, black oak, shagbark hickory, sugar maple
What turns, and when
- white oak43%
- black oak29%
- shagbark hickory14%
- sugar maple14%
Also named across Oklahoma, outside what the canopy read measures here: Post Oak, Blackjack Oak, Sweetgum, Red Maple.
The Ouachita Mountains in the southeast produce the best color, with sweetgums going red and purple, oaks turning russet, and the ridgetop views from the Talimena Byway stretching for miles.
Questions people ask about Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area
- When is peak fall foliage at Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area?
Our forecast puts peak color at Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area around Nov 7, and the four days to aim for are Nov 6 to 9. shagbark hickory and sugar maple peak later, around Nov 1.
- Where is the best fall color at Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area right now?
On Nov 10 the recreation area is just past peak. By elevation, the color is at peak at 750 to 1,000 feet.
- How long does peak last at Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area?
About four days at the top, Nov 6 to 9, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the recreation area's elevations the color moves over about 4 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 8 days.
- Is Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Nov 7, and on Nov 10 it's just past peak.
- What trees turn color at Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area?
Post Oak, Blackjack Oak, Sweetgum, Hickory, Red Maple. The Ouachita Mountains in the southeast produce the best color, with sweetgums going red and purple, oaks turning russet, and the ridgetop views from the Talimena Byway stretching for miles.
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
Ouachita and Ozark-St. Francis are on the map above, with their own date.
- Peak Nov 9 best Nov 8 to 11
- Peak Nov 2 best Nov 1 to 4
- Peak Nov 4 best Nov 3 to 6
- Peak Nov 5 best Nov 4 to 7
Fall color roads near Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the recreation area, so allow more by road.
- Talimena National Scenic Byway
Runs the ridge of the Ouachita Mountains from Talihina, OK to Mena, AR. Ridgetop views of color-covered mountains in every direction. Peaks late October to early November.
- Pig Trail Scenic Byway (Route 23)
Twists through the Ozark National Forest between Ozark and Brashears. Tight switchbacks through dense hardwood canopy. Best in late October.
- Route 7 Scenic Byway
Often called the most scenic drive in Arkansas. The section between Jasper and Harrison through the Buffalo River valley is the highlight.