Wilderness Area·Oregon·62,213 acres
Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness
Forecast issued Nov 10, 7:57am ET
bigleaf maple and vine maple
black cottonwood and red alder, peak Oct 2
Peak color should arrive around Oct 2 for the black cottonwood and red alder, and around Oct 19 for the bigleaf maple and vine maple.
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 Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness around Oct 12, and the four days to aim for are Oct 11 to 14. black cottonwood and red alder peak later, around Oct 2.
That's 1 day later than our model alone would say, because this season's reports from the ground moved it.
| Week | In the wilderness | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 21 to Sep 27 | Starting to turn | |
| Sep 28 to Oct 4 | Nearly peak | |
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Peak color | 1,000 to 2,000 ft, 4,000 to 5,000 ft |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Peak color | 2,000 to 3,000 ft, 3,000 to 4,000 ft |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Just past peak | |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Fading |
- 4,000–5,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 912%
- 3,000–4,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1444%
- 2,000–3,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1831%
- 1,000–2,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1013%
Height off 3DEP inside the wilderness’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the wilderness stands in it.
That’s 1 day 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.
Sunday, October 11 to Monday, October 12
You’ll find it just past peak up high, peak color lower down.
Up at 4,000 feet the stands peak around Oct 9; down at 2,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 10. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 4,000–5,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 9
- 3,000–4,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 14
- 2,000–3,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 18
- 1,000–2,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 10
- Where to drive
- Historic Columbia River Highway, about 23 miles · McKenzie Pass Scenic Byway (Route 242), about 70 miles
- What turns
- bigleaf maple, vine maple, black cottonwood, red alder, Oregon white oak
What turns, and when
- bigleaf maple29%
- vine maple21%
- black cottonwood18%
- red alder16%
- Oregon white oak9%
- willow5%
Also named across Oregon, outside what the canopy read measures here: Western Larch.
Vine maples turn vivid scarlet in the understory of Douglas fir forests, bigleaf maples go gold with enormous leaves, and the Columbia Gorge frames it all against waterfalls and basalt.
Questions people ask about Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness
- When is peak fall foliage at Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness?
Our forecast puts peak color at Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness around Oct 12, and the four days to aim for are Oct 11 to 14. black cottonwood and red alder peak later, around Oct 2.
- Where is the best fall color at Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness right now?
On Nov 10 the wilderness is leaves down. The last band to peak was 2,000 to 3,000 feet, around Oct 18.
- How long does peak last at Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness?
About four days at the top, Oct 11 to 14, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive.
- Is Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 12, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.
- What trees turn color at Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness?
Vine Maple, Bigleaf Maple, Black Cottonwood, Red Alder, Western Larch. Vine maples turn vivid scarlet in the understory of Douglas fir forests, bigleaf maples go gold with enormous leaves, and the Columbia Gorge frames it all against waterfalls and basalt.
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
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area is on the map above, with its own date.
- Peak Oct 21 best Oct 20 to 23
- Peak Oct 5 best Oct 4 to 7
- Peak Oct 20 best Oct 19 to 22
- Peak Oct 20 best Oct 19 to 22
- Peak Oct 16 best Oct 15 to 18
Fall color roads near Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the wilderness, so allow more by road.
- Historic Columbia River Highway
Waterfalls, basalt cliffs, and vine maples. The restored sections between Troutdale and Ainsworth are the crown jewels.
- McKenzie Pass Scenic Byway (Route 242)
Crosses the Cascades through lava fields and old-growth forest. Vine maple understory turns electric in mid-October.