National Forest·Colorado, Utah·1,270,080 acres
Manti-La Sal National Forest
Forecast issued Nov 11, 7:48am ET
Photograph: More Than Just Parks
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 Manti-La Sal National Forest in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Manti-La Sal National Forest around Oct 4, and the four days to aim for are Oct 3 to 6.
The forest runs from about 5,277 to 9,935 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 31 days: the high stands around Sep 20, the low ground around Oct 21. That's 2 days 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 | 10,000 to 11,000 ft |
| Sep 21 to Sep 27 | Nearly peak | 9,000 to 10,000 ft |
| Sep 28 to Oct 4 | Peak color | 8,000 to 9,000 ft |
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Peak color | 7,000 to 8,000 ft |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Just past peak | 6,000 to 7,000 ft |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Fading | 5,000 to 6,000 ft |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Leaves down |
- 10,000–11,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 204%
- 9,000–10,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 2515%
- 8,000–9,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 120%
- 7,000–8,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 817%
- 6,000–7,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1524%
- 5,000–6,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 2119%
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 2 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.
Saturday, October 3 to Sunday, October 4
You’ll find it just past peak up high, starting to turn lower down.
Up at 9,000 feet the stands peak around Sep 25; down at 6,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 21. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 9,000–10,000 ftJust past peakpeak Sep 25
- 8,000–9,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 1
- 7,000–8,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 8
- 6,000–7,000 ftStarting to turnpeak Oct 15
- 5,000–6,000 ftStarting to turnpeak Oct 21
- Where to drive
- Fish Lake Scenic Byway (UT 25), about 63 miles · Boulder Mountain (UT 12), about 71 miles · Nebo Loop, about 94 miles
- What turns
- quaking aspen, Gambel oak, bigtooth maple, serviceberry
What turns, and when
- quaking aspen89%
- Gambel oak6%
- bigtooth maple3%
- serviceberry2%
Also named across Utah, outside what the canopy read measures here: Narrowleaf Cottonwood, Rocky Mountain Maple.
Utah's fall is a dual show: aspens turn gold on the high plateaus while bigtooth maples along the Wasatch Front go vivid scarlet, creating one of the most colorful mountain fronts in the West.
Questions people ask about Manti-La Sal National Forest
- When is peak fall foliage at Manti-La Sal National Forest?
Our forecast puts peak color at Manti-La Sal National Forest around Oct 4, and the four days to aim for are Oct 3 to 6.
- Where is the best fall color at Manti-La Sal National Forest right now?
On Nov 11 the forest is leaves down. The last band to peak was 5,000 to 6,000 feet, around Oct 21.
- How long does peak last at Manti-La Sal National Forest?
About four days at the top, Oct 3 to 6, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the forest's elevations the color moves over about 31 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 35 days.
- Is Manti-La Sal National Forest past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 4, and on Nov 11 it's leaves down.
- What trees turn color at Manti-La Sal National Forest?
Quaking Aspen, Bigtooth Maple, Gambel Oak, Narrowleaf Cottonwood, Rocky Mountain Maple. Utah's fall is a dual show: aspens turn gold on the high plateaus while bigtooth maples along the Wasatch Front go vivid scarlet, creating one of the most colorful mountain fronts in the West.
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
Capitol Reef and Canyonlands and Fishlake and Glen Canyon are on the map above, with their own date.
- Peak Oct 30 best Oct 29 to Nov 1
- Peak Oct 21 best Oct 20 to 23
Fall color roads near Manti-La Sal National Forest
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the forest, so allow more by road.
- Fish Lake Scenic Byway (UT 25)
Pando, the largest aspen clone on earth, along the lake.
- Boulder Mountain (UT 12)
Torrey to Boulder over the aspen plateau, with Capitol Reef below.
- Nebo Loop
Payson to Nephi around Mount Nebo, maple scarlet first and then aspen gold.
- Alpine Scenic Loop (Routes 92 and 189)
Mount Timpanogos draped in bigtooth maple scarlet and aspen gold. The most colorful fall drive in Utah.
- Mirror Lake Highway (UT 150)
Kamas to the Uinta lakes, aspen in the lower canyon.
- Guardsman Pass
Park City to Big Cottonwood Canyon, aspen and maple above Brighton.