This 2023 Fall Foliage Map Takes the Guesswork Out of Leaf Peeping

Though we're still a few weeks away from the official start of autumn, many fall enthusiasts are already gearing up for cooler weather and, of course, the changing of the leaves. But depending where you live or where you plan to travel, peak fall foliage can vary by state and region, as well as other climate-based factors.

This why every year, SmokyMountains.com puts together a fall foliage map that predicts the optimal time of the year for leaf peeping across the country. The interactive map uses a detailed algorithm with a variety of data points to determine its findings, such as NOAA historical temperatures and precipitation, forecast temperatures, historical leaf peak trends, and even user-generated reports.

And this year, the website is taking things a step further by allowing users who fill out fall foliage reports to submit their own photos, which will help improve the accuracy of future prediction maps.

"Similar to a weekend weather forecast, the timing of our map update is important," the creator of the map, David Angotti, told Travel + Leisure. "The backbone of the map is meteorology. With our unique blend of historical and forecast data, we are able to make a highly accurate prediction by the end of August.

"The drastic year-to-year changes dictate that we create a new map from scratch with new data each year. Our end goal is to produce a map that's useful and fun."

According to this year's map, fall foliage season will peak in parts of upstate New York and New England in early to mid October, whereas the southern midwest and further south won't start to see the trees start to turn until November. But for those looking to take a road trip to soak up the vibrant fall colors, you can also view detailed results down to the individual county from week to week.

Check out the full interactive map here.