Peak Dates for 2016 Fall Foliage: Interactive Map

Minnesota is a beautiful place to be when the fall colors start coming. Many leaves have already begun to turn magnificent shades of red and yellow.

But how can you know when the leaves will change? You can’t know precisely, but an interactive map can help you predict when to take your fall foliage tours and see the leaves at their vibrant peaks.

The Fall Foliage Prediction Map is found on the Great Smoky Mountains National Park website, but it includes all 50 states. If you're planning a trip to some other area with great fall color, such as New England, the map can remove some of the guesswork.

Much of northern Minnesota is near peak already, and parts of the state that border Canada are already peaking. Leaves in central Minnesota are still patchy or have partially turned.

If the map is accurate, you should plan your trip to northern Minnesota for one of the next two weekends, Sept. 30 or Oct. 8. Leaves elsewhere in the state should be approaching their peak by then, so you’ll have a nice, scenic drive.

In southern Minnesota, leaves will peak around Oct. 14, and will be past peak statewide by Oct. 21.

Image via kkmarais, Flickr, used under Creative Commons