Fall foliage maps 2025: Will you see orange and brown leaves this weekend?

With September finally here, the yellow, orange and red hues of fall foliage will soon make an appearance, signalling the coming of the autumn and trees preserving their energy each year.

Fall foliage appears when leaves change from green to yellow, orange, and red, then falls from the trees, said Brandon Fuller, a doctoral candidate and lecturer in the biology department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). Sometimes, leaves even turn purple, notes the Chicago Botanic Garden.

As trees become dormant, they store chlorophyll, the chemical that gives their leaves their green color. 

“When the plants are going dormant for the wintertime, they actually want to hold onto that chlorophyll because it's energetically demanding for them to produce,” Fuller told USA TODAY.

The trees store the chlorophyll in their stems during the winter, and reuse it when they grow new leaves, Fuller said. 

Once these colors make their appearance, many Americans partake in activities such as scenic train rides and photography to soak them in.

Here are details and maps showing when fall foliage will begin to appear, and how to enjoy the sights this season.

Fall foliage forecast

In most areas, fall foliage tends to appear in October, so there won’t be much to see this weekend, Fuller said. 

“Maybe in the most northern parts of Maine, you might start seeing some of those colors, but it's still going to be pretty early,” Fuller said.

Where do fall colors come from?

Fuller said trees that change colors do so because they are storing chlorophyll, which gives leaves their green coloring.

“What we're seeing with the fall colors is the absence of chlorophyll,” Fuller said, adding that once that green color is gone, what’s left are yellow, orange and other colors of fall.

Leaves get their colors from chemicals such as carotenoids, which produce yellow and orange coloring, as well as anthocyanins, which produce red coloring. These chemicals increase the spectrum of light that plants can use for photosynthesis, and also act as a type of UV protection for the plants, Fuller said.

Plants can’t move like people do, so they are exposed to the sun all day long, Fuller said. Anthocyanins, which produce red coloring, act as “a natural sunblock for the plants,” he added.

When do fall colors begin to show in plants and trees?

Fall colors may begin to show earlier in the northeastern part of the U.S. such as New England, but there won’t be lots of color until October hits, said John Seiler, a professor and tree physiology specialist in the Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation Department at Virginia Tech.

Although some people may see leaves changing color before late October, this often happens because the plants are landscape trees, or trees that grew after seeds from other areas were planted, said Seiler.

In some areas, like in parts of the Southeast, fall colors may not peak until late October or closer to Halloween, said Fuller, from UNC.

Leaf-peeping and other fun fall activities

With the change of seasons and fall foliage reappearing, many people enjoy scenic train rides, photography, and leaf-peeping, or going out to see the fall colors. 

Seiler, from Virginia Tech, said those wanting to see fall foliage can also do so while hiking. 

Another activity that’s not as common as it once was is using fall foliage to make natural dyes, said Fuller. Dyes from leaves can be used to color cloth, paper, and more, he said.

“One of my favorite plants to use for making natural dyes in the fall is a plant called the smooth sumac,” he said. “Its leaves in the fall become this incredibly striking scarlet color.”

Where’s the best place to see these vibrant colors?

Seiler added that areas rich in tree diversity and elevation are great for seeing fall colors. 

“You're going up and down an elevation," Seiler said. "That's going to change your tree species, and that's going to change the colors you're seeing on any given day."

While popular areas for seeing fall foliage include Vermont, other areas include the central and southern Appalachians because of their tree diversity, Seiler said. There’s also the Adirondack Mountain region, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, he said.

He said another sure way to see fall foliage is by turning off main highways. 

“Sometimes you find some of the best fall colors,” Seiler said.

There are also national forests across the U.S.

Experts clear up misconceptions about all foliage

When asked about fall foliage misconceptions, Seiler said people often wonder if climate change will impact fall colors. 

“It's basically not going to do much of anything because the trees are tuned to day length, which has got nothing to do with any kind of changing weather patterns or climate,” Seiler said.

He added that trees are going to keep changing color close to the same date because when they change color is based on day length, and the length of time in a day stays the same.

Leaves falling is 'like nutrient recycling'

Fuller said there are benefits to leaves changing colors and falling in autumn. Leaves contain lots of carbon, he said. When leaves fall to the ground, the carbon stays in these leaves, breaks down, and decomposes and releases nutrients back into the soil that plants can take in.

“It's like nutrient recycling,” he said, adding that leaves provide leaf litter that help create micro habitats for insects, mammals, reptiles, and other organisms. 

He said he often encourages people not to rake their yards. Leaving the leaves in the yard can provide nutrients to plans in the yard, as well as habitats for “all kinds of cool insects.” 

“If you really like lightning bugs, the larvae … are going to live and pupate in the fall foliage, so keep it out around and you can expect to see more lightning bugs and things,” Fuller said.

Fuller said those wanting to take a peek at fall foliage this year can check out www.explorefall.com/fall-foliage-map, where there is an interactive map estimating the best time to see fall colors near you.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at [email protected].