When will Utah’s leaves change color for the 2024 fall season?

SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — While it still may be summer on the astronomical calendar, we have officially entered the fall season on the meteorological calendar . Pumpkin spice is back in the air and now fall lovers are just waiting for the leaves to turn from green to brilliant fiery hues of red, yellow, and orange.

So when can Utahns expect the leaves to change color this season?

Peak fall colors are still a month away

According to the Fall Foilage Prediction Map provided by SmokyMountains.com, Utah leaves in the higher elevations of Salt Lake County have already started changing colors. By Sept. 11, leaves throughout northern Utah will start changing colors as Salt Lake County enters “partial” change.

SmokyMountains.com predicts by Oct. 2, leaves in Salt Lake County will hit peak color change while much of northern Utah including Davis, Weber, Utah, and Summit counties will be near peak. Peak color change along the Wasatch Front outside of Salt Lake County is expected to hit around Oct. 9.

If you’re interested in getting out and seeing Utah’s beautiful fall colors in person, you’ll have a short window to do it. While peak leaf peeping is expected in early October, SmokyMountains.com predicts the fiery colors will be past their prime by mid-October.

Of course, the prediction map from SmokyMountains.com is not perfectly accurate but it can give leaf peepers an idea of when they should head into the mountains.

What causes the leaves to change color?

Leaves get their breathtaking fall hues as trees start becoming dormant for the winter. Katie Wagner with the Utah State University Extension Horticulture Faculty previously explained to ABC4 that trees slowly reduce the production of chlorophyll – the chemical that gives leaves their vibrant green color.

As chlorophyll production slows, the “true color” of the leaves begins to show.

SmokyMountains.com explains that trees continue to close off the veins that carry water and nutrients to and from the leaves at the base of the leaf stem. While the process protects the trees during the frigid winter months, the leaves start to die and weaken, eventually falling to the ground.

The best places to see Utah’s fall colors

There is no shortage of beautiful vistas to take in the fall season in Utah. Guardsman Pass remains a popular destination with its scenic drive connecting Park City, Midway, and the Salt Lake Valley.

The Mirror Lake Byway, about 15 miles from Park City, is another scene road that takes leaf peepers to several lakes surrounded by the beautiful forests of the Uintah Mountains.

Further north from the Salt Lake Valley is the Ogden Canyon road from Huntsville to Woodroof which goes into the Wasatch-Cache National Forest or the US-89 drive from Brigham City to Bear Lake through Logan Canyon.

In Davis County, leaf peepers can take Farmington Canyon Road which connects Bountiful and Farmington through unpaved roads in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Meanwhile, Utah County is home to the Alpine Loop with sites such as Cascade Springs, Bridal Veil Falls, and Mt. Timpanogos.

Further south, the drive from Cedar Breaks National Monument to Brian Head and Dixie National Forest is ideal for leaf peeping.

For more fall leaf routes across the state, visit Utah.com .

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