Field notes · 2026 estimate
When to see peak color at Sam McDonald County Park
Peak fall color is predicted around October 7. Plan for the strongest viewing window from October 2 to October 12.
- Predicted peak
- October 7
- Best window
- October 2 – October 12
- Confidence range
- ±5 days
- Color season
- September 17 – October 23
The prediction comes from 24 years of fall color records at this spot, checked against what observers on the ground saw. Where state foliage spotters report peak (New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Missouri), it has landed inside our ±5-day window about two years in three. An unusual summer or autumn can still move it further. Explore fall color around San Mateo County and across California.
Fall color at Sam McDonald County Park begins as early as September 17 in some spots and continues through October 23 in others — a 36-day window where you can catch peak color somewhere in the area regardless of when you visit.
Nearby locales