The predicted color stage on the selected date, modelled from years of fall color records. A forecast, not a live observation.When each area's color is predicted to peak this season. The date doesn't change this view.

Itasca State Park

The headwaters of the Mississippi River feature massive pine and hardwood forests creating a classic autumn scene.

Typical peak
Sep 30
Late September
Best Viewing Window
Sep 25 – Oct 5
Late September to Early October
Observed now
Peak color
The newest satellite reading was 4 days old at the latest update.
20 sample points · about 7 clear looks per point.
What the trees look like now, not a forecast.

Forest Composition

Aspen Birch dominant
Maple / Beech / Birch14%
Oak / Hickory18%
Aspen / Birch44%
91% deciduous canopy (forest survey)

Conditions & 5-Day Forecast

Fetching forecast...

Nearby Towns

Thomson Township179 mi3 hr 54 minDuluth183 mi4 hr 1 min

More places near Clearwater County

© OpenStreetMap contributors · Esri, Garmin, USGS, NPS, HERE · Terrain data: USGS, NOAA; contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada; source: INEGI, Continental relief, 2016Powered by Esri

Field notes · 2026 estimate

When to see peak color at Itasca State Park

Peak fall color is predicted around September 30. Plan for the strongest viewing window from September 25 to October 5.

Predicted peakSeptember 30
Best windowSeptember 25 – October 5
Confidence range±5 days

The prediction comes from 14 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 Clearwater County and across Minnesota.

That is 1 day later than usual (September 29): the six weeks to September 21 ran 0.5°F warmer than the 2001–2025 average, and a warmer run before peak delays the color.

Nearby locales

Other places to see color near Itasca State Park

2 to 3 hours

Over 3 hours