usfs_Eastern_Region · Public domain
Mark Twain National Forest
Fall color across rolling ridges and valleys.
Forest Composition
Conditions & 5-Day Forecast
Field notes · 2026 estimate
When to see peak color at Mark Twain National Forest
Peak fall color is predicted around October 26. Plan for the strongest viewing window from October 21 to October 31.
- Predicted peak
- October 26
- Best window
- October 21 – October 31
- 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 Rolla and across Missouri.
That is 5 days later than usual (October 21): the six weeks to October 16 ran 7.3°F warmer than the 2001–2025 average, and a warmer run before peak delays the color.
Nearby locales
Other places to see color near Mark Twain National Forest
1 to 2 hours
2 to 3 hours
- Missouri Botanical Garden112 mi · 2 hr 29 minPeak: Nov 11Status: Moderate color
- Tower Grove Park110 mi · 2 hr 29 minPeak: Nov 11Status: High color
- Forest Park109 mi · 2 hr 32 minPeak: Nov 10Status: Moderate color
- Castlewood State Park111 mi · 2 hr 34 minPeak: Oct 30Status: Moderate color
- Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park117 mi · 2 hr 38 minPeak: Nov 3Status: Moderate color
- Great River Road125 mi · 2 hr 51 minPeak: Oct 28Status: High color