Fall Foliage Map In Illinois: 2021 Peak Draws Near

ILLINOIS — Break out the sweaters and the pumpkin spice lattes: Fall is officially here in Illinois.

While the autumn equinox has come and gone, you still have plenty of time to enjoy a family outing to the pumpkin patch. Your window to catch the best views of fall foliage in Illinois, however, is growing smaller by the day.

As October gets under way, the leaves in some parts of Illinois are just days away from peak splendor, according to the 2021 Fall Foliage Prediction Map.

Here in Illinois, the leaves are just beginning to turn.

If you’re hoping to catch the best views of fall foliage in the Land of Lincoln, the week of Oct. 18 may be the perfect time for a road trip. That’s when fall foliage will be at or near peak throughout much of the state.

Northern Illinois will be at near-peak fall foliage the week of Oct. 11 and will be past its peak by the week of Oct. 25 — the same week Central and Southern Illinois will hit peak foliage.

In general, leaves are likely to peak later than usual this year because of prolonged drought conditions across a large swath of the United States. In affected states, leaves may turn from green to brown and skip the brilliant color wheel before “giving up” and falling to the ground.

RELATED: 2021 Fall Foliage Peak Map: When Leaves Are Best Across America

Curious when fall foliage peaks in your county or in other parts of the country?

To use the 2021 Fall Foliage Prediction Map, simply slide the scale to the right to see when leaves will peak in your state. Zero in on your county, and you'll be able to decide whether it's best to plan a northern, southern, eastern or western route.

Map via Smokymountains.com

If you’re not sure where to get the best views of the changing leaves in Illinois, here are some of the top places to consider:

• Starved Rock State Park in LaSalle County is renowned for its beauty, especially in the fall. It's even been named Conde Nast Traveler's Most Beautiful Place In Illinois and Thrillist's Best Illinois State Park. Currently, masks are required for all visitors to Starved Rock's Lodge, Cafe, Main Dining Doom, Back Door Lounge, Visitor’s Center and Trailheads Concessions.
• Morton Arboretum public garden and outdoor museum in Lisle. The arboretum requires timed entry, so go to the website to book your time slot.
• Matthiesen State Park, LaSalle County: When you're done exploring Starved Rock, head a few miles south to Matthiesen State Park, also located along State Route 178. Editor's note: As of Sept. 20, Matthiesen State Park remained closed due to storm damage.
• Mississippi Palisades State Park, Savanna: This scenic destination, just a three-hour drive from Chicago, was one of Patch readers' best family vacation destination picks in 2018 and offers boating, camping, fishing, hiking, geocaching and more, and has easy access for Mississippi River steamboat rides.
• Giant City State Park, Makanda: A shooting location for 2014's "Gone Girl" and another Best Family Vacation destination pick, this park close to Carbondale has hiking, fishing, boating and more.
• Pere Marquette State Park, Grafton: Located along the Mississippi River, this 8,000-acre state park is a "nature lover's paradise," and is "famous for the exceptional beauty of its fall colors and for its wintering bald eagles," according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.