Fall Foliage 2017: The Best Time To See Leaves Change In Your State

Watching the leaves change color is one of the best ways to enjoy fall. It's a fall activity right up there with apple picking, pumpkin carving and Thanksgiving feasting. But if you don't plan ahead and know the peak times to see the best fall colors, you could miss out.

Depending on the state, green leaves transform into a stunning explosion of crimson, orange, gold and even purple in certain places. By taking a quick road trip in your favorite state, or maybe just around the corner, you can enjoy it all, free of charge.

Watch: 8 Popular Fall Vacation Destinations

So when is the best time to catch the fall foliage in your area?

Every region differs when it comes to prime leaf-changing times. Plus, some areas have super short foliage seasons, leaving you with just a week or so to take in all the natural splendor.

In other words, if you want to ensure you catch the gorgeous leaves before they fall, you need to make a game plan. Luckily, TripSavvy rounded up the best times to catch the best foliage in every state, as well as which colors you can expect to see, all of which you can find below.

Note: This interactive fall foliage prediction map is another fun way to see what leafy changes are happening in your state and when. But be warned — it's pretty addicting.

Alabama

Peak foliage time: starting early October in the North Alabama mountain region and continuing throughout the state through early November.

Colors you can expect: golds, oranges and reds

Alaska

Peak foliage time: a short span of just a few weeks with colors changing every day

Colors you can expect: a changing range of reds and oranges

Arizona

Peak foliage time: early to mid-October for Northern Arizona; late September to late October in the Sonoran Desert

Colors you can expect: yellows and reds

Arkansas

Peak foliage time: the last few days of October and the first few days of November

Colors you can expect: golds, oranges, reds and purples

California

Peak foliage time: mid-to late October starting from the state's higher elevations and spreading downward to its foothills and coast

Colors you can expect: golds and reds

Colorado

Peak foliage time: September is the best month, with prime foliage times shifting from region to region, lasting only about a week in each place

Colors you can expect: yellows and golds

Connecticut

Peak foliage time: from mid-to-late September through mid-to-late October

Colors you can expect: yellows, oranges and reds

Delaware

Peak foliage time: from mid-October to early November for best color intensity

Colors you can expect: reds and golds

Florida

Peak foliage time: later in the season beginning early November

Colors you can expect: Yellows and reds

Georgia

Peak foliage time: early to mid-October

Colors you can expect: oranges, reds, yellows and golds

Hawaii

Peak foliage time: seasonal changes are way more subtle than they are in the mainland U.S., but you can glimpse new colors as plants like the African tulip, chorisia speciosa, timor, royal poinciana and rainbow shower start to bloom

Colors you can expect: varies, but different than your typical "fall" hues

Idaho

Peak foliage time: early October in northern, central and eastern Idaho; mid-October in Southern Idaho

Colors you can expect: reds, oranges and golds

Illinois

Peak foliage time: mid-October in northern and central Illinois; late October to early November for Southern Illinois

Colors you can expect: yellows and reds

Indiana

Peak foliage time: early to mid-October in Northern Indiana; mid-to late October in the southern part of the state

Colors you can expect: golds, oranges and reds

Iowa

Peak foliage time: the weekend closest to Oct. 10 in northeast Iowa and later in southern Iowa

Colors you can expect: yellows and reds

Kansas

Peak foliage time: early to mid-October in northern Kansas; mid-to-late October in southern Kansas

Colors you can expect: reds and oranges

Kentucky

Peak foliage time: late October to early November

Colors you can expect: yellows, oranges and reds

Louisiana

Peak foliage time: early November

Colors you can expect: reds and browns

Maine

Peak foliage time: early October in the western mountain areas; mid-October in southern Maine and the state's coastal areas

Colors you can expect: reds, purples and yellow

Maryland

Peak foliage time: late October and early November in southern and central Maryland; parks around Garrett County are also great during early October

Colors you can expect: yellows and reds

Massachusetts

Peak foliage time: the first week of October in western and southeastern regions; mid-October for the central area of the state; end of October in eastern Massachusetts

Colors you can expect: oranges, yellows and greens

Michigan

Peak foliage time: mid-September to early October in the far western quarter of the Michigan upper peninsula; late September to mid-October in all other upper peninsula regions; late September to late October in the lower peninsula

Colors you can expect: reds and oranges

Minnesota

Peak foliage time: mid-September to early October in the northern third of the state, late September and early October in the central third and late September to mid-October in southern Minnesota; the North Shore of Lake Superior peaks about one week later than inland areas

Colors you can expect: reds and oranges

Mississippi

Peak foliage time: late October to early November

Colors you can expect: yellows and golds

Missouri

Peak foliage time: late September through mid-October, starting in northern Missouri and traveling south to the Ozark Mountains

Colors you can expect: oranges, yellows, reds and purples

Montana

Peak foliage time: late September to early October in central Montana; early to mid-October in western Montana

Colors you can expect: yellows and golds

Watch: 6 Reasons We Can't Wait For Fall

Nebraska

Peak foliage time: early to mid-October

Colors you can expect: oranges, reds and yellows

Nevada

Peak foliage time: mid-to-late October

Colors you can expect: oranges, yellows, golds and reds

New Hampshire

Peak foliage time: end of September in the far north, early October in the White Mountain region and the mid-October in the south

Colors you can expect: yellows and reds

New Jersey

Peak foliage time: mid-to-late October inland; late October to early November along the coast

Colors you can expect: yellows and reds

New Mexico

Peak foliage time: early to mid-October at higher elevations; mid-October to early November at lower elevations

Colors you can expect: yellows and oranges

New York

Peak foliage time: the last few days of September through the end of October; for the best foliage viewing, visit the Adirondacks and Catskills

Colors you can expect: reds, oranges and yellows

North Carolina

Peak foliage time: mid-to-late October for inland regions; late October to early November along coastal regions

Colors you can expect: reds and oranges

North Dakota

Peak foliage time: early to mid-October

Colors you can expect: greens, golds, rust and browns

Ohio

Peak foliage time: the second and third weeks in October for most of the state, and later in October for Ohio's most southern regions

Colors you can expect: yellows and oranges

Oklahoma

Peak foliage time: late October through early November

Colors you can expect: golds, crimson and yellows

Oregon

Peak foliage time: mid-to-late October

Colors you can expect: yellows and reds

Pennsylvania

Peak foliage time: early October for the northern region of the state; mid-October in central Pennsylvania; last two weeks of October in the southeast

Colors you can expect: reds, oranges and yellows

Rhode Island

Peak foliage time: mid-to-late October

Colors you can expect: reds and oranges

South Carolina

Peak foliage time: late October to early November

Colors you can expect: yellows and oranges

South Dakota

Peak foliage time: early to mid-October

Colors you can expect: crimson, golds, oranges and burgundy

Tennessee

Peak foliage time: the northeastern mountain regions peak in the last two weeks of October; the rest of the state peaks from mid-October to late November

Colors you can expect: reds and yellows

Texas

Peak foliage time: the month of October, particularly mid-to-late October

Colors you can expect: reds and yellows

Utah

Peak foliage time: early September at higher, northern mountain areas and through November in southern regions

Colors you can expect: yellows and reds

Vermont

Peak foliage time: the last week of September and early October in northern Vermont; early to mid-October in southern Vermont

Colors you can expect: oranges, purples and reds

Virginia

Peak foliage time: inland Virginia reaches peak foliage from mid-to-late October inland; late October to early November along the coast

Colors you can expect: yellows, oranges, purples and reds

Washington

Peak foliage time: mid-September through mid-October

Colors you can expect: yellows and reds

West Virginia

Peak foliage time: late September through late October

Colors you can expect: oranges, yellows and reds

Wisconsin

Peak foliage time: early to mid-October

Colors you can expect: oranges and yellows

Wyoming

Peak foliage time: early to mid-October

Colors you can expect: yellows and reds

Photo: Pixabay