Experience Fall in Arkansas With Peak Foliage Times & Scenic Routes

Fall is here and temperatures are starting to cool down a bit. One of the best parts of Autumn is seeing the leaves turn all those beautiful colors. Shades of red, yellow, and orange make for an amazing sight, especially in Arkansas.

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When Will The Leaves Start to Change Color?

The best time to catch Arkansas’ fall colors is during peak foliage season. In the northern half of the state, peak color typically arrives in late October or early November. By mid-November, the brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows reach their peak across southern Arkansas.

READ MORE: 2026–2027 Winter Weather Predictions for Arkansas

Here is a link to a great interactive tool from explorefall.com that takes a look at Arkansas and will show you when to think about planning a road trip to see the fall colors at their peak at explorefall.com/states/arkansas

Where and How to See the Fall Foliage in Arkansas

There are so many great ways to experience the beautiful colors of fall. One way is to visit an Arkansas State Park and walk some trails; the other is to plan a scenic day trip or a weekend road trip on one of these scenic routes below.

1. Boston Mountains Scenic Loop: Ozarks - From the Fayetteville area down to around Fort Smith
2. Pig Trail Scenic Byway: Ozarks - In the Arkansas Ozark Mountains
3. Scenic 7 Byway: Ozarks to Timberlands - Going through Hot Springs National Park.
4. Mount Magazine Scenic Byway: River Valley - Going over Mount Magazine and into the Mount Magazine State Park.
5. Talimena National Scenic Byway: Ouachitas -  Runs from Mena, Arkansas, to Talihina, Oklahoma. This is a popular drive for motorcycles.
6. Crowley's Ridge Parkway National Scenic Byway: Delta. Runs from Helena-West Helena to Piggott
7. Great River Road National Scenic Byway: Delta. This one runs from Greenville to Blytheville.