Fall Colors in Arizona, and Where to Find Them. Fall is in the air! We love this time of year and, believe it or not, Arizona has many opportunities for enjoying the changing of colors, from early October even to late November/early December. It’s truly amazing how diverse our state is – not all cactus and tumbleweed, that’s for sure.
So, where to find these fall colors? We have a list of favorite spots below, updated and ready for 2023!
But first, here are three tips for making your fall experience more enjoyable:
- keep tabs on changing colors here. Generally, Flagstaff colors are at their peak the first and second week of October, and Sedona is the third week. Places like Ramsey Canyon in Southern AZ will peak in mid-November, while Boyce Thompson is the end of November.
- one of THE BEST ways to check the current colors is to find tagged photos at the location you’re eyeing. This is super easy on Instagram! Example: typing in “Aspen Nature Loop”, and then viewing by Most Recent will show that this trail has yellow tinges in the leaves. The peak is likely another 5ish day away. Or, if possible, call the location and ask about the current leaf conditions.
- plan for crowds. It’s just the way it is, especially on weekends. So go early if at all possible, go M-TH if possible, and just have patience.
- and while you’re out and about exploring, check out this great list of pumpkin patches across Arizona, or these two itineraries of our 2016 and 2018 Flagstaff fall adventures.
Our favorite fall spots in Arizona:
- Aspen Nature Loop, Flagstaff
- ride the gondola at the Snowbowl, Flagstaff
- Hart’s Prairie Preserve, Flagstaff
- Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona
- Crescent Moon Picnic Site, Sedona
- Hwy 89A between Sedona and Flagstaff
- Ride the Verde Canyon Railway
- Wet Beaver Creek, Rimrock
- Tonto National Bridge State Park,
- Potato Lake, Strawberry
- Horton Creek, Payson
- Hwy 260 around Pinetop-Lakeside
- Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Superior
- Drive up Mt. Lemmon, Tucson
- Madera Canyon, Tucson
- Ramsey Canyon, Sierra Vista
