GLASGOW, Ky. — The first signs of fall are coming, but Kentucky still has some time before the state reaches its peak display of red, orange and yellow leaves.

The best fall color typically arrives in Kentucky during October, with the timing moving from east to west. The Kentucky Department of Tourism says leaves can begin changing in September in eastern Kentucky before the color progresses westward through October and into early November.

For South Central Kentucky, the timing can vary from year to year and from one location to another.

The National Park Service says the annual color display at Mammoth Cave National Park usually does not begin until late October. The park’s forests, rolling hills and cliffsides offer views of the changing canopy.

Not every tree, or every part of the region, will change at the same time.

Kentucky has about 12 million acres of forest, covering roughly 47% of the state. About 175 tree species grow wild here, producing colors ranging from yellow and gold to orange and red.

What about 2026?

There is no single date that can reliably predict the peak of fall color across South Central Kentucky.

Explore Fall, which provides location-specific foliage forecasts, currently predicts peak color around Nov. 9 in Glasgow, with a peak window of Nov. 6–12. It forecasts the first true fall colors around Oct. 11.

That forecast is an estimate and can change as the season progresses.

Weather plays an important role in when leaves change and how long the colors last. Recent temperatures have been unusually warm across the region.

University of Kentucky weather data for the week ending Sept. 19 shows the Glasgow station recorded an average temperature of 81 degrees, 11 degrees above normal. Bowling Green averaged 82 degrees, or 14 degrees above normal.

Those temperatures do not determine when peak color will arrive, but they are among the conditions that can affect the timing of the seasonal change.

Historically, University of Kentucky has identified the second and third weeks of October as a typical peak period for much of the state, while noting that timing varies.

Where to watch the leaves

Mammoth Cave National Park is one of the region’s most accessible places to see fall color.

The National Park Service recommends several areas for viewing the changing leaves, including ridge-top hikes such as the trail to Sunset Point and scenic drives through the park.

The color show also will spread across the region’s forests, parks, lake areas and rural roads as the season progresses.

Because different trees change at different times, fall color is more of a season-long progression than a single peak day.

Why do leaves change?

Leaves change color as trees prepare for winter.

During the warmer months, leaves contain chlorophyll, a green pigment that helps trees turn sunlight into energy. As days get shorter and temperatures cool in the fall, trees begin to slow down their production of chlorophyll.

As the green fades, other pigments that were already present in the leaves become easier to see. Yellow and orange colors come from pigments called carotenoids.

Red and purple colors are produced by anthocyanins, which can form in some leaves during the fall.

Weather also affects the timing and brightness of fall color. Sunny days, cool nights and adequate moisture can help produce brighter colors, while drought, extreme heat or an early freeze can change the process.

That is why fall color does not arrive across Kentucky all at once, and why the timing can vary from year to year.

The bottom line

October is the month to watch for fall color in South Central Kentucky, but the exact timing can vary.

The current Explore Fall forecast puts peak color around Nov. 9 in Glasgow, while Kentucky’s broader historical patterns have often placed peak color earlier in October.

Weather conditions over the next several weeks will help determine when this year’s colors arrive and how long they last.