Greetings, leaf peepers! You’ve come to the right place for Oregon fall foliage updates. September is here, the air is a bit cooler, and there’s just a faint hint of yellow and red dotting trees along the Willamette Valley.
Our fall foliage hotline has been ringing off the hook, so we know you’re looking forward to the season as much as we are. The variety of factors involved make predictions difficult, but here’s a roundup of what we usually see around the state, based on past experience:
-In the Willamette Valley the peak color change often happens during the third week in October.
-The higher you go in the Cascade Mountains the earlier the color change. Road passes often peak 10 days to two weeks earlier than the lower elevations.
-The earliest fall color display happens in the Wallowa Mountains and northeast region of Oregon, peaking the first part of October
So what’s happening now? Our friends at Mount Pisgah Arboretum shared some photos and observations with us this morning. While we’ve heard murmurings that the foliage season may be delayed a bit due to a cool, rainy beginning to summer, the ash and maple trees are already starting to show some yellow.
This is also the time of year that poison oak starts to show its beautiful pink-to-crimson spectrum, making it easier for hikers to spot along trails.
All photos courtesy Katura Reynolds, Mount Pisgah Arboretum
We’ll have our first statewide foliage update later this week, so stay tuned to find out where you can find the first fall color around the state. As you’re discovering beautiful foliage, post your observations in the comment section, and share your fall photos with us on Flickr. Here’s to a great season!
