Discover nature this season with help from MDC’s fall color report

by Jill Pritchard, Missouri Department of Conservation 


Temperatures are cooling down and trees are beginning to change color – a sure sign fall has arrived. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages the public to enjoy fall foliage through camping, driving tours, hiking, or even floating. To help, MDC offers weekly online fall color updates from agency foresters all over the state at mdc.mo.gov/fallcolor.

“Our fall color reports are a convenient resource for the public,” said MDC Forestry Field Programs Supervisor Russell Hinnah. “The reports begin in mid-September and are updated weekly. They show users where trees are beginning to turn and also suggest best places to see the changing leaves.”

Predicting the peak of fall color can be difficult, but much depends on the weather. 

“Much of the state is still very dry and we are also still feeling the effects of last year’s drought,” noted Hinnah. “With this pattern we could see an earlier fall with less color. It’s also possible some trees may shut down earlier with no color at all.”

Chilly, fall evenings are critical for leaves to change color. 

“Sugars produced by photosynthesis are trapped inside leaves by the cool autumn nights,” Hinnah explained. “Those sugars are the building blocks for the rich red, yellow, orange, and purple pigments. Cooler temperatures cause the breakdown of green pigments in leaves, allowing fall colors to show.”

Missouri trees first begin changing color in the northern part of the state, then move southward. Sassafras, sumac, and Virginia creeper are some of the earliest to change in mid-September. In late September, black gum, bittersweet, and dogwood are turning. The peak of fall color usually hits around mid-October.

“Trees like maple, ash, oak, and hickory are at the peak of their fall display by the middle of October,” Hinnah noted. “Normally by the end of the month, colors are fading and leaves are falling.”

Missouri’s fall color can be enjoyed from almost anywhere. For spectacular vistas, choose routes along rivers with views of forested bluffs, and along ridges with sweeping scenes of forested landscapes.

“MDC conservation areas or Missouri state parks are wonderful places to take in the fall color,” suggested Hinnah.

And fall color isn’t just limited to trees. Prairies and roadsides display beautiful shades of gold, purple, olive, and auburn with autumn wildflowers, shrubs, and grasses. In cities and towns, enjoy places with mature trees such as older neighborhoods, parks, and even cemeteries.

MDC provides its annual fall color update at mdc.mo.gov/fallcolor. The weekly reports include what species of trees are turning and suggestions on best places to see them. The updates run September through November.
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Enjoy the colors of fall, including this sunrise view over the lower Ozarks, through MDC's fall color updates. Photo credit: MDC