PickEasy
Red, orange and gold hardwood hills seen from a rock lookout on Algonquin's Centennial Ridges TrailPhoto: QuantumWasp · CC BY-SA 4.0

Fall colours

Where to see fall colours in Canada

The places in Canada to see maple leaves turn, the weeks they peak, and the golden larches the Rockies have instead. Every line links to its source.

Maples in the East

Sugar maple grows wild in southern Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes, and turns yellow, bright orange or bright red in the fall. Source ↗

  1. Ontario

    Algonquin Provincial Park

    Why here
    The park's west side, Highway 60 included, is dominated by maples. Source ↗
    On average the sugar maple canopy there peaks on September 27; the earliest peak on record was September 15, the latest October 9. Source ↗
    Best weeks
    Mid-September to mid-October Source ↗
    Tip
    Book the Highway 60 Corridor daily vehicle permit, up to five days ahead, so you are not turned away when the park is full. Source ↗
    Open More of Ontario →Ontario Parks: Algonquin ↗

  2. Ontario

    Agawa Canyon Tour Train

    Why here
    From mid-September the hardwood forests of Algoma turn red and orange against the evergreens. Source ↗
    The train leaves Sault Ste. Marie daily and runs 114 miles into the wilderness; Lawren Harris of the Group of Seven had a boxcar fitted out to paint along the line. Source ↗
    Best weeks
    Late September to early October Source ↗
    Tip
    Tickets sell out quickly in colour season, so book well ahead; parking at the Sault Ste. Marie station is free. Source ↗
    Open More of Ontario →Agawa Canyon Tour Train ↗

  3. Ontario

    Killarney Provincial Park

    Provincial park

    Why here
    White quartzite ridges of the La Cloche Mountains and over 50 clear lakes, the country that drew A.Y. Jackson, Franklin Carmichael and A.J. Casson. Source ↗
    Towering yellow birch and sugar maples colour the forest on the Lake of the Woods Trail. Source ↗
    Best weeks
    Late September and early October Source ↗
    Tip
    Trailhead parking fills on weekends, The Crack's lot first; come on a weekday while the colours peak. Source ↗
    Open the pick →

  4. Ontario

    Muskoka

    Why here
    Muskoka is known for its fall colours; a fall cruise on the Muskoka Lakes shows them from the water. Source ↗
    You can also see them from the Wenonah II steamship on Lake Muskoka, or from the air. Source ↗
    Best weeks
    Maples around October 4 to 8, then a golden encore to about October 18, going by past years Source ↗
    Tip
    For the Dorset Lookout Tower, buy tickets in advance; parking fees apply. Source ↗
    Open More of Ontario →Discover Muskoka ↗

  8. Charlevoix, Quebec

    Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie

    Why here
    Some of the highest cliffs east of the Rockies line the river. Source ↗
    L'Érablière trail passes the Cran des Érables, at its most colourful in the fall. Source ↗
    Best weeks
    Charlevoix peak: second week of October Source ↗
    Tip
    The Acropole-des-Draveurs trail is open only until Thanksgiving in mid-October, and the summit is generally 5 to 10°C colder. Source ↗
    Open More of Québec →Sépaq: Hautes-Gorges ↗

  9. Nova Scotia

    Cabot Trail

    Why here
    Nova Scotia's classic fall drive: red maples, golden birches and evergreens above the coast at nearly every turn. Source ↗
    A third of the trail runs through Cape Breton Highlands National Park, past 350-year-old sugar maples at Lone Shieling. Source ↗
    Best weeks
    Early to mid-October Source ↗
    Tip
    Book a room early for peak colour or the Celtic Colours festival: rooms run short. Source ↗
    Open More of Nova Scotia →Parks Canada: Cape Breton Highlands ↗

  11. New Brunswick

    Fundy National Park

    National park

    Why here
    Its Acadian forest mixes red spruce and fir with yellow birch, white birch and maples. Source ↗
    The Bennett Brook Trail runs through hardwoods that turn every shade of yellow, red and orange. Source ↗
    Best weeks
    Mid-September to mid-October, when the maples are brightest Source ↗
    Tip
    Head down into Point Wolfe Gorge for red maples and yellow birches around Bennett Brook Falls. Source ↗
    Open the pick →

Golden larches in the West

In the Rockies the gold comes from larches: conifers whose soft needles turn yellow in the autumn and drop before winter. Source ↗

  1. Banff National Park, Alberta

    Larch Valley

    Moraine Lake · Viewpoint

    Why here
    Travel Alberta calls it ground zero for larch viewing in the province. Source ↗
    Above Moraine Lake, a whole forest of larches fills the valley. Source ↗
    Best weeks
    Mid-September to early October, depending on the weather Source ↗
    Tip
    Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles; reserve a Parks Canada shuttle, which runs to mid-October, weather permitting. Source ↗
    Open the pick →

  2. Alberta

    Kananaskis Country

    Why here
    Most of the popular larch hikes in Alberta Parks are here: Chester Lake, Centennial Ridge, Mt Lorette Ponds, Prairie View and Buller Pass. Source ↗
    Ptarmigan Cirque, a 3.5 km loop from Highwood Pass, climbs through swaths of larch. Source ↗
    Best weeks
    Mid-September to early October, varying year to year Source ↗
    Tip
    Vehicles parked at provincial park and public land sites in Kananaskis need a Conservation Pass. Source ↗
    Open More of Alberta →Alberta Parks: Kananaskis ↗

  3. Yoho National Park, British Columbia

    Lake O'Hara

    Yoho National Park · National park

    Why here
    The Lake McArthur circuit climbs through larch forest toward the Big Larch Trail. Source ↗
    Opabin Plateau is a hanging valley above the lake. Source ↗
    Best weeks
    Prime hiking runs July to late September; the shuttle stops in early October Source ↗
    Tip
    Day-use shuttle seats go by random draw; otherwise it is a 22 km return walk up the road, where cycling is not allowed. Source ↗
    Open the pick →

Tips for leaf season

  • Check the colour reportOntario Parks outlines in red the parks approaching or at peak on its fall colour map. Source ↗
  • Quebec's colour mapBonjour Québec's interactive fall colours map is updated weekly from September. Source ↗
  • Wind and rain end it earlyHow long the leaves last depends on the weather: heavy wind and rain bring them down faster. Source ↗
  • Book your park permitDaily vehicle permits for most Ontario parks can be bought up to five days ahead, which guarantees you a spot. Source ↗
  • Maples first, then goldIn Algonquin the maples go first; a mid to late October visit catches the tamaracks at their yellow peak. Source ↗
  • Go on a weekdayFall weekends are always busier, and late morning to mid-afternoon is the busiest time of day. Source ↗
  • Warm days, cool nightsThe brightest colours follow warm, sunny days and cool nights; long cloud or extreme temperatures dull them and bring leaves down early. Source ↗
  • Why maples go redAs the green chlorophyll breaks down, anthocyanins show red and carotenoids orange and yellow. Source ↗

Sources