Here Are The Best Times And Places To View Fall Foliage In Southern California

After a long, hot summer, we're more than ready for milder autumn weather. One bonus when the weather cools? Fall foliage, of course! The trick with fall foliage in SoCal is knowing when it will peak. The folks at SmokyMountains.com have created a Fall Foliage Prediction Map, which shows the foliage at its peak times across the country. Take a look at what they have to say about this year's fall foliage in Southern California:

Something we get asked time and time again here in Southern California is "Do the leaves change color in SoCal?" and "Is there fall foliage in SoCal?" and "When does fall happen in SoCal?" To all of these questions, the answer is, "YES!"

Each year, fall arrives in SoCal with a flourish, and it's so important to know when this seasonal sea change will occur because there are so many lovely fall drives and fall hikes in SoCal that let you really savor this special time!

The Fall Foliage Prediction Map has a slider bar underneath that allows you to see how Southern California's leaves will change throughout the autumn months.

By the beginning of October, the leaves will just be starting to turn here in our corner of the country. Expect to see some light color here and there as the month progresses.

By mid October, the leaves will be, for the most part, in some process of changing in Southern California. October 24 is peak fall foliage for much of the SoCal region, with some outliers peaking the following week.

In other words, by Halloween, SoCal will have experienced peak fall foliage this year, and the leaves will be in the process of falling!

For great fall foliage, make plans to visit places with plenty of maples and aspens, like Big Bear Lake, shown here.

We also love Lake Tahoe, Lake Gregory, and Jackson Lake. Really, any of our lovely lakes here in SoCal are extra sublime when surrounded by fall colors!

Where is your favorite spot in Southern California for leaf peeping? Give our readers some tips in the comments below!

Looking for more ways to enjoy fall foliage in SoCal? Here are some of our favorite fall day trips in Southern California!