Here Are the Best Times and Places to View Ohio’s Fall Foliage in 2025

While there's much to love about summer in Ohio, fall is a special time of year in the Buckeye State. As August turns to September and September tumbles into October, Ohioans are treated to not only cobalt blue skies and crisp temps, but also a kaleidoscope of fall foliage and color. In my corner of the Buckeye State, there are tons of mature trees and I love tracking their shift from verdant green to golden yellow, pumpkin orange, and crimson red on my daily walks with the dog.

Are you wondering, When do the leaves change color in Ohio? You're in luck! Our friends at Smoky Mountains have released their annual Fall Foliage Prediction Map for the U.S. Here's when you can expect the leaves to change and "peak" fall foliage to happen in Ohio:

As the long, lazy days of summer begin to wane and kids return to school, most Ohioans are all too happy to turn their attention to fall. Fall in Ohio is a wonderful time of year, and if you're wondering when do the leaves change color in 2025, read on!

The folks at Smoky Mountains just released their 2025 Fall Foliage Map, and it's an easy and reliable way to determine when the leaves will change near you. By sliding the bar beneath the map to the right, you can see how the colors change across the US each week. On a micro level, you can even zoom in on your exact county!

For 2025, the fall foliage forecast for the U.S. is a bit wild. Some regions will peak by the beginning of October, while other parts of the country won't show any changes until October... and then once the leaves begin to change, things escalate quickly!

So... the million dollar question: When do the leaves change in Ohio? According to the Smoky Mountains map, the first three weeks of October are when the magic happens.

Just as in years past, the northeast corner of Ohio (hi there, Cuyahoga Valley National Park!) will change first. In this region, the leaves will start changing color as early as the second week of September, peaking in early to mid-October.

Ohio Amish Country and the north-central swath of the state will quickly follow suit, with some counties possibly experiencing "peak" fall foliage concurrently with those in the far northeast.

As for the southern "band" of the Buckeye State, expect a significantly later fall foliage bloom. Leaves will remain largely unchanged through the end of September; the four weeks of October should put on quite a colorful show, though!

Now's the time to start planning your next big fall road trip—there are so many beautiful byways and scenic routes in Ohio that offer amazing dashboard views of the changing leaves and foliage.

If you're feeling inspired, try planning your own leaf peeping adventure in the Buckeye State using Only In Your State’s itinerary planner and the 2025 fall foliage prediction map from SmokyMountains.com.