Fall in Utah: When will the leaves change? – Deseret News

Fall has officially started and in Utah, leaves are starting to change colors. But what's the best time to see the falls leaves at their best colors?

Leaves have started to turn shades of orange, yellow and red in some parts of the state, per Fox13 .

According to ABC4 , leaves get their colors as trees start to become dormant for the winter. As this happens trees reduce the production of chlorophyll, the chemical that gives leaves their green hue.

The slowing of the chlorophyll production causes the "true color" of the leaves to show.

Smoky Mountains released Fall Foliage Prediction Map for 2024, which shows when the leaves will start to change colors and when the colors will peak.

"While no tool can be 100% accurate, this tool is meant to help travelers better time their trips to have the best opportunity of catching peak color each year," according to Smoky Mountains.

The map defines seven different stages of leaves changing colors: no change, minimal, patchy, partial, near peak, peak and past peak. According to the map, leaves will be at peak color for about a week in each area.

According to the prediction map here is when you can see the best fall colors in different areas around Utah.

Wasatch Front According to Smoky Mountains , Utah, Salt Lake, Weber, Davis and Morgan counties should be near peak by Sept. 30 and will reach peak colors by Oct. 7.

By Oct. 14, these five counties will be past the peak.

Northern Utah Cache County is expected to be near peak by Oct. 14 and at peak color by Oct. 21. The county should be past peak by Oct. 28.

Tooele and Box Elder Counties should reach peak by Oct. 14 and be past peak by Oct. 21.

Rich County should reach peak by Oct. 28 and by Nov. 4 it is predicted to be past peak.

Eastern Utah Wasatch, Duchesne, Uintah and Daggett counties are expected be near peak by Oct. 21, reaching peak color by Oct. 28 and should be past peak by Nov. 4.

Carbon County is predicted to reach peak by Oct. 7 and will be passed peak by Oct. 14.

Emery and Wayne counties are predicted to reach peak by Oct. 28 and to be past peak by Nov. 4.

Southern Utah Southern Utah, including Washington, Iron, San Juan and Garfield counties, among others are expected to reach peak by Nov. 4.