Fall colors blanket the Wasatch Mountains near Park City. KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson expects Utah’s maples to peak in mid- to late September, followed by aspens in early to mid-October. Photo: Inhabit Park City

Maples are expected to peak by late September, with aspens following in early to mid-October despite a poor winter snowpack

PARK CITY, Utah — Fall may not be far away in the Wasatch Mountains.

KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson released his annual Utah mountain fall foliage forecast this week, predicting maples will once again lead the seasonal change, with peak color likely in mid- to late September. Aspens are expected to follow, reaching their brightest yellows in early to mid-October.

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For the Park City area, Johnson identified nearby Wasatch Mountain State Park and the hills around Midway among the places expected to turn first..

In his 2026 forecast, Johnson cautioned that this year’s colors could be uneven after Utah’s poor 2025-26 winter snowpack.

“Drought stress will cause some early color turn, dull pigments, and leaf-fall in areas,” Johnson wrote on Instagram. “But there will also be sections of vibrant color, especially at the highest elevations where soil moisture has been best.”

Johnson said he spoke with Darren McAvoy, a forestry and wildland resources specialist with Utah State University Extension, about what this year’s moisture conditions could mean for the foliage. USU lists McAvoy as a forestry and wildland resources specialist in its Wildland Resources Department.

Despite the weak winter snowpack, McAvoy told Johnson that many areas received helpful spring moisture. Combined with monsoon rainfall, that could lessen some effects of the dry winter, particularly in southern Utah.

Johnson’s list of areas likely to begin changing first includes Cascade Springs, the Midway hills, Wasatch Mountain State Park, Millcreek Canyon, Butterfield Canyon, Logan Canyon, Weber Canyon, Emigration Canyon, Provo Canyon and Spanish Fork Canyon.

The timing is not set in stone. Johnson said September weather can shift both the timing and intensity of the display.

Fall color is notoriously difficult to forecast because temperature, moisture, elevation, and individual tree conditions can all influence when leaves change. Warm September weather can delay color in some locations, while drought-stressed trees may turn or lose their leaves earlier.

For leaf peepers around Park City, Johnson’s forecast suggests the season could begin building within the next few weeks, first with reds and oranges among the maples before the higher-elevation aspen groves turn gold.

Johnson said he plans to post frequent updates as conditions become clearer and the strongest pockets of color emerge.

You can find his forecast and updates on Instagram at @ksl_matt.