Maryland Fall Foliage Report – September 24, 2026

Maryland Fall Foliage Report – September 24, 2026

The big show-stopper this week is wildflowers. Look for colorful displays of aster and goldenrod this time of year – like this gorgeous spectrum of purple New England aster by the fire danger sign in Washington County.

Fall officially began Tuesday night with chilly temperatures to match. Leaves throughout Maryland remain green with hints of change and emerging colors in parts of the state.

The fall foliage outlook for 2026 is expected to be average across the State of Maryland, according to Southern Region Regional Forester Mark Muir. It will begin first in the westernmost part of the state and progress across the state to the Eastern Shore and southern Maryland. 

“Weather has the biggest effect on foliage color and timing. Temperatures have been warmer than average this year with little rainfall in the summer months, and near normal or above rainfall in the spring and end of summer,” Muir said. “Temperature effects when the leaves begin to change, with a warmer than average start to fall which will push the timing of peak colors back slightly.”

The dryer months can create stress on trees, leading to muted or duller colors and earlier leaf drop. To achieve the best colors the ideal weather conditions are normal rainfall and periodic cold fronts. The chilly fall nights trigger deep color transitions and slow color change rather than a sudden uniform peak.

From now into November, Department of Natural Resources staff will provide weekly fall foliage reports to keep the public updated on Maryland’s autumn scene – both the changing colors in each region and fall festivities throughout the state.

Foliage Reports

Western Region

Changing foliage along Meadow Mountain. Photo by Melissa Nash.

Forester Melissa Nash, Garrett County

Not much happening yet, but with cooler temperatures and some moisture in the forecast for the next week, I expect things to start changing very soon. Also keep an eye out for fall wildflowers. Several species of asters can be found in Maryland and are important late season food for pollinators. They add pops of white and purple to the fall scene.

Forester Aaron Cook, Washington County

Warm season grass flowers, like this yellow prairie grass, are some of our most unheralded fall bloomers.

Trees remain rather green.  A few hints of color have appeared in individual blackgum and black walnut trees. The fall wildflowers are full of wonderful color. 

Goldenrod and aster are in full bloom, supporting local pollinators while carrying out their seasonal show of color.  Cooler temperatures and some much needed precipitation this week should begin to nudge trees to begin changing into their fall colors.

Watershed Forester Bob Schwartz, Washington County

Goldenrod with black walnut showing some color in background

The last of our summer blooming wildflowers are out, heralding the end of summer and the start of autumn. Meanwhile, fall bloomers like asters or goldenrods are starting and warm-season grass blooms are adding an ethereal quality to the landscape. Many asters, like New England aster, have a range of bloom colors that vary based on their genetics. When you collect and sow diverse seed, or purchase quality seed from a conservation seed company, you will get inherently diverse plants as a result. While it can seem as inconsequential (though magical) as causing plants to have differing fall colors, that genetic diversity also makes them more able to adapt to climate change over time, as well. 

Forester Dakota Durcho, Frederick County (Gambrill State Park)

So far there hasn’t been much color change, with most trees remaining green. The few species that have begun to change are the blackgum, black walnut, and flowering dogwoods. As temperatures continue to drop, we should start to see more trees begin to transition and change over the next few weeks.

Central Region

Ranger Lesley Leader, Cecil County

A silo barn at Fair Hill NRMA with black walnuts nearby.

Still very green here, with some color showing in the sycamores and dogwoods, while the walnuts have started to drop their leaves and look rather spindly. The purple top grasses lend a wonderful misty quality to the hills at Fair Hill NRMA.

Eastern Region

Forester Rachel Egolf, Somerset County

Somerset County leaves are still green and soaking up as much moisture as they can after the dry summer. The nor’easter this week has brought more rain our way and blown a few of fall’s first leaves on the roads and trails. 

The walnuts are always the first to show fruit peaking out from under yellowing leaves.  Blackgums have a bit of red leaves here and there.  A few yellow sweetgum leaves have started falling. 

Ranger Joanna Trojanowski, Dorchester County (Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park)

Overall foliage is still very green with small color changes for individual trees here and there. 

Forester Ian McGovern, Worcester County

Changing blackgum leaves.

It is still very much green here in Worcester County this time of year, with only a few hints of color appearing on a select few Sweetgums and Blackgums. The true fall splendor of rusty cypress trees and red gum leaves are still a few weeks away on the Pocomoke. And hopefully our Loblolly Pines in the less swampy areas will be staying green for the foreseeable future. 

Squirrel-Coded: Collect Seeds for State Nursery

The John S. Ayton State Tree Nursery in Preston is looking for help! The facility grows 3 million bare root trees annually. Seedlings support the state’s 5 Million Tree Program.   

You can get involved right from your backyard by helping us collect seeds! By contributing seeds you are saving the Maryland Forest Service time and money. See below for a list of our target species and minimum collection amounts, as well as contacts for your local donation site – please call ahead to arrange drop-off. 

There is no need to process your seeds by removing the pulp – we will handle that!

Wondering where to start? Check out a great booklet detailing our top species, available online. 

Looking to volunteer at the nursery? We are just starting to collect hazelnut and indigo bush, with other species soon to follow. We also need help with our annual tree inventory, with weeding, and with watering baby trees during times of drought. If you are local or would like to visit our site in Caroline County, please reach out to Haley Rhodes directly at [email protected] 

Local contacts:

Theodore Hoxie: Garrett and Allegany
[email protected]
301-707-9913

Anna Twigg: Western
[email protected]
240-910-6740 

Dylan Orr: Howard, Montgomery, and Carroll
[email protected]
240-791-0559

Kaitlyn Paulchell: Baltimore, Harford, and Cecil
[email protected]
443-221-9979

Alfred Bascom: Southern
[email protected]
443-758-7775

Delaney Curran: Frederick, Washington
[email protected]
443-758-3231

Greg Geesaman (Lower Shore)
[email protected]
443.924.4084

Shaun Creasey (Upper Shore)
[email protected]
(443) 205-3132 

Francis Smith (for seed questions)
[email protected]
(410) 260-8516

Happenings

Helmets and Harvest

Check out the Helmets and Harvest AgriTrail, which celebrates our states bike trails and agritourism businesses! Pick a region to explore, then check in at designated bike paths and businesses to earn points toward autumnal swag – 10 points for a sticker, 15 points for a water bottle, and 20 points for a knit beanie!

More information and links to sign up are available on the Maryland’s Best website. 

Full Moon Hike at New Germany State Park

Sept. 25 at 8 p.m. at the Lake House 

403 McAndrews Hill Road, Grantsville

Embrace the beauty of the forest under a full moon on this 1-mile hike with Ranger Noah. This “Harvest Moon” will be the first full moon of autumn. Please bring a flashlight or headlamp.

Fall Festival at Friends Store

Sang Run State Park 

Sept. 26 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Pumpkins to harvest and carve, scarecrow making, apple pressing, Hayrides, dutch oven cooking and much much more. Find more information on the Friends of Deep Creek Lake Discovery Center website. 

National Public Lands Day 

Sept. 26 from 9-11 a.m.
Tuckahoe State Park
13187 Crouse Mill Road, Queen Anne

Give back by providing care to the tree tubes around our young saplings, then unwind with a guided aviary tour.  Bring gloves, sunscreen, bug spray, water and sturdy shoes. Aviary tour begins at noon at 12282 Eveland Road in Ridgely. For more information contact Ranger Robbie at [email protected]. 

Celestial Report

Moonrise. Series of photos by Anthony Burrows.

The full Moon is on September 26. It will rise at 6:45 p.m. September’s full moon has many names, both contemporary and older, and often they center around the harvest of crops. The name Corn Moon was recorded in 1722 as used by native peoples of Virginia, although it is unclear whether this is meant to be August or September. 

In contemporary times, the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox is known as the Harvest Moon.