🍂 Best places + months to photograph fall foliage

Autumn color peaks at different times across temperate deciduous belts. Ranked by climate fit and known foliage destinations.

📍 Top 12 ranked destinations

Each card links to that city's detail page for the peak month — climate, sun times, golden-hour windows.

📷 Gear

• Polarizer is essential — deepens reds + cuts sky glare
• 70-200mm telephoto compresses layered foliage beautifully
• Tripod for golden-hour shots
• ND filter for long-exposure waterfall + foliage combos

💡 Pro tips

Peak foliage moves north-to-south in autumn and high-to-low elevation. New England peaks early October; Pacific NW + UK in late October; Japan's koyo runs late October to mid-November. Overcast days saturate colors more than direct sun.

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