City Cast

Where to Peep Leaves in Illinois

Sidney Madden
Sidney Madden
Posted on September 28
Official Illinois Fall Colors Trip Planner

Official Illinois Fall Colors Trip Planner (Courtesy of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources)

October is peak fall foliage season in Illinois, which is why we're helping you plan your trips to take in all the crisp autumn colors. Let’s go leaf-peeping 🍂

Use Illinois’ Fall Colors Trip Planner

The online tool helps residents see when and where leaves are changing. Fall foliage is expected to peak by the second week of October in Northern Illinois and by the end of October in Central and Southern Illinois.

Morton Arboretum in Lisle in fall 2012

Morton Arboretum in Lisle in fall 2012. (Raymond Boyd / Michael Ochs Archives / Getty)

Where to See Changing Leaves in Illinois

Planning a Trip Outside the State?

Check out this U.S. fall foliage prediction map. Score other leaf-peeping tips from our colleagues in Madison, Pittsburgh, Philly, D.C., Salt Lake, Denver, and Boise.

📸 Tag @citycastchicago in your leaf-peeping pics on Instagram!

Hey Chicago

Want to know what's happening in Chicago? Sign up for our free newsletter, Hey Chicago. Packed with local news, curated event recs, local life hacks, and more, it's your daily toolkit for getting the most out of the city you love.

The latest in Chicago