The best time to see fall foliage in Indiana
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Fall is here ā whether it feels like it or not ā and that means it's nearly peak leaf-peeping time in Indiana.
Why it matters: Your window to view the bright hues might be trickier to predict, as climate change impacts when leaves change ā and how colorful they get.
Driving the news: Using historical weather reports, tree species info and user data, travel brand SmokyMountains.com put together 2023 foliage prediction maps of the U.S. Your leaf peeping calendar, according to SmokeyMountains.com:
- Next week: Color change will be patchy in most of central and southern Indiana, including Indy.
- Oct. 16: Northern Indiana will be nearing peak fall foliage, while the rest of the state will see partial color change.
- Oct. 23: Indy will be nearing peak leaf peeping, while conditions should be perfect in northern Indiana.
- Oct. 30: Fall foliage should be peaking across central and southern Indiana.
The best places to view fall foliage in Indiana, include:
- Brown County State Park, third on New York Travel Guide's recently published list of its 15 best state parks for fall foliage.
- Visit Indiana also recommends Turkey Run State Park, Clifty Falls State Park and the Indiana Dunes.
- Locally, Fort Harrison State Park and Eagle Creek are good bets.
Between the lines: The green color in leaves comes from chlorophyll, the pigment that helps plants turn sunlight into energy via photosynthesis.
- As nights get longer and there's less sunlight in the fall, leaves stop making chlorophyll.
- The green color fades and the yellows, oranges, reds or purples become visible.
