Fall colors 2022 map: When and where to see Utah's best foliage

Fall is coming (believe it or not), and it's time to start scanning the calendar for optimal leaf peeping!

The forecast: The prolonged summer heat means color changes could come a week or two later than usual this year, according to this year's fall leaf map from David Angotti at SmokyMountains.com.

• Look for patches of color change in the northern mountains this week and next, with peak colors expected in early October.
• In southern Utah, the height of color changing season should come in mid-October.

Yes, but: Altitude and tree species can affect what counts as "peak," and it's not always predictable.

• I've seen maples at lower altitudes like Killyon Canyon look amazing in September, and much higher aspens at Alta peaking a full week into October.

What to expect: Fall foliage should look pretty good this year, Darren McAvoy, a forestry professor at USU, told Axios.

• The ongoing drought might fade colors a bit, but we had decent monsoonal moisture this year, which should help, McAvoy said.
• The insects and diseases that can ruin a display haven't been seen this year in Utah's forests.

Tips: I chased the perfect "peak" of fall foliage for years before I realized that it doesn't actually look significantly better or worse from one week to the next — especially before the climax.

• The biggest risk is waiting too long and missing the leaves before a fall storm brings them down.
• If you're trying to schedule a portrait, it's more important to find a few vibrant trees than to predict the very best moment at the top of Guardsman Pass.

The bottom line: Perfect timing matters less than exploring multiple places in late September and early October.

• You can miss a lot waiting for the aspens to take on that full golden orange.