Early, I know, but where do you go for fall color?

I know it's 100+ out and the grass in my yard in the Quapaw Quarter is crunchy, so fall color feels like a joke right now. But I'm already thinking about it, mostly because I'm trying to survive July by planning October.

Last year I waited too long and missed the good week at Pinnacle Mountain. By the time I got out there it was mostly brown and the parking lot was a zoo anyway. I'd like to do better this year. So far my list is Lake Maumelle (the road out there is pretty), the Big Dam Bridge, and the River Trail along the river. Does anyone know if the trees on the North Little Rock side of the bridge turn nicely, or is it mostly the Little Rock side?

Also curious where people go for photos that isn't the obvious spots. Somewhere quieter, maybe? I'll be on the sidelines at Friday night football by then, so it'll have to be a Saturday or Sunday morning thing.

And if anyone has a read on whether this heat and dry spell will make the color better or worse this year, I'm all ears. I always hear it matters but never remember which way.

Ha, planning October to survive July, I respect it 😅 My lawn is the same crunchy mess.

On the heat, I'm no tree expert so take this with salt, but what I've always heard is that a stressed, dry summer can make the color duller and drop leaves early, while a decent stretch of rain before fall plus sunny days and cool nights gives the good stuff. So I'd say a lot depends on what August and September do. Not worth worrying about yet.

For the NLR side of the Big Dam Bridge, it's flatter and more open over by Two Rivers Park, so I'd say the better view is standing up on the bridge looking back at the river and the Little Rock skyline with the trees along the bank. That's the photo I'd go for anyway. Go early before the bikes get thick.

Quieter spot is gonna sound like my usual obsession, but the older neighborhoods are honestly great for color. Hillcrest and the Heights have those huge old trees over the streets, and I always end up walking around there in late October looking at houses anyway. Easy Saturday morning thing, no parking lot zoo. Pinnacle is worth it, but I'd be there right at opening, because by 9 it's packed 🍂

Courtney's right about Hillcrest and the Heights, I do the same thing every year. Those old oaks and maples over Kavanaugh and the side streets are honestly better than half the "scenic" spots because you can just park and walk. And I always end up combining it with yard sale hunting, since October Saturdays are when everybody in those neighborhoods decides to clean out the garage before it gets cold. Last year I found a whole set of old Pyrex two blocks from where I was taking leaf pictures and didnt even have to plan it.

For Lake Maumelle, the drive out Hwy 10 and over toward Pinnacle Valley Road is pretty but the good color there is usually a little later than you'd think, so I'd hold off til the last week of October, maybe even first week of Novemeber. Early October its still mostly green out there. The water with the red and yellow trees along the edge is worth the wait though. Bring a jacket, its always colder by the lake than you expect and I have frozen my fingers off trying to take pictures more than once.

On the Big Dam Bridge I think Courtney is right, get up on the bridge itself and look back toward downtown. The NLR side is more open like she said, so fewer trees but nice light in the morning. Park at Two Rivers and walk across, its way less stressful than the Cantrell Rd side lot on a nice weekend.

Ive also heard the same thing about the dry summer making it duller, so fingers crossed we get some rain in September. No promises on my end, I'm no expert either.

Yep on waiting for Maumelle... I fish out that way into early November and that's when the shoreline finally turns. Early October is still green.

Cold fingers are real too... fingerless gloves, learned that one the hard way.

Dry summers do dull it, but I've seen a good September rain fix a lot. Nobody can call it this early.

For a Saturday, hit the River Market farmers market when it opens, then walk the River Trail after. The trees along the river by the Junction Bridge turn nice and the crowd stays at Pinnacle.

Jerry's right, it's the September rain and the first few cool nights that decide it more than July does. I've seen a dry August drag on and the color still come in fine after one wet week. Nobody can call it this early. I check the forecast for leaves about like I do for storms 🙂 no wait, no emoji. I check the forecast for leaves about like I do for tornado season.

The Junction Bridge is a good call too. That's the old Rock Island railroad bridge they turned into the walking bridge, and the view down the river with the trees along the bank is hard to beat. Go early, before the market crowd gets thick.

If you're on the sidelines Friday night you'll be tired come Saturday, so I'd pick whatever's closest and not overplan it.

Small nitpick, I think the Junction Bridge was the old Missouri Pacific bridge. The Rock Island one is the Clinton Park bridge down by the library. Either way you can do both in one loop, Junction over to NLR and back across the Clinton bridge. You get the river from both sides and way fewer bikes than the Big Dam Bridge 🍂

Agree on not overplanning it though. Pick the first cool Saturday morning and just walk the River Trail. Forecasting leaves like tornado season is about right, lol.