Austin’s Fall Foliage: Fashionably Late, Predictably Underwhelming

Oh joy, Austin’s trees are finally deciding to participate in fall—only a month after the rest of the country. According to the very official fall foliage map (which, let’s be real, is probably just some guy in Vermont guessing), our leaves will start considering a color change around November 17th. But don’t get too excited—peak foliage won’t grace us with its presence until Thanksgiving, because apparently, even nature here operates on Austin time.

For those unfamiliar with the concept of leaves changing color (which, given how long it takes here, is understandable), let me break it down: trees stop producing chlorophyll (the green stuff that makes them look alive) and finally let their true colors shine—kind of like that one friend who only admits they love pumpkin spice after September. Reds, oranges, and yellows emerge, assuming the weather cooperates. But since this is Texas, where ‘fall’ is just summer with slightly less sweat, don’t expect anything too dramatic. Drought and heat have already RSVP’d ‘no’ to vibrant foliage, so prepare for a muted, crunchy-brown aesthetic instead.

If you’re desperate for real fall vibes, you’ll have to road-trip to places like Lost Maples State Park, where the trees actually commit to the bit. But let’s be honest—if you wanted real autumn, you wouldn’t be in Austin. You’d be in New England, sipping cider and pretending you don’t miss tacos.

So mark your calendars, folks. Sometime between mid-November and whenever the trees feel like it, you might—might—catch a glimpse of something resembling fall. Until then, enjoy the 85-degree ‘autumn’ days and the existential dread of another holiday season spent sweating in boots you bought for aesthetic, not function.