South Dakota doesn’t get enough credit for its awesome autumn displays if you ask me. We’re a state that gets all four seasons, which means fall is just as awesome here as it is anywhere else. So, where are the best places for viewing fall colors in South Dakota? Plus, when do leaves change color in South Dakota in 2023? Though it’s never an exact science, our friends at Great Smoky Mountains use a few discrete factors to make their predictions for South Dakota’s autumn color. Check it out:



By playing with the slider above, you can see Great Smoky Mountains' predictions for autumn color in South Dakota (and everywhere else, too).
John Freeland/Flickr
As you can see, this year, it's expected that fall colors will begin creeping southward in early to mid-September. Look outside: See it yet? Maybe not - the farther north you are, though, the likelier, starting around September 11.
By September 18, most of the northern half of the state is starting to see something changing.
blucolt/Flickr
The air's getting a little chillier, and the wind's a little brisker. Autumn is officially here (fun fact: meteorological fall begins September 1st).
Come early October, the whole state should have some sort of autumn blaze going on.
blucolt/Flickr
By October 16, the northern half of the state will be at peak or near-peak. The southern half will soon follow, obviously, around October 23.

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The end of October brings with it the end of autumn - not calendar-wise, but by then, most of our fall color will be on the ground.
Chris Heald/Flickr
Since South Dakota is a northern state, we end up getting our autumn earlier and faster than most other folks... all the more reasons to enjoy it while it's here.
So, where are all the best places to witness these colors up front and center? There are lots of options!
Daren Jessip/Flickr
Custer State Park is an excellent option. If you're really in the mood for something extraordinary, check out the majestic Spearfish Falls, which is amazing enough without the autumn addition. With it, it's utterly jaw-dropping.
This is a wonderful time to bust out the sweaters and go hiking.
GPA Photo Archive/Flickr
Autumn in South Dakota is easily the most wonderful time of year. It's not too warm, not too cold, and it signifies change... all in the best ways, of course.

So, when do leaves change color in South Dakota in 2023? Now you know – mostly. For more details about how exactly they came up with their prediction, check out our friends at Great Smoky Mountains. What are your favorite spots for viewing fall colors in South Dakota? How accurate do you think the Great Smoky Mountains website got it? Let me know in the comments! Need a good sweater for all that leaf-peeping? Our friends at The North Face got you covered.

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