If you’ve walked out to the Meriwether lately and looked up at the bluffs, you’ve probably noticed something’s off. It’s not just you — the Missouri Department of Conservation’s latest fall color report, dated September 24, says the drought is driving this year’s color more than the calendar is.
Rocheport’s stretch of the Katy Trail runs through classic Central Region oak-hickory bluff forest, and that’s exactly the kind of ground MDC’s report flags as under stress. Oaks are “shutting down” early, the agency says, leaving “patches of brown right along the middle of hills — especially on hill slopes that face south or west.” Since much of the bluff above the trail through Rocheport faces exactly that way, don’t be surprised if the oaks up top look tired and brown before they ever turn a proper red.
It’s not all disappointing. Down at eye level along the trail, the smaller stuff is doing its job: dogwood and sassafras are already showing a slight orange, sumac is turning red out in the open fields, and walnuts and hickories are starting to yellow. A few maples are showing early red and orange too, and the cottonwoods and sycamores along the riverbank are just beginning to go yellow in patches. MDC’s honest assessment is that with little rain in the forecast, this could be a short, muted season rather than a long, gradual build to peak color — so if a color day on the bluffs is on your list, this might be a year to not wait too long.
If you’re planning a ride or walk
The Rocheport Trailhead sits at mile marker 178.3, with parking, restrooms, and water at the trailhead itself and at Les Bourgeois and the Meriwether, according to Missouri State Parks. One practical note if you’re planning a trip for deeper into fall: restroom and water service at some Katy Trail trailheads shuts off from November through March, so late October is really the last easy window before facilities get thinner.
None of this is a reason to skip a ride this fall — it’s a reason to adjust expectations. The bluffs may not give you the postcard red-and-gold wall of color some years produce, but the trail-level color (sumac, dogwood, the walnuts turning) should still be worth the trip, especially paired with lunch at the Meriwether or a stop at Les Bourgeois on the way back. MDC updates its regional fall color reports through the season, so it’s worth another look in a couple of weeks before you plan a special trip out.
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