October is not only Nevada’s birthday month, but it’s also when fall is in full swing.
The month brings colorful foliage, cooler weather, family-friendly festivals, pumpkin patches, and plenty of other October activities in Nevada. It’s a great time to hit a hiking trail, get lost in a corn maze, or scream for your life while a clown chases you with a chainsaw.
Ready for some fall fun in the Silver State? From outdoor activities to haunted houses, here are some of the top things to do in Nevada during October.
1. Peep some leaves
Thanks to our state’s dramatic elevations, fall colors peak in various places at various times through November, making October perfect for leaf peeping in Nevada.
Mother Nature’s big show already started in Northern Nevada, with leaves continuing to change for a few more weeks. From exploring the great outdoors on the Genoa Loop Trail to taking a scenic drive on Mount Rose Highway, you’ll find plenty of color and a pumpkin spice vibe all month long.
Foliage is on the verge of changing color in the Mojave Desert, so it’s peak leaf-peeping time in Southern Nevada. For the most vibrant yellows and oranges, head to the majestic Mount Charleston or Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs.
2. Explore the desert
Nevada is home to both the Mojave and Great Basin deserts. The country’s driest desert, the Mojave, is a year-round destination for outdoor adventure, but fall is a particularly desirable time to enjoy it. You already know the trees are changing color, preparing to create natural leaf piles. The season also brings the occasional migratory animal and more-than-agreeable weather.
Some people look at the Mojave Desert and only see dirt and weeds, but there’s a whole ecosystem of wetlands, lakes, dunes, mountains, red rocks, and endemic life, including flora, fauna, and animals beyond the mirage.
If you like hiking and colorful rocks, check out Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas or Valley of Fire near Overton. For a waterfront view, hike to the Hoover Dam on the dog-friendly Historic Railroad Tunnel Trail, which runs along Lake Mead, starting at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area Visitor Center.
Nevada’s enormous Great Basin Desert is gorgeous this time of year. Great Basin National Park is probably the best place to explore its diversity. Nevada’s only national park, it’s home to ancient bristlecone pines, a cave system, a glacier, and super dark skies for stargazing.
If you’re looking for a quicker fall desert fix, check out local public gardens like the three-acre Botanical Cactus Garden at the Ethel M chocolate factory in Henderson, featuring plants selected to thrive in the Mojave Desert. The UNR Arboretum in Reno also incorporates plants native to the Great Basin, Mojave, and Sonoran deserts.
3. Celebrate Oktoberfest
Annual Oktoberfest celebrations have been going on across Nevada since mid-September, but it’s not too late to join the fun.
The world’s largest and most beloved celebration of German heritage will continue to bring beer, bratwurst, and other Bavarian traditions to Nevada all month. The biggest celebration in Nevada for 2026 is Munich’s sister celebration at Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas with a full menu of Oktoberfest food and drink specials, the same 6.3 percent alcohol Oktoberfestbier served in Germany, and celebrity keg tappers.
4. Attend a fall festival
Fall and festivals go hand in hand in Nevada with a whole array of fall festivals, from culture to food to music fests, on the books for October.
In Northern Nevada, family-friendly pumpkin patches and corn mazes are open almost every day at ranches and farms like Corley Ranch in Gardnerville, Ferrari Farms in Reno, Andelin Farm in Sparks, and Lattin Farms in Fallon.
In Southern Nevada, check out the Moapa Valley Corn Maze in Logandale. The VIVA Pumpkin Patch runs through Oct. 30 at Craig Ranch Regional Park in North Las Vegas.
Party like a pirate at the Age of Chivalry Renaissance Festival at Sunset Park in Las Vegas Oct. 9-11 or head to Ely’s Broadbent Park for the Ely Renaissance Faire & Pumpkin Festival Oct. 16-17.
Enjoy food, entertainment, and music at the Henderson Bluegrass Festival on Water Street Plaza in Henderson on Oct. 17. The Reno Ukulele Festival fills the Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks with joyful sounds Oct. 21-24.
5. Hunt for ghosts and trick-or-treat
In a state as haunted as Nevada claims to be, October doesn’t disappoint. Ghost-related activities will take place throughout the state, whether you’re touring the capital city’s haunts on the Carson City Ghost Walks or spending the day in the historic, arguably ghost-filled mining town of Virginia City during Hauntober.
Ride the town’s haunted V&T Railroad or visit another haunted train yard, such as the V&T Railway and the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City. The Nevada Northern Railway Haunted Ghost Train in Ely promises “the very best viewing of UFOs, headless horsemen, hitchhiking ghosts, haunted tunnels, creepy campfires, and ghastly ghost towns.” You could also check out one of Reno’s haunted houses.
In Southern Nevada, there’s spooktacular fun for the whole family during HallOVeen at the Magical Forest, a 2.5-acre theme park-like Halloween experience that benefits Opportunity Village on select evenings through Oct. 31, while the Springs Preserve Haunted Harvest brings trick-or-treat stations, crafts, and food trucks from 6-8:30 p.m., Oct. 22-25. Kids won’t want to miss the popular annual Halloween parade at Downtown Summerlin on select nights at 6 p.m. in October.
6. Celebrate Nevada Day
Nevada Day carries far more significance in Northern versus Southern Nevada. Up north, the Battle Born birthday bash lasts all month, while the south marks the occasion more subtly.
The Silver State’s biggest celebration of statehood culminates in the Nevada Day Parade and celebration in Carson City on Oct. 31. This exciting day in Nevada’s capital city kicks off at sunrise with a hot-air balloon launch, followed by a massive parade and activities like rock drilling, a beard contest, street fairs, and live music. In honor of America’s 250th, this year’s Nevada Day organizers are calling for submissions to a digital Nevada time capsule.
In Southern Nevada, the 180-acre Springs Preserve will host a Nevada Day celebration from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 30. Free for Nevada residents, festivities include a Nevada ghost town storytime, Nevada pub-style trivia, Nevada gold panning, scavenger hunts, touchable fossils, and a ton of other state-related activities for all ages, both at the preserve and the on-site Nevada State Museum.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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