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50 Colorful Fall Quotes That Capture the Beauty of the Season

Fall lovers, rejoice! We have the best fall quotes that perfectly sum up autumn's allure.

autumn leaves behind burgundy speech bubblerd.com, Getty Images

Fall quotes that perfectly capture autumn’s essence

Ah, autumn. It’s the season when we say goodbye to shorts and beach days and hello to sweaters, fall activities and the always fun and spooky Halloween. It’s also a unique season that delivers unmatched beauty—the kind that has spurred centuries of admiration.

Fall has inspired some of the most beautiful words (and funniest memes) ever created, and those words deserved to be highlighted. Here are the best fall quotes that speak to fall lovers’ souls—they even make great fall-themed captions for your Instagram photos! Once you’re done reading these autumn quotes, scroll through these Halloween quotes to get you excited for the holiday.

fall quote by Albert Camusrd.com, Getty Images

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” —Albert Camus. A perfect quote to share on the first day of fall.

fall quote by L.M. Montgomeryrd.com

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” —L.M. Montgomery, “Anne of Green Gables.” What a great uplifting quote for fall lovers!

fall quote by Lauren DeStefanord.com

“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” —Lauren DeStefano, “Wither.” Now this is a wonderful book quote that captures fall’s beauty.

Autumn Quote By William Cullen Bryantrd.com, getty images

“Autumn … the year’s last, loveliest smile.” —William Cullen Bryant. Don’t forget to bookmark these gorgeous fall pictures you have to see to believe.

fall quote by Jim Bishoprd.com

“Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.” —Jim Bishop. Such a calm quote that still gets the point across. 

fall quote by Percy Bysshe Shelleyrd.com

“There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!” —Percy Bysshe Shelley. Remember this quote when you’re planning your next fall getaway.

fall quote by Joe L. Wheelerrd.com

“There is something incredibly nostalgic and significant about the annual cascade of autumn leaves.” —Joe L. Wheeler. Do you know why leaves change color?

fall quote by Sarah Addison Allen, Garden Spellsrd.com

“She looked like autumn, when leaves turned and fruit ripened.” —Sarah Addison Allen, “Garden Spells.” By the way, here’s why Americans say “fall” instead of “autumn.

fall quote by Lee Maynardrd.com

“I loved autumn, the one season of the year that God seemed to have put there just for the beauty of it.” —Lee Maynard. If summer’s more your thing, read these great summer quotes.

fall quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsbyrd.com, Getty Images

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” —F. Scott Fitzgerald, “The Great Gatsby.” One of the best fall quotes from one of the best books ever written.

Autumn Quote By Henry Bestonrd.com

“The leaves fall, the wind blows and the farm country slowly changes from the summer cottons into its winter wools.” —Henry Beston. Don’t forget to wear those heavier wools when you go apple picking in the fall.

Autumn Quote By Hal Borlandrd.com

“Two sounds of autumn are unmistakable … the hurrying rustle of crisp leaves blown along the street … by a gusty wind, and the gabble of a flock of migrating geese.” —Hal Borland. We can already hear the crisp leaves crunching as we walk through the pumpkin patch!

fall quote by Winston Graham, Ross Poldarkrd.com, Getty Images

“Autumn lingered on as if fond of its own perfection.” —Winston Graham, “Ross Poldark” 

Autumn Quote By Friedrich Nietzscherd.com

“I notice that autumn is more the season of the soul than of nature.” —Friedrich Nietzsche. This is one of those fall quotes that doubles as a good nature quote.

fall quote by Harper Lee, Go Set a Watchmanrd.com

“Autumn was her happiest season.” —Harper Lee, “Go Set a Watchman”

fall quote by August Strindberg, A Dream Playrd.com, Getty Images

“Autumn is my spring!” —August Strindberg, “A Dream Play”

Autumn Quote By Nikita Gillrd.com

“As leaves cover the forest floor in a carpet of vibrant rusts, orange and gold, autumn proves that sometimes death, too, can be a beautiful thing.” —Nikita Gill

fall quote by John Donnerd.com

“In Heaven, it is always autumn.” —John Donne 

fall quote by Jeffrey Eugenides, Middlesexrd.com, Getty Images

“It was like autumn, looking at her. It was like driving up north to see the colors.” —Jeffrey Eugenides, “Middlesex.” Looking to travel in the fall? Check out these great fall weekend getaways.

fall quote by Oscar Wilderd.com

“And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.” —Oscar Wilde

fall quote by Mehmet Murat ildanrd.com

“When everything looks like a magical oil painting, you know you are in autumn!” —Mehmet Murat ildan

fall quote by George Eliotrd.com, Getty Images

“Is not this a true autumn day? Just the still melancholy that I love—that makes life and nature harmonize.” —George Eliot

Autumn Quote By Angie Weiland Crosbyrd.com

“Summer dashed off, her sundress flowing with greens; while autumn slipped into a gown with jeweled seams.” —Angie Weiland-Crosby

fall quote by Charlotte Batesrd.com

“The heart of Autumn must have broken here and poured its treasure out upon the leaves.” —Charlotte Bates. Speaking of leaves—these are the best places to spot fall foliage.

fall quote by Wallace Stegnerrd.com, Getty Images

“Another fall, another turned page…” —Wallace Stegner

fall quote by Chad Suggrd.com

“Love the trees until their leaves fall off, then encourage them to try again next year.” —Chad Sugg

fall quote by Shira Tamirrd.com, Getty Images

“Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dancing on a windy day.” —Shira Tamir

Autumn Quote By William Allinghamrd.com

“Now autumn’s fire burns slowly along the woods, and day by day the dead leaves fall and melt.” —William Allingham. These fall quotes are great—and so are these spring quotes.

fall quote by Vincent van Goghrd.com, Getty Images

“As long as autumn lasts, I shall not have hands, canvas and colors enough to paint the beautiful things I see.” —Vincent van Gogh

fall quote by Diana Gabaldon, Outlanderrd.com

“It was a beautiful bright autumn day, with air like cider and a sky so blue you could drown in it.” —Diana Gabaldon, “Outlander” (a fall quote from the bestselling books turned into a TV show!).

Autumn Quote By Angie Weiland Crosby 2rd.com

“Autumn whispered to the wind, ‘I fall; but always rise again.'” —Angie Weiland-Crosby

fall quote by Jane Hirshfieldrd.com, Getty Images

“The heat of autumn is different from the heat of summer. One ripens apples, the other turns them to cider.” —Jane Hirshfield. A great fall activity that features this delicious fruit? Bobbing for apples.

fall quote by John Donnerd.com

“No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face.” —John Donne

fall quote by E.E. Cummingsrd.com

“A wind has blown the rain away and blown the sky away and all the leaves away, and the trees stand. I think I, too, have known autumn too long.” —E.E. Cummings. These quotes about fall are really something—and so are these hope quotes.

Autumn Quote By John Greenleaf Whittierrd.com, getty images

“The tints of autumn … a mighty flower garden blossoming under the spell of the enchanter, frost.” —John Greenleaf Whittier

Autumn Quote By Pam Houstonrd.com

“It’s September 21, a day I love for the balance it carries with it.” —Pam Houston, “Waltzing the Cat”

Autumn Quote By Abby Slovinrd.com

“The smell of burning firewood and the molding of organic, earthy substances reminded her of jumping wildly into the enormous leaf piles of autumns past and she suddenly wished that it was appropriate for someone her age to do such a thing.” —Abby Slovin, “Letters in Cardboard Boxes”

fall quote by Anujj Elviisrd.com, Getty Images

“Autumn has arrived. I hear it in the whispering of leaves.” —Anujj Elviis

fall quote by Karen Kingsbury, Finding Homerd.com

“When leaves have to let go of the tree, they wear their best colors and they dance all the way to the ground.” —Karen Kingsbury, “Finding Home”

fall quote by Laura Jaworskird.com

“The leaves are changing; I feel poetry in the air.” —Laura Jaworski

fall quote by Raquel Francord.com, Getty Images

“And the sun took a step back, the leaves lulled themselves to sleep and autumn was awakened.” —Raquel Franco

fall quote by Jason Soroskird.com

“Autumn is grey rainy afternoons, and fond memories of raking up leaves into tidy neat piles, just to jump in and spread them around again.” —Jason Soroski

fall quote by Nitya Prakashrd.com

“A boy who loved autumn; A girl who was forever October.” —Nitya Prakash

Autumn Quote By Toni Sorensonrd.com, getty images

“Autumn is the time of year when Mother Nature says, ‘Look how easy, how healthy and how beautiful letting go can be.'” —Toni Sorenson

fall quote by Anoushka Tyagird.com

“Even those fallen leaves dance, on the musical wind cadence.” —Anoushka Tyagi

fall quote by Anoushka Tyagird.com

“God blows on the leaves, they turn to gold, and we call it autumn.” —Joyce Rachelle

fall quote by Nichole McElhaney, Poetry for Lost Girls and Liminal Creaturesrd.com

“My soul is in a state of perpetual autumn.” —Nichole McElhaney, “Poetry for Lost Girls and Liminal Creatures.” This quote about fall really speaks to the soul—and so do these life-changing quotes.

fall quote by Zain Balochrd.com, Getty Images

“Life is like an autumn; short but colorful.” —Zain Baloch

fall quote by Ashlee Willis, A Wish Made of Glassrd.com

“Nothing dies as beautifully as autumn.” —Ashlee Willis, “A Wish Made of Glass”

Autumn Quote By Charmaine J Forderd.com

“There’s something exceptional about autumn.” —Charmaine J. Forde. Now that you’ve read these fall quotes, get ready for these cozy winter quotes.

Kelly Kuehn
Kelly Kuehn is an associate editor for Reader’s Digest covering entertainment, trivia and history. When she’s not writing you can find her watching the latest and greatest movies, listening to a true crime podcast (or two), blasting ‘90s music and hiking with her dog, Ryker, throughout the Finger Lakes.