THE TRANSITION DID NOT DISAPPOINT IN THE OZARKS!

It's leaf-peeping season in the Ozarks.

It's not too late to plan a last minute getaway to Branson and catch the awesome colors of the Ozark hillside. Call or email us for availability this week!

As summer temperatures slide into fall's chilly breezes, leaves transform from bright green to a range of fall colors: golds, reds, oranges and purples. And some brown.

Why brown? Drought is a part of this year's fall-foliage season.

Search "fall color" at nature.mdc.mo.gov for more details, along with a weekly updated guide to how the leaves are doing in each of Missouri's regions. The latest on southwest Missouri is that leaves are "beginning to turn."

Despite the drought, the classic reds, oranges and purples are on their way, Missouri Department of Conservation officials said in a separate news release.

To appear, those colors just need cool — not freezing — autumn nights. Cool air helps trap natural sugars inside the leaves, forming "building blocks" for the full range of fall colors. Meanwhile, cool air breaks down the leaves' green pigments.

Where to find showy, beautiful trees this year? It's not hard, but here are seven tips on where to experience fall in all its glory in Springfield and the Ozarks.