10 Great Places to Admire Autumn Leaves in the US

Acadia National Park, in Downeast Maine, is just off the rocky coast on Mount Desert Island. Acadia is one of the nation’s most-visited national parks, and you can always count on a glorious display of fiery autumn colours. Another excellent reason to visit Acadia: it’s a spectacular place to catch the first rays of the sun sweeping over the east coast.

Highly recommended is a drive along Park Loop Road, a 27-mile (43 km) trek that meanders through forests and mountains and along the rugged Atlantic shoreline. The crown jewel of Acadia National Park is Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the Eastern Seaboard. You can view the breathtaking panoramic views bursting with autumn colours from late September through early October.

The Ozark National Forest in Arkansas is a haven for autumn colours, and nowhere is it more spectacular than along Arkansas Byway 7. This route is frequently named one of the most beautiful drives in the US. If you start an excursion at the right time in the north, you can drive through a kaleidoscope of autumn colours all the way down south.

If your schedule doesn't allow for a long road trip, an excellent place to start a shorter stretch of Byway 7 is at Bull Shoals Lake. This route passes through the heart of the Ozark National Forest; drive as far as you desire, and not only will you view unbelievable landscapes, you’ll be awash in the brilliance of an Arkansas autumn. 

In mid-October, the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York explode with autumn colours. Mountain tops, rolling hills, and valleys are aglow with bright oranges, reds, and yellows. To admire the fine scenery, you can take to the winding byways, hop on a train, or ascend a fire tower.

Some of the best ways to 'leaf-peep' in the Catskills include a stop at Summit Mount Utsayantha and climbing to the top of the fire tower for a 360-degree view of autumn at its finest. You could also climb aboard the Delaware & Ulster Railroad train and relax as you travel through colourful Catskill territory. For hikers, Vernooy Kill Falls is an excellent hike to view cascading waterfalls in the bold colours of the season.

Autumn in Denali National Park has a short window of opportunity. The sublime fall transformation happens here anywhere from late August through September. The alpine tundra at higher elevations changes colour first, and the Yukon low-land taiga follows, with bursts of brilliant colour from spruce and poplar trees that contrast beautifully against the backdrop of lush lichen and moss.

An excellent way to 'leaf-peep' in the Denali is to hike one of the park's many trails. An easy trail to hike is the Curry Ridge Trail. You’ll trek above the treeline from the tundra and experience stunning views of alpine lakes, the Yukon wilderness, and majestic Denali. Along the way, you’ll enjoy the ever-changing fall landscape.

The beauty of witnessing fall along Minnesota’s North Shore is that you can experience it twice. The first burst of autumn colours occurs in mid-September through early October in the Sawtooth Mountain range. The second round of blazing autumn glory happens along the North Shore from late September through mid-October.

The Sawtooth Mountains in the Superior National Forest is home to a Fall Color Tour with 4 linked byways that showcase the intense colours. Along the North Shore, the cooler air that billows off Lake Superior makes for a later autumn, and a drive along the iconic North Shore Scenic Drive is how you view this magnificent shoreline autumn display.

Columbia River Gorge, a river canyon with stunning waterfalls, is spectacular to see any time of the year. The views of the canyon in late September or early October are heightened by the arrival of autumn, and the result is simply awe-inspiring.

The Hood River is at the heart of it all in the Gorge. One way to take in its beauty is to hop on a river cruise and relax as you float through autumn leaf colour. If your goal is to see both a waterfall and the colours, you can view Horsetail Falls from the Columbia River Highway. Don’t miss a trek to the world-famous and picturesque Multnomah Falls if you want to stretch your legs.

Exploring the Enchanted Circle in New Mexico is a unique way to experience autumn in New Mexico. Starting and ending in Taos, the series of connected byways offers 84 miles (135 km) of gorgeous scenery aglow in the most fantastic autumn colours you'll ever see. Enchanted Circle is easily navigable even though the names of the roads change throughout the journey.

The Enchanted Circle in New Mexico’s high-country links Taos, Questa, Red River, Eagles Nest, and Angel Fire. A visit to any of the towns along the route is exciting, but there’s no comparison to the diverse landscapes you’ll see ablaze with the ever-changing and magical colours of autumn.

The Blue Ridge Parkway starts in Virginia's Shenandoah National Park and, 469 miles (755 km) down the road, ends at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This parkway is simply splendid; exploring any stretch of it for autumn colours will reward you with vistas of trees changing from lush greens to gilded golds, radiant reds, and sunshiny yellows.

As the temperature drops along the Blue Ridge Parkway in mid-October, leaves begin to change colour, and while the overall effect is beautiful, there are some stellar spots to see. Mabry Mill, Cascade Falls, Rough Ridge, the Chestoa View Overlook, and Linn Cove Viaduct are some of the parkway’s highlights.

Chuckanut Drive Parkway is a short, 21 miles (33 km) but mighty scenic byway carved into the sandstone cliffs of the Chuckanut Mountains. October is the best time to see the brilliant display of autumn colours here, and Chuckanut Drive does not disappoint. The parkway is routed through the densely wooded forests and offers dramatic and panoramic overlooking views of Samish Bay and the San Juan Islands.

There are plenty of stops along Chuckanut Drive for amazing autumn views. Check out Larrabee State Park for picture-perfect scenes of Samish Bay. Oyster Dome is a moderate coastal trek up Blanchard Mountain for a bird's eye-view of autumn over the land and the Samish Sea.

Yosemite National Park, with evergreen trees dominating the landscape, experiences more concentrated autumn leaf colours. This is true in its smaller stands of maples, oaks, dogwoods, and other deciduous trees in mid-October. The autumn colours may not be as plentiful, but they do look gorgeous contrasting with the dark green backdrop of coniferous trees.

Autumn is the perfect time to visit Yosemite. Temperatures are cooler and the throngs of summer crowds are gone. You'll often have to seek out the best views. Though Yosemite is a magnificent National Park, the colours of the season may not compare to other parks. Even so, the entire experience is well worth the journey.