The 20 Best Places to See Fall Foliage in the United States

Adirondacks, New York

Fall foliage in the Adirondacks — Diana Robinson Photography / Getty Images

Set your sights on the Adirondack mountains in Upstate New York if you want to take in stunning fall foliage. You can find over 5,000 square miles of red, yellow, and orange leaves across the mountainous region. Visitors to this area can see the best foliage in the Lake Placid Region, Saranac Lake Region, Tupper Lake Region, and Whiteface Region during the last week of September and the first week of October; the Lake George Region, Adirondack Hub, and the Malone Region in the first and second weeks of October; and the Lake Champlain Region, Adirondack Seaway, Adirondack Coast, and Adirondack Tug Hill in the third and final weeks of October.

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Burlington, Vermont

Burlington, Vermont, boasts a bike path that spans 14 miles through fall foliage. The trail follows the Burlington waterfront and reveals plenty of autumn's most attractive shades around Lake Champlain. The pedestrian-friendly locale has scenic cobblestone streets, lined with impressive small businesses and locally owned restaurants, too.

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Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee

Fall foliage in the Smokey Mountains — Dan Reynolds Photography / Getty Images

If you are seeking a place to see fall colors in the latter part of fall, consider taking a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains. Peak foliage season hits between mid-October and early November. You can catch the best views of the transitional autumn leaves, on trees that reach up to 4,000 feet, throughout the region by driving the Clingmans Dome Road, the Blue Ridge Parkway, or the Foothills Parkway.

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Trail Ridge Road, Colorado

Fall foliage along the Trail Ridge Road — Westend61 / Getty Images

Spanning over 48 miles, Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park provides some of the best foliage scenes every autumn in Colorado. The road begins in Estes Park and continues to Grand Lake, and is also home to wildlife like elk, bighorn sheep, and moose in the area. The color show's peak begins in late September and lasts through early October.

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Kancamagus Highway, New Hampshire

The Kancamagus Highway—colloquially referred to as The Kanc by locals—takes you to an elevation of just under 3,000 feet at its highest point on the flank of Mount Kancamagus. Every year, leaf peepers across the country show up in full force to drive the winding roads and catch a glimpse of the brilliant foliage. Hiking trails, waterfalls, and quaint gift shops are all an exit off the route nearby the picturesque town of Lincoln.

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Connecticut River Valley, New England

Protected natural zones along this winding waterway (visible from Routes 154, 82, and 434) stay vivid well into November. The Connecticut River Valley stretches southward for 406 miles through four states, designating it the longest river in New England. Along with the foliage, bed and breakfast inns, antique shops, and opera houses. If you don't feel like driving, you can always hitch a ride aboard the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat that embarks on a narrated, round-trip journey from the historic 19th-century Essex Station.

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Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia and North Carolina

Trees lining this 469-mile Appalachian attraction go scarlet in succession, highest-elevation first. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina—and is divided into four districts stretching north to south: the Ridge region, the Plateau region, the Highlands region, and the Pisgah region. All of them provide stops along the scenic byway for your family to enjoy arts and crafts, music, and local attractions. And at a speed limit of 45 miles per hour, you can afford to cruise more leisurely past the cascade of sunset tones.

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Pere Marquette State Park, Illinois

Pull over at Pere Marquette State Park, in Grafton, Illinois, to stretch your legs on a Technicolor hike. If you happen to make a stop along the wooded ravines and riverside roadways, keep your eyes to the sky for a sighting of our national bird, the bald eagle. Every year, hundreds of them travel to the area and nest in their winter homes.

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Great River Road, Mississippi River

It's called the best drive in America with good reason: When cooler temps send a golden ripple across treetops, a drive on the Great River Road—a 10-state National Scenic Byway hugging the Mississippi River—becomes a glorious getaway. It takes four to 10 days to make the journey that includes national monuments, museums, and the Mississippi Flyway (a migration route followed by nearly half of North America's waterfowl and shorebirds, making it one of the world's premier spots for birding).

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Logan Canyon Scenic Byway, Utah

This northern-Utah path shows off the varied terrain of Cache Valley, from limestone formations to rolling farmland, and peaks at an overlook of bright-turquoise Bear Lake. The Bear River Mountains are host to recreationalists of all seasons who find activities like rock-climbing, camping, trout fishing, snowmobiling, and skiing. During autumn, the Logan Canyon Scenic Byway offers a view of spectacular vistas that radiate the gold, amber and pumpkin colors of the harvest season.

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Ogunquit, Maine

Autumn on the Maine coast — gmnicholas/Getty Images

If such an award existed, Maine would win the best in class for fall foliage, where brilliant orange hues begin popping up across mountainsides as early as September. Brown says there's no better place to spot peak fall foliage than in Ogunquit, a quaint beach town near the New Hampshire border. "For foliage lovers, the leaves begin to change colors in September and peak in October," she says, adding that autumn is also prime fishing season for lobster boats off the coast of Maine. "Ogunquit celebrates Capriccio for two weeks every fall—it's their annual autumn celebration, and it showcases local art, music, and hosts a city-wide kite flying festival."

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Traverse City, Michigan

Brown calls this coastal town the "Caribbean of the North"—and with white sandy beaches bordering the shores of Grand Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan, you can see why. Due to its coastal locale, Brown says you can expect daily temperatures to crest just below 70 degrees in September, making it a prime spot to sprawl out on a blanket in the afternoon (some brave folks even take a dip!). "Polar bear plunges aside, this lake destination offers some of the most incredible vistas for fall foliage. A great place to experience this is at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore," says Brown. The 27-mile-long Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail is a wonderful way to enjoy the weather and take in all the colors around you.

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Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

Brandywine Falls in Cuyahoga Valley National Park — LarryKnupp/Getty Images

This national park is just a short drive from Akron and Cleveland, but it feels like it's a "world away from the city," Brown says. "In autumn, you'll see brilliant sugar maple reds and brown oaks along roads and hiking trails." If you're up for a bit of exercise, Brandywine Gorge Trail is one of the best places to soak up the park's natural beauty—you can hike up to the 65-foot Brandywine Falls to see panoramic views of fall foliage in each direction. And if you prefer to stay off your feet, hop aboard the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic railroad, which offers thrilling rides around the park in summer and in fall.

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Black Hills, South Dakota

If you've ever visited Mount Rushmore on a summer road trip, you're already familiar with Black Hills. Locals will tell you that fall is really the best time to visit, though. You'll avoid the rush at local attractions and find more availability at hotels and campsites in October and November. Plus, you might get to see elk, deer, and wild bison as its their mating season. "And then there's the fall colors," Brown says. "One of the best places to catch a glimpse is at Custer State Park, where brilliant gold leaves dazzle against a backdrop of granite spires, rolling mountains, and 1,500 grazing bison." At 6,000 feet of elevation, Mount Coolidge is the best place to take in all the views. Brown says you can see nearly 90 miles in the distance.

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Cass, Arkansas

Ozark National Forest from White Rock Mountain — Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

As far as national parks go, the Ozark National Forest is one of the best spots for fall foliage—and you can take it all in on the Highlands Scenic Byway in the heart of the forest. Approximately 35 miles long, there's plenty to see, including the Boston Mountain Range, the Buffalo National River, and the Ozark Highlands Trail, which contains many different tree varieties for you to peruse on your journey.

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Buckhorn, Kentucky

If you like to fish, visiting this lakeside park is the best way to spend a lazy Saturday outside in cooler temperatures. Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park is also home to other forms of wildlife, including elk and protected eagles, which you can spot while hiking, boating, or bicycling around its shores. Stay a night at the on-site lodge and wake up to dazzling red, yellow, and orange leaves on dogwoods and other tree varieties that blanket the hills around the lake itself.

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Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania

washington crossing historic park pennsylvania — Courtesy of Washington Crossing Park via Instagram

There's nothing better than visiting hallowed ground during the Halloween season, and the Washington Crossing Historic Park marks the exact spot where George Washington crossed the Delaware River from Pennsylvania to New Jersey in 1776. At this historical site, visitors can take in a full panoramic viewing of Bucks County at the top of Bowman's Hill Tower, which rises 125 feet into the air. An added bonus, the park hosts a colonial reenactment event where a pop-up market sells inspired crafts and goodies each October.

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Blairsville, Georgia

Chattahoochee National Forest, Georgia, Lake Conasauga, autumn — James Randklev/Getty Images

Nestled beneath the Chattahoochee National Forest, Vogel State Park is unique in that it's an ideal spot to take in prime fall foliage well into the first half of November. It's also family friendly: You can easily reach the park's Trahlyta Falls scenic viewing point by walking along the Bear Hair Gap Trail.

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Jackson, Wyoming

Grand Teton Mountains in Fall — Matt Anderson Photography/Getty Images

It's a picturesque location all year long, but fall brings a breathless sense of beauty to Grand Teton National Park, where you'll also get a glimpse of snow-capped mountains and wildlife traversing fresh lakes and forests. The National Park Service recommends traveling to the park in the third week of September, where you'll capture aspen, willow, and cottonwood trees as their leaves turn vibrant shades of red and yellow.

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Afton, Virginia

Peak fall colors at Hazel Mountain overlook along Skyline Drive — Dennis Govoni/Getty Images

Love a Sunday drive? How about a drive that gives you the opportunity to take in more than 100 miles of pure mountain views at the height of foliage season? Skyline Drive winds its way through the Blue Ridge Mountains, where you can have an aerial view of the changing leaves from September through November. You can make a few pit stops along your journey by pulling over at designated overlooks like Stony Man to snap photos and enjoy the crisp air around you.

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