Top Picks | Fall Color
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Best Destinations to Experience Fall Colors
Fall is a beautiful time of year in much of the United States. The leaves start to change color and destinations throughout the country boast amazingly vibrant colors. Fall season travelers can enjoy the cooler weather while seeing the stunning change of the leaves. Here are a few great options for those travelers seeking the beautiful fall colors.
The Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
This stunningly beautiful drive stretches from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Shenandoah National Park. Visitors can enjoy over 490 miles of hiking opportunities, and points of interest. Fall foliage seekers will enjoy the amazing views of the mountains and valleys, which boast a wide variety of species that change color, including dogwood, yellow-poplar, red maples and many more.
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Oregon
The Columbia River Gorge in Oregon has an amazing display of fall color from October through November. The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area protects the beauty of this unique landscape and allows excellent access to trails and recreation, which allow for excellent fall color viewing.
Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Tennessee
This park offers spectacular fall foliage viewing for visitors to Tennessee. With a wide range of elevation, as well as many species of tree the Great Smoky Mountains offer visitors great viewing throughout October. The higher elevations start to change earlier and have species including American beech and mountain maple. The lower elevations change color later and have a stunning display of color from species like sugar maple and hickories.
The Kancamagus Scenic Byway, New Hampshire
Located within the White Mountain National Forest, this scenic drive allows visitors to enjoy the stunning colors of the fall foliage. The vibrant fall colors are best seen from mid-September through October. This byway's 26 miles take visitors through the White Mountains, with plenty of scenic overlooks and areas to enjoy the region's beauty.
Lost Maples State Natural Area, Texas
The bigtooth maples at the Lost Maples State Natural Area offer a stunning display of autumn color in Texas. Visitors to this park can enjoying hiking, backpacking, camping and more. During the fall season watching the park has a beautiful display of red and golds from the maples, walnuts and other species, which are best seen while hiking and camping in the park.
Maple and Mountains Tour, Maine
Visitors to Maine can enjoy the fall colors and atmosphere while taking the Maple and Mountains Tour, from Naples to Fryeburg. Along this route travelers will have the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of fall foliage and color in Maine. Fall foliage seekers will especially enjoy the view from the access to the White Mountain National Forest and state parks including Grafton Notch State Park and Sebago Lake State Park.
North Cascades, Washington
Washington's North Cascades are a fantastic place for fall foliage seekers to enjoy the beautiful colors. From mid-September through mid-October travelers will find an amazing range of colors throughout the region. The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the drives that run through the forest are great options for viewing the fall colors, as well as fun hiking options throughout the region.
The Ozark Mountains, Arkansas
Visitors to Arkansas can enjoy a wide variety of fall foliage while exploring the Ozarks. Throughout the mountains there are amazing displays of fall color, and many different ways to explore the region's beauty. The Ozarks offer visitors scenic drives, hiking, biking, back road options and more. Throughout the region there are trail systems, and scenic tour options that will lead to stunning fall beauty.
