🍁 Best Autumn Travel Destinations 🍂 USA Fall Foliage Guide

Today we're covering the 15 best places in the United States to see colorful fall foliage. Leaves change color all over the U.S. as autumn air turns crisp, but those on today's list offer a little something special. Rolling hills, river valleys, mountains, and lake fronts, let's count down America's best places to see peak fall colors. 15. Northern Minnesota The dense hardwood forests of northern Minnesota bring out the full range of reds, yellows, and oranges that make autumn so beautiful. Dramatic cliffs remain as reminders of the ancient glaciers that carved up the landscape millennia ago. Northern Minnesota is speckled with tons of little lakes and borders a giant one, Lake Superior. All that watery woodland ensures you'll get the full fall foliage experience. Some of the best places to see vibrant colors include Superior National Forest, famous for the Boundary Waters, a million-acre wilderness along the border with Canada, about four hours north of Minneapolis. Nearby is Voyager's National Park, another freshwater haven full of islands and waterways that feed the full spectrum of leafy hues. Autumn colors usually peak here between mid-September and early October. 14. Adirondacks, New York Upstate New York's Adirondack Mountain Range sits among millions of acres of protected wilderness about a five-hour drive north of New York City. These mountains are part of the Canadian Shield, a vast and ancient plate of partially exposed bedrock that decorates and dominates the landscape. The Adirondack Mountain Range is right on the southernmost transition between boreal evergreen pine forests and the more colorful deciduous broadleaf trees like aspens that turn bright yellow or sugar maples that beam orange and scarlet. Adirondack Park is a six-million-acre mountain preserve that's a must-visit during fall. Lake Placid, which hosted two Winter Olympic Games most recently in 1980, is another captivating autumn destination. Other great spots to see include the High Peaks Wilderness, the Keene Valley, and lovely Lake Champlain. Peak colors in the Adirondacks depend on the elevation, with trees at higher altitude peaking earlier, but in general you'll get the best colors between mid-September and mid-October. 13. The Black Hills, South Dakota With unique forested mountains rising above otherwise sparse and rugged plains, the Black Hills of South Dakota offer a different take on autumn foliage. The Black Hills hold dramatic peaks and canyons and contain a mix of colorful deciduous trees like aspens, birch, and oak which create a colorful contrast amid the evergreen ponderosa pines. The Black Hills of South Dakota can be explored from cities like the wild west gold rush town of Deadwood and the motorcycle mecca of Sturgis. While you're here, you can also check out Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Park, both known for their herds of free-roaming bison. And of course there's Badlands National Park with its otherworldly landscape. Autumn colors peak in the Black Hills between late September and mid-October. 12. Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania Rolling hills, wooded ridges, and over a half million acres of thick tree cover make northwestern Pennsylvania's Allegheny National Forest a perfect fall destination. It has easily accessible scenic drives, hikes, and overlooks despite the low population density, giving you plenty of ways to explore the scenic surroundings. Allegheny's wide variety of trees include red and sugar maple, black cherry, chestnut, oak, and hemlock, giving ample opportunity for autumn's vivid gold, orange, and red leaves. Allegheny National Forest, Allegheny State Park, and several other neighboring state parks and forests are within a 90-minute drive from Buffalo, two hours from Pittsburgh, and three hours from Cleveland, putting them well within reach of six million people. Despite that, there's enough space that you can find your own section of wilderness. Some of the area's best places to visit include Kinsuwa Bridge State Park, the Longhouse National Scenic Byway, and the Allegheny Reservoir. Autumn colors peak here between mid-September and mid-October. 11. Door County, Wisconsin Charming small towns, a gorgeous lakefront, and an intentional exaltation of nature make Door County, Wisconsin a perfect fall getaway. With natural bluffs like in Pottawatomie State Park, as well as man-made lookouts like Eagle Tower in Peninsula State Park, it's easy to find sprawling overhead views of nature's beauty. Along the Lake Michigan shoreline, you'll find gorgeous cliffs and even huge beaches, though swimming here is best saved for summer. Door County has a famous wiggly road, Highway 42, with curves meant to slow you down so you can properly revel in your natural surroundings. A port in the far north offers a ferry to the quaint Washington Island, which is covered with more lovely woodlands, parks, and waterfront views. Door County has several historic lighthouses like the Kanna Island Lighthouse that punctuates the already stunning lakefront. Some of the best places to stay in Door County include Egg Harbor, Sister Bay, and Sturgeon Bay. Peak fall foliage in Door County is usually between mid-September and mid-October. 10. Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood, Oregon The iconic snowy peaks and stunning river valleys of the Pacific Northwest make a great backdrop to enjoy autumn. Oregon's Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge are heavily forested and offer a wide array of dramatic landscapes. Mount Hood is Oregon's tallest peak and is the centerpiece to over 1 million acres of protected wilderness that bursts with color during the fall. The nearby Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area is an 80-mile river valley with jaw-dropping cliffs rising up to 4,000 feet high. This magnificent landscape straddles the Washington-Oregon border and is surrounded by It's easy to see why it's beloved by hikers, photographers, and nature lovers in general. You can explore all this wilderness easily thanks to its proximity to Portland. Must-visit autumn adventures here include the Mount Hood National Forest and the Columbia River Highway with its many great overlooks. You can also visit some of Oregon's most beautiful waterfalls like Multnomah Falls and Lateral Falls. Abundant water access and moderate temperatures allow colors to peak from late September to mid-October. The Ozarks, Missouri and Arkansas With a varied terrain of ridges, valleys, lakes, and rivers graced with fertile forests, the Ozark Mountains of Missouri and Arkansas are a great place to enjoy autumn splendor. The Ozark National Forest protects over 1 million acres, while nearby Mark Twain National Forest protects a million and a half acres, giving you plenty of vibrant maple, oak, and hickory trees. Don't miss Scenic Byway 7, dubbed the Grand Canyon of Arkansas. There's Lake of the Ozarks, a huge winding lake set within the stunning hills. There's Elephant Rock State Park, a cool outcropping of unique boulders that are over a billion years old. Branson, Missouri makes a great Ozark home base to explore the mountainous backcountry. The Ozarks' more moderate weather pushes peak fall colors later in the season than we've seen so far. Fall colors peak here between mid-October and early November. Catskill Mountains, New York The Hudson River Valley and Catskill Mountain range of New York are part of the same Allegheny Plateau that decorates northwestern Pennsylvania's Allegheny Forest covered earlier. It's a picture-perfect landscape peppered with farms, mountains, waterfalls, and wilderness stacked with radiant birch, beech, oak, and maple trees. There's plentiful water in the Catskills with rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and even waterfalls, providing extra special autumn views. Don't miss Catterskill Falls, an iconic 260-foot tiered waterfall, the tallest in New York State. You can also drive the 52-mile Catskill Scenic Byway which connects several cute towns in the countryside. You'll also see the stunning Ashokan Reservoir which is surrounded by arboraceous cliffs. There's also the walkway over the Hudson between Highland and Poughkeepsie, New York. It was once a double-track railroad from the 1800s and is now the largest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world. The Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountain Range are only two hours from New York City and even closer to Albany. Autumn colors usually peak in the Catskills and Hudson Valley from late September to mid-October depending on the elevation. 7. Jackson Hole, Wyoming As the gateway to two of America's most captivating national parks, Jackson Hole makes a prime autumn destination. The town of Jackson mixes Old West vibes with upscale tourism and offers access to the stunning meadows, mountains, and valleys of Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. The parks are picturesque any time of year and become extra dramatic enveloped in fall's warm hues. Besides the gorgeous landscape, the national parks near Jackson are also well known for their abundant wildlife. You can see elk, moose, bison, pronghorn, and grizzly bears. Just enjoy from a distance. Some of the best places to take in the colors include Schwabacher Landing, the historic barns of Mormon Row, and the Grand Teton Scenic Drive which has countless roadside lookouts and access to most lakes and hiking trails. You should also see the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and Lower Yellowstone Falls which plummets 308 feet and is especially scenic when viewed from Artist Point. Another must visit is Grand Prismatic Spring and the many geothermal pools, hot springs, and geysers like Old Faithful. Peak autumn color in Jackson Hole is usually between late September and early October. 6. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Surrounded by two great lakes and peppered with thousands of smaller inland lakes, Michigan's Upper Peninsula has scenic shorelines everywhere you look. The UP is home to two national forests, Ottawa and Hiawatha, which combine to protect nearly two million acres of vast wilderness. You'll get the full spectrum of fall foliage with the evergreen pines and colorful tamarack, beech, birch, and maples. Some of the best places to visit include Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore with its mesmerizing sandstone cliffs. There's the alluring Takwamanon Falls, a 200 foot wide waterfall that's one of the largest east of the Mississippi. The porcupine mountain wilderness offers unparalleled autumn overlooks, especially at Lake of the Clouds. And while it's not technically the UP, you can't forget Mackinac Island, which is so naturally beautiful it was declared America's second national park and maintained that honor for 20 years before being transferred to the state of Michigan as their first state park. Good home bases from which to explore the UP include Marquette, Houghton, Escanaba, and Munising. Colors usually peak in Michigan's Upper Peninsula between mid-September and mid-October. 5. Shenandoah Valley, Virginia and West Virginia The Shenandoah Valley, a land so beautiful John Denver wrote a song about it. The lush river valley is bordered by the Allegheny Mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains, two scenic sub-ranges of the Appalachian Mountains that offer pristine autumn adventures. Shenandoah National Park has over 100 miles of scenic roads like Skyline Drive, and over 500 miles of scenic hikes including portions of the legendary Appalachian Trail. Hawksbill Mountain, as the tallest point in Shenandoah National Park, gives you a stunning 360-degree view from over 4,000 feet in the sky. You can also go under the mountains to see the stunning stalactites and stalagmites of Luray Caverns. The Shenandoah Valley and National Park are less than two hours west of Washington, D.C. Great places to stay in the area include Harrisonburg, Front Royal, Stanton, and Winchester. Fall foliage peaks throughout the month of October with higher elevations turning earlier in the month. 4. Aspen, Colorado This picturesque haven, elevated high in the Rocky Mountains, is among America's best places to see colorful fall foliage. Abundant groves of golden aspens decorate the dramatic mountains, putting on quite the autumn spectacle. Aspen, Snowmass, and neighboring Colorado mountain towns are renowned for their unmatched mountain landscapes. One of the best spots you can't miss is the Maroon Bells Snowmass Wilderness. The magnificent Maroon Bells are thought to be the most photographed mountains in the entire United States. It's easy to see why. Their namesake, distinctive color, comes from iron-rich sediment, meaning they're literally giant, rusty mountains. Maroon Lake offers peaceful strolls, and the surrounding wilderness has longer trails for more adventurous hikers. Don't miss Downtown Aspen, which despite its small size, punches well above its weight in modern amenities, as a hub for the mega wealthy. Aspen is lovely, but you can also check out neighboring mountain towns like Crested Butte, Breckenridge, and Vail. For some cheaper places to stay, because prices in many of these ski towns get sky high, try Leadville or Glenwood Springs. Aspen's high elevation, around 8,000 feet above sea level, causes a short window for peak fall colors that's usually between mid-September and early October. Before the top three, here's some quick honorable mentions. There's a stereotype that Ohio isn't great, but the scenic cliffs, caves, and gorges of Hocking Hill, Ohio should put that meme to rest. Golden groves of aspens amassed across rippling volcanic peaks makes Flagstaff, Arizona incredibly scenic in autumn. Yosemite is among America's best national parks on an average day, but adorned in the full fall foliage, it becomes even more magical. A classic multi-colored New England autumn, plucked right from a Hallmark movie, is exactly what you'll find in Vermont's Green Mountains. The area's quintessential charm comes from the small villages packed with colonial and Victorian architecture and farms surrounded by kaleidoscopic wooded hills full of hardwood birch, beech, maple, and oak. The Green Mountain National Forest protects nearly 400,000 acres of woodlands. The Green Mountains run down the central spine of the state and are a sub-range of the Appalachian Mountains. Don't miss Route 100 Scenic Byway that runs up the center of the state and offers access to much of Vermont's classic autumn beauty. In the north, you'll find Smuggler's Notch and gorgeous Lake Willoughby. You can also ride the ski lift up Killington Peak and take in the views of the breathtaking scenery. Some of the better places from which to explore the Green Mountains include Vermont's capital of Montpelier, Vermont's largest city of Burlington, set on the shores of idyllic Lake Champlain, as well as smaller scenic towns like Manchester, Bennington, Killington, and Middlebury. The Green Mountains are also only an hour from Albany, New York. Autumn colors peak in Vermont between late September and early October. White Mountains, New Hampshire, and Maine. The rugged White Mountains of New Hampshire and Maine make one of the best autumn destinations in New England. These mountains rise over 6,000 feet. That's 2,000 feet higher than neighboring Vermont's Green Mountains. White Mountain National Forest blankets the range with over 800,000 acres of wooded wilderness embraced in the warm hues of autumn leaves. Don't miss the Kankamagas Highway, a scenic byway that passes through the heart of the White Mountains, with plenty of scenic overlooks and access to lakes, waterfalls, and hiking trails. Mount Washington is the tallest peak in all of New England and features a road to the summit, as well as the Appalachian Trail if you prefer to traverse the summit on foot. Gorgeous Echo Lake near Franconia offers a scenic stop and lovely views of Cannon Mountain. This used to be the home of the Old Man of the Mountain, a prominent rock feature that tumbled down due to erosion in 2003. You can still find him on the New Hampshire State Corridor. New Hampshire is full of charming small towns enveloped in hilly woodlands. Some of the best places from which to explore the White Mountains include Conway, Woodstock, Jackson, and Franconia. Autumn colors usually peak here between mid-September and early October. 1. The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee The Blue Ridge Mountains are our top destination to see colorful fall foliage, rivaling New England's vibrant forests, but with a longer season, more biodiversity, and easier accessibility. The hardwood forests, towering peaks, and charming mountain towns make fall in the Blue Ridge Mountains a top-tier bucket list experience. Great Smoky Mountain National Park is the crown jewel of the Appalachian Range, and has achieved esteemed status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Preserve. It's thought to be the most biodiverse park in the entire National Park System, with thousands of species within its half a million square acres of protected wilderness. There's plenty of hiking trails, but even more accessible is the Blue Ridge Parkway, one of America's most beautiful drives, running over 400 miles of striking terrain all the way to Virginia's Shenandoah National Park. Don't miss sites like Clingman's Dome, Table Rock Mountain, Grandfather Mountain, and Chimney Rock State Park. Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and Asheville, North Carolina are two charismatic mountain cities that act as gateways to the Smoky Mountains, and both possess plenty of attractions. Gatlinburg is a fun and family-friendly destination that offers adventures like the Sky Park and the Gatlinburg Space Needle. Asheville has America's largest privately owned mansion, the Biltmore Estate. You can tour this house and its 178,000 square feet of living space with 35 bedrooms and 43 bathrooms. And that wraps up America's Best Autumn Destinations. Please hit those nice buttons and check out our other videos here. We love you.