Best Fall Trips in the USA: Foliage, Harvests and Quiet Parks
Fall is the best season to travel in much of the US: summer crowds vanish, desert parks cool down, aspens turn gold in the Rockies and the hardwood forests of the East put on the biggest color show on the continent. Seventeen fall trips with peak timing by region and tips for beating the leaf-peeper traffic.
The best fall trips in the US include New England’s foliage roads in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine from late September to mid-October; Colorado’s golden aspens in mid to late September; the Adirondacks, Catskills and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in early October; the Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains in mid to late October; and Utah’s desert parks, Sedona and the Grand Canyon, which are at their most comfortable from late September to early November. Fall is also harvest season in Napa and apple country. Book October weekends months ahead and travel midweek to avoid traffic.
Ask frequent travelers to name their favorite season and many will say fall. After Labor Day, summer crowds fade, kids go back to school and prices drop at many destinations. In the desert Southwest, the brutal summer heat finally breaks, making hiking pleasant again. In the mountains of the West, aspen groves turn bright gold. And across the East, from Maine to Georgia, hardwood forests of maple, oak, birch and hickory create one of the largest and most colorful foliage displays on the planet.
Fall color moves like a wave. It starts in late September in northern New England, the Upper Midwest and the high Rockies, then spreads south and downhill through October, reaching the southern Appalachians in late October and early November. Timing varies each year with temperatures and rainfall; warm, sunny days and cool nights produce the brightest reds, while drought or early frost can mute the colors. This guide lists 17 of the best fall trips, with typical peak timing for each.
- Late SeptColor begins in northern New England and the Rockies
- Mid-OctPeak in much of New England and the Northeast
- Late OctPeak in the southern Appalachians
- MidweekThe best way to beat leaf-peeper crowds
Peak fall color by region
| Region | Typical peak | Main trees | Best drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine | Late September to early October | Sugar maple, birch | Kancamagus Highway, Route 100 |
| Southern New England | Mid to late October | Maple, oak | Mohawk Trail, Litchfield Hills |
| Colorado and Utah mountains | Mid to late September | Aspen | Kebler Pass, Peak to Peak Highway |
| Adirondacks and Catskills | Late September to mid-October | Maple, beech | Route 28, Route 23A |
| Michigan’s Upper Peninsula | Late September to early October | Maple, birch, aspen | Brockway Mountain Drive |
| Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah | Early to late October, by elevation | Oak, maple, sourwood | Skyline Drive, Parkway near Asheville |
| Great Smoky Mountains | Mid October to early November | Maple, hickory, oak | Newfound Gap Road |
| Ozarks | Late October to early November | Oak, hickory, maple | Arkansas Highway 7 |
State tourism offices in New England and elsewhere publish weekly foliage reports, and online foliage prediction maps give a good sense of timing. Check them a week or two before you go and adjust your route if needed.
New England
1. Vermont. Vermont is the classic fall destination, with white church steeples, covered bridges, red barns and hillsides of sugar maples. Drive Route 100, which runs north to south through the Green Mountains, and stop in villages like Weston, Stowe and Waitsfield. Visit a sugarhouse, a cider mill or a farm stand for apple cider doughnuts. Smugglers’ Notch near Stowe is one of the most dramatic drives in the state. Inns book up months ahead for the first two weeks of October.
2. New Hampshire’s White Mountains. The Kancamagus Highway, a 34-mile scenic byway between Lincoln and Conway, climbs through the White Mountain National Forest past waterfalls, rivers and overlooks. It has no gas stations or businesses along the way. Nearby, Franconia Notch, the Flume Gorge and the Mount Washington Auto Road offer more views. Weekends bring heavy traffic, so drive early or midweek.
3. Maine and Acadia. In Acadia National Park, fall color mixes with granite cliffs, ocean views and quiet carriage roads, usually peaking in early to mid-October. Inland, the lakes and mountains around Rangeley and Bethel color earlier. Our Acadia guide covers reservations for Cadillac Mountain.
4. Western Massachusetts and Connecticut. The Mohawk Trail in Massachusetts and the Litchfield Hills in Connecticut peak a little later, usually mid to late October, and are closer to New York and Boston. Our New England fall foliage road trip links the best routes into one itinerary.
5. Salem, Massachusetts. For Halloween lovers, Salem, known for its 1692 witch trials, celebrates all October with “Haunted Happenings,” costume parades and museums. It is extremely crowded on October weekends, especially near Halloween. Take the train or ferry from Boston rather than driving. See our Boston itinerary.
New York and the Great Lakes
6. The Adirondacks. The Adirondack Park is larger than several national parks combined, with mountains, lakes and forests that usually peak from late September to early October. Lake Placid, Saranac Lake and Lake George are good bases. Paddling a lake surrounded by color is unforgettable.
7. The Catskills and Hudson Valley. Closer to New York City, the Catskills and Hudson Valley peak in early to mid-October. Hike to Kaaterskill Falls, pick apples at orchards, visit farm breweries and cideries, and stay in a cabin. See our cabin getaways guide.
8. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Door County. In late September and early October, the forests of the Upper Peninsula glow along Lake Superior. Drive Brockway Mountain Drive near Copper Harbor and see Pictured Rocks by boat. In Wisconsin, Door County’s orchards, wineries and fish boils make a cozy fall weekend. See our Upper Peninsula road trip.
The Appalachians and the South
9. Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Shenandoah’s Skyline Drive, just two hours from Washington, DC, usually peaks in mid to late October. Farther south, the Blue Ridge Parkway peaks at higher elevations in early October and works downhill through the month. See our Shenandoah guide and Blue Ridge Parkway road trip. Check Parkway road status, since some sections near Asheville have been under repair since Hurricane Helene.
10. Asheville and western North Carolina. Asheville is one of the most popular fall destinations in the South, with the Biltmore Estate, breweries and Parkway drives. October is peak season; book lodging months ahead. See our Asheville weekend guide.
11. Great Smoky Mountains. With more than 100 native tree species, the Smokies have exceptional variety in their fall color. High elevations along Newfound Gap Road and Clingmans Dome turn in mid-October, and lower valleys like Cades Cove peak in late October to early November. Traffic in Gatlinburg and Cades Cove can be very heavy. See our Smokies hiking guide and cabins guide.
12. The Ozarks. Arkansas and Missouri’s Ozark Mountains peak in late October and early November. Drive Arkansas Highway 7, canoe the Buffalo National River and visit the Victorian town of Eureka Springs.
The West
13. Colorado’s aspens. In mid to late September, aspen groves turn the Colorado Rockies gold. Kebler Pass near Crested Butte has one of the largest aspen groves in the country. The Maroon Bells near Aspen are famous for golden aspens below the twin peaks reflected in Maroon Lake; access in season requires a shuttle or a parking reservation. The Peak to Peak Highway near Rocky Mountain National Park, where elk bugle during the fall rut, and the San Juan Skyway around Ouray and Telluride are also spectacular. See our Colorado road trip.
14. Utah’s national parks. Fall is one of the best times to visit Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches and Canyonlands, with cool hiking weather. Cottonwoods along the Virgin River in Zion turn gold in late October and early November. See our Utah Mighty 5 road trip.
15. Northern Arizona and New Mexico. Sedona’s Oak Creek Canyon and West Fork Trail turn red and orange in late October; see our Sedona guide. The Grand Canyon’s North Rim stays open until mid-October with golden aspens on the plateau. In New Mexico, aspens around Santa Fe turn in late September and early October, and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta fills the sky in early October. See our Santa Fe guide.
16. The North Cascades. In late September and early October, subalpine larches, conifers that turn gold before dropping their needles, light up the North Cascades. Hikes like Maple Pass Loop are crowded on “larch march” weekends. See our North Cascades road trip.
17. Napa Valley and wine country. Fall is harvest season in California’s wine country, with grapes being picked and crushed from August to October. Vineyards turn gold and red in late October and November. See our Napa Valley weekend guide.
Fall festivals and harvest experiences
- Apple picking in New England, New York, Michigan, Washington and the Blue Ridge, usually September and October.
- Pumpkin patches and corn mazes across the Midwest and Northeast.
- Oktoberfest celebrations in towns like Leavenworth, Washington, and New Braunfels, Texas.
- Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in early October, with hundreds of hot air balloons.
- Halloween in Salem, New Orleans and many small towns.
- Harvest festivals and grape stomps in wine regions.
- Elk rut viewing in Rocky Mountain National Park, Great Smoky Mountains and other parks.
Beat the crowds and traffic
Popular foliage areas get very busy on October weekends, especially Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day weekend in mid-October. Traffic on the Kancamagus Highway, Skyline Drive, Newfound Gap Road and roads into Gatlinburg can crawl. To avoid the worst:
- Travel Sunday through Thursday if you can.
- Start drives early in the morning, when light is beautiful and roads are quiet.
- Explore lesser-known back roads rather than only famous byways.
- Book lodging three to six months ahead for October weekends.
- Have backup routes, since peak color can shift by a week or more.
Fall weather and safety
Fall weather can change quickly. In the mountains, snow can fall in September at high elevations, and some roads close for the season in October, including the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, Glacier’s Going-to-the-Sun Road and Rocky Mountain’s Trail Ridge Road. Days are shorter, so plan hikes to finish before dark and carry a headlamp. Hunting season begins in many states in fall; wear bright colors on trails in national forests and wildlife areas where hunting is allowed. Along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, hurricane season continues until November 30; see our hurricane season guide. For safe driving on busy mountain roads, see our road trip safety tips.
What fall trips cost
Fall prices depend heavily on where you go. In New England, the Smokies and Asheville, October is peak season, and inns and cabins can cost as much as, or more than, in summer, often with two-night minimums on weekends. In contrast, beach towns, lake resorts and many national parks in the West drop their rates after Labor Day, and September can be one of the best-value months of the year. Desert destinations like Sedona, Moab and Santa Fe get busier and pricier as temperatures cool. To save, visit foliage areas midweek, stay in a larger town a short drive from the scenic byways, and book refundable rates early so you can switch if color arrives late. Our cheap hotels guide explains more tactics.
What to pack
Pack layers: mornings can be near freezing and afternoons warm. Bring a warm jacket, a hat and gloves for mountain mornings, a rain jacket, comfortable walking shoes and a camera with extra batteries, which drain faster in cold weather. A thermos for hot cider or coffee makes early overlooks more pleasant. Our road trip packing list covers the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best fall foliage in the US?
Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine are the most famous. The Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains, Adirondacks and Colorado’s aspens are also top choices.
When is peak fall foliage in New England?
Late September to early October in northern areas, and mid to late October in southern New England.
When do Colorado’s aspens turn?
Usually mid to late September, slightly earlier at higher elevations.
What is the best fall trip for warm weather?
Utah’s national parks, Sedona, the Grand Canyon and Santa Fe offer pleasant fall temperatures, along with San Diego and Hawaii.
How far ahead should I book a fall foliage trip?
Three to six months for October weekends in popular areas, and longer for holiday weekends.
Plan your fall trip
- Choose a region and check typical peak color dates.
- Book lodging early, especially for October weekends.
- Follow foliage reports in the weeks before you go.
- Plan midweek drives and early starts to beat traffic.
- Pack layers for cold mornings and warm afternoons.
Eric Gamble
Eric Gamble is the founder of Travon Inc. and editor-in-chief of Travon Blog, based in New Orleans. He plans every guide around the questions travelers actually ask before they book: when to go, what it really costs, how to get around and what is worth skipping. Eric oversees research, fact-checking and the regular updates that keep each guide accurate.
