The Northeast may be the best-known area for spectacular fall colors, but the good news is much of the U.S. is filled with trees and shrubs that put on their own stunning range of color. The trick? Knowing when to go. We put together a list of the best national parks to enjoy fall foliage in. There’s a good chance one of them isn’t too far from where you are, and hey, you deserve a trip to see something beautiful.
If you want to make a whole trip out of autumn leaf sightseeing, there’s even a helpful website to track expected fall color changes across the entire country.
Whether you find yourself among the evergreens, cacti or plains or even if fall colors are part of your every autumn experience, we hope this list inspires you to check out and support our precious national parks.
Now go forth and have a gander at all this beauty.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
When: Early October to November
Why: Nearly 100 species of trees reside within the Smokies, and most of them are deciduous. Don’t miss out on the fabulous color. Take a hike through the park, or if you’d rather drive, Blue Ridge Parkway provides more than 400 miles of scenic driving with plenty of pullouts to take photos.
Acadia National Park, Maine
When: Mid-October
Why: It’s one of the most popular locations for fall-color viewing. In fact, the whole state of Maine is pretty spectacular, and the government even has a website dedicated to the change in leaves.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio
When:Early October
Why: Sugar and red maple trees put on an incredible blend of orange, red and yellow leaves. The flowers can be stunning too — look for purple and blue asters that may be along some of the hiking paths.
Denali National Park, Alaska
When: Early to mid-September, until snow closes the road
Why: After Labor Day, transportation to the park ends and guests must drive through on their own. This means fewer resources, but also an intensely beautiful and relatively secluded trip in some of the country’s most gorgeous lands. Weather permitting, you can take a night drive into the park and look for aurora borealis.
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
When: Early September through mid-October
Why: Yellow and orange leaves abound. The park also has a large deer, elk and moose population and fall is their rutting season. You may see male deer spar or hear elk bugle to each other through the night. Bears and wolves tend to be more active during the fall as well.
Zion National Park, Utah
When:Early October to early November
Why: You might not think of large desert cliffs when you think of fall foliage, but Zion National Park will change your mind. The park has several different elevation profiles, which give a larger window for fall-color viewing. Deer head down from the high country as the weather gets cooler and that means a better chance at spotting wildlife.
Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas
When: Late October to early November
Why: Another desert destination, McKittrick Canyon has a stunning array of yellow, orange and red fall foliage… and also prickly pear cactuses.
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
When: Early to mid-October
Why: There’s over 100 miles of gorgeous rolling hills of color-changing tree leaves. Hike part of the Appalachian Trail and experience nature up close. Check out their mountain view cam for a live update on the colors.
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
When: Late September
Why: Golden aspens contrast with evergreens among the stunning setting of the Rocky Mountains. But check the forecast and bring layers — the range of temperatures in the park is extreme.
Yosemite National Park, California
When:Late October
Why: Yellow aspens, red dogwoods, orange black oak, purple poison oak — Yosemite offers a gorgeous array of fall colors set against some of the most stunning views on the West Coast. The park recommends it’s Wawona section for the most variety of colors.
Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
When: Mid- to Late September. The park closes in early October.
Why: Fewer visitors means a less hectic trip to some of the gorgeous autumn colors you can see throughout the valleys. Be sure to check for any road closures, as wildfires and winter weather both frequently shut down parts of the park.
Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
When: Late September
Why: Grassy meadows and willow trees put on a lovely display of colors for a brief window of time.
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