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Above: A double rainbow makes this autumn vista in the Great Smoky Mountains truly stunning. Gatlinburg CVB photo
Below: The Blue Ridge Parkway is resplendent in the fall. North Carolina Division of Tourism photo
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Most of us learned in elementary school why the leaves change color–the ins and outs of chlorophyll production and how temperature, light and water supply may affect the intensity and duration of that color–but many of us forgot the lesson just as quickly or simply don’t care. All we’re interested in is finding the best place at the best time to have the best view.
From Massachusetts to Washington and eight states in between, you’re sure to find plenty to fall for, whichever location you choose.
Great Smoky Mountains
National Park
When the weather cools here, Mother Nature breaks out her brightest crayon box and colors in the countryside. She’s helped all the while by almost 100 species of trees that share their hues on cue. Different trees at different altitudes turn at different times, painting and repainting the Tennessee and North Carolina park’s canvas all season. The most popular viewing area is Cades Cove, while Cataloochee, on the east side of the park and away from the main roads, is more secluded.
Lake Champlain Byway
Bathed in the best of fall color, northwest Vermont’s Lake Champlain Byway marks every turn with spectacular beauty. Scenic overlooks take in the lake, Vermont’s Green Mountains and New York’s Adirondack Mountains, sometimes all in the same glance. Skirting farms and forests, the byway also passes through Vermont’s largest city, Burlington, as well as several quintessential New England towns where white-steepled churches, covered bridges and fall harvest festivals beckon visitors to linger.
The Northwoods
Autumn’s color unfolds in Wisconsin’s Northwoods as the sugar maples and red maples of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest put on their best show. Leafy forests harbor black bears, timber wolves and white-tailed deer. Colorful byways pass lakes, swamps, bogs and trails perfect for hiking and biking in the crisp fall air. Two visitor centers, the Wild River Interpretive Center in Florence and the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center near Ashland, offer information kiosks and displays on the area’s history and wildlife. Don’t miss the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum in Hayward, which is housed in a giant fiberglass muskie.
White Mountains Trail
Peppered throughout the stunning fall colors of New Hampshire’s 100-mile White Mountains Trail are covered bridges, historic sites and quaint villages. Winding through parts of the White Mountain National Forest, the byway’s main loop begins at the visitor center in North Woodstock on U.S. Highway 3. Off the main route are two secondary loops–one to the north, the other, south. All three loops provide travelers with ample opportunities to camp, canoe and kayak, hike, explore caves and caverns, and ride horses. They also offer access to several state parks, museums, golf courses and antique shops.
Sheltowee Trace
Daniel Boone first explored and then led pioneers through the area now known as Daniel Boone National Forest. Today’s explorers can hike in Boone’s footsteps along the 269-mile Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail, which cuts a swath through the entire length of the forest. The trace begins at Pickett State Park in Tennessee and ends near Rowan County. To get the most out of fall foliage viewing, horses, off-road vehicles and mountain bikes are allowed on some portions of the trace.
Mohawk Trail
Initially an American Indian footpath from the Massachusetts-New York state line to Millers Falls on the Connecticut River, the 63-mile Mohawk Trail today serves as a foray into both the Massachusetts region’s rich history and the cultural advancements of modern times.
Travelers on the scenic route can spy fall color while they stop at numerous shops and seasonal fairs, museums and state parks, and then spend a night at an inn or campground. Natural wonders include New England’s only natural bridge and Mount Greylock, the state’s highest mountain. Those who want to immerse themselves in the life of the trail can hike a preserved portion of its original footpath in the Mohawk Trail State Forest in Charlemont.
North Cascades National park
Washington’s North Cascades National Park is popular with hikers and rock climbers, but a drive through the park’s adjoining recreation areas and surrounding wilderness makes it accessible for any kind of traveler.
Known as one of the state’s most beautiful mountain drives, state Route 20 undulates 181 miles across the northwestern part of the state from Port Townsend (via ferry and Whidbey Island) to Winthrop. North Cascades Scenic Highway is the northern leg of the massive 400-plus-mile Cascade Loop Scenic Highway and is overflowing with hiking offshoots, lodging options, state parks, recreation areas, museums and nature centers. Fall foliage starts showing its colors here in September.
Blue Ridge Parkway
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the parkway. The landscape here rises and falls as much as 4,000 feet within 50 miles of Asheville, N.C. That means a setting perfect for autumnal splendor as the leaves lose their green in a colorful cascade. Stay awhile because this stunning fall foliage show scattered across North Carolina and Virginia is billed as one of the longest-lasting in the country. The highway is busy during this time of year, but it offers pullouts and nearby trailheads that get leaf peepers closer to the seasonal shades and tints.
Kancamagus Scenic Byway
The Kancamagus Scenic Byway bends through New Hampshire’s White Mountains via state Highway 112, passing near the Appalachian Trail and curling around mountains and past rivers and brooks. A favorite stop is Clark’s Trading Post outside Lincoln. And while the area is a popular regional spot for skiers, the resorts open their gondolas in autumn for visitors seeking even higher fall color vistas than this scenic road can provide.
Talimena Scenic Drive
This scenic drive widely known for its fall foliage traverses two states, from Talihina, Okla., to Mena, Ark. The 54-mile national scenic byway winds its way through Ouachita National Forest and the Ouachita Mountains, with access to ample campgrounds, hiking, all-terrain vehicle and equestrian trails. The area is rich with history from the days of the Old West. The Oklahoma portion of the drive includes Horse Thief Spring Historic Site, a famous outlaw hideaway waiting to be explored.
Colorful cruising
Take in all the autumnal beauty of Canada and New England on a seven-day cruise in September or October. Departures from New York City are available from several cruise lines, including Carnival and Princess. Royal Caribbean will have six departures from Boston for Jewel of the Seas fall foliage voyages.
Shorter or longer cruises also are available. Take in the scenery on a five-night luxury cruise onboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, departing New York City on Oct. 7.
Compiled by editors at AAA’s Home & Away magazine and Midwest Traveler.
