The fall colors are popping off, which means that the leaf-peeping season is about to hit high tide. It’s one of the best times of year to pack up the car, get a warm drink and a good podcast or playlist, and hit the road. Bring your friends. Invite that special someone. Bring the dog. Or, heck, just go alone to experience the rich tones of autumn in peaceful solitude.
But where to go? That’s always the question when it comes time for a leaf-peeping expedition. So, we did the heavy lifting for you. We rounded up seven road trips full of stunning scenery, exciting side stops, and, of course, plenty of autumn color. Pick one near you, or plan your own with some helpful tips we’ve included below.
Time is of the essence, though. These colors always change and disappear faster than you’d expect. So gas up, and go get your road trip started before fall starts fading into winter.
Best Road Trips for Leaf Peeping
1. Green Mountain Byway, Vermont
Vermont has options in spades when it comes to leaf peeping and stunning fall road trips, but the 11-mile Green Mountain Byway (GMB) can’t be missed.
The GMB travels along Vermont Route 100 through the towns of Waterbury and Stowe. It’s sandwiched between the spine of the northern Green Mountains to the west and the peaks of the Worcester Range to the east.
The drive provides stunning views of open meadows, farmland, and the changing colors of the surrounding forests, all with the mountains serving as a picturesque backdrop. The Vermont woods are full of maple, ash, oak, and birch trees that make for eye-popping leaf-peeping.
The route provides easy access to historic farms, farmsteads, villages, mill sites, the Waterbury Reservoir, and three state parks. Popular stops include the following:
- Mount Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak
- Hyde Park
- Waterbury Center
- Morristown
- Cambridge
- Cold Hollow Cider Mill
2. Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina & Virginia
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a spectacular drive any time of year, but it’s exceptional during the fall. This U.S. National Parkway, often called “America’s favorite drive,” meanders 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina.
The drive connects Shenandoah National Park and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s famous for being a slow-paced drive with views of long-range vistas, pastoral landscapes, and up-close glimpses of the local mountains. The leaves begin to change in early October, with color displays peaking in the second or third week of October.
With so many incredible stops along the way, it’s hard to choose just a few. But some of the most sought-after include the following:
- Shenandoah National Park
- Natural Bridge State Park
- Fancy Gap
- Blowing Rock
- Linville Falls
- Craggy Gardens
- Chimney Rock State Park
- Sliding Rock
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
3. San Juan Skyway, Colorado
The San Juan Skyway, designated by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation as an All-American Road, is a 236-mile loop that travels through the Colorado cities of Durango, Mancos, Dolores, Stoner, Rico, Telluride, Ridgway, Ouray, and Silverton.
The highway travels through high mountain passes and historic towns, passing by 5 million acres of the San Juan and Uncompahgre national forests. Travelers are treated to views of wildflowers, waterfalls, mountain ranges, and, in the fall, the impressive color display put on by the aspen trees lining the road.
While on your trip, be sure to check out the following:
- Historical towns of Silverton, Telluride, and Ouray
- Cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park
- Train ride from Durango to Silverton
- One of the many hiking trails along the route
4. Columbia River Highway, Oregon
The Columbia River Highway is one of the most scenic drives out there, regardless of when you visit. It’s the first major paved road in the Pacific Northwest and the first designated scenic highway in the United States.
The highway begins east of Portland and meanders 350 miles through the Columbia River Gorge. The historic highway offers breathtaking views of temperate rainforest, densely forested hills, waterfalls, moss-lined canyons, a rushing river, and, during the fall, the changing leaves. Alder, cottonwood, maple, ash, birch, and various species of oak make it a spectacular scene to drive through.
The window for viewing the fall foliage is typically late September to mid-October. During your time in Oregon, be sure to stop and check out some of these points of interest:
5. Kancamagus Highway, New Hampshire
Navigating 34.5 miles of country roads throughout White Mountain National Forest, the Kancamagus Highway is well worth a visit, especially during the fall.
A trip back in time, the highway is void of gas stations, restaurants, and hotels, allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves in the views and the experience. Due to its rich history, unparalleled beauty, and culture, the highway is officially designated as an American Scenic Byway.
Often recognized as one of the best fall foliage displays in the country, the highway is lined by trees with additional views of the White Mountains, Swift River, Sabbaday Falls, Lower Falls, and Rocky Gorge.
Worthy stops include the following:
- Swift River
- Albany Covered Bridge
- Lower Falls Scenic Area
- Champney Falls Trail
- Russell-Colbath Homestead
- Sabbaday Falls Picnic Area
- One of the six campgrounds along the highway
6. Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway, New Mexico
Often referred to as “the land of enchantment,” New Mexico is fittingly home to the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway.
The 83-mile loop travels through mountains, valleys, mesas, and national forests and offers plenty of glimpses of the stunning fall foliage. Aspens are the star of the show, so visitors can expect to see beautiful golden leaves that are unlike any other.
Popular stops along the way include the following:
- D.H. Lawrence Ranch
- Cabresto Lake
- Red River
- Elizabethtown
- Eagle Nest
- Wheeler Peak, the highest point in all of New Mexico
7. Upper Peninsula Day Drive, Michigan
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is a fun and adventurous trip that can be done in a few hours or a couple of weeks, depending on how much you want to pack in.
The day drive through the Upper Peninsula meanders through small-town back roads and offers the opportunity to view cascading waterfalls, slide down sand dunes, explore the rugged wilderness, and swim in Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world.
There are plenty of worthy places to visit in the Upper Peninsula, but popular destinations include the following:
- Great Lakes Memorial Marina
- Menominee North Pier Light Station
- West Shore Fishing Museum
- Escanaba
- Cedar River
- Sand Point Lighthouse
- Peninsula Point Nature Trail
- Manistique Boardwalk
- Seney National Wildlife Refuge
Frequently Asked Questions: Plan Your Own Leaf-Peeping Road Trip
Plain and simple, “leaf peeping” is the act of looking at leaves, typically in the fall, while the colors are changing. Leaf peeping is an excellent way to spend a fall weekend and makes for a great excuse to go on a little road trip — or a big one. Stop along the way and take a hike through the forest as it bursts with colors. Take photos. Have a picnic somewhere. The world is your oyster.
Pro tip: Pack wisely for your leaf-peeping road trip. Bring some binoculars or a monocular. Bring your hiking shoes or hiking boots so you can go for a stroll in the woods. Pack a nice lunch if you’re really thinking ahead and enjoy it among the trees. And of course, don’t forget a camera. Whether you bring a DSLR, a polaroid, or use your phone, you’ll want a way to capture some of that fall beauty.
Anywhere there are deciduous trees! That includes species of aspens, maple, ash, oak, alder, birch, hickory, beech, and many, many others. If you know of a road that passes through a scenic area filled with deciduous trees, keep it in your back pocket for a nice fall foliage drive.
We’ve listed many great places and roads you can drive to leaf peep. But you can do this anywhere. Some areas get crowded on weekends during leaf-peeping season. If you can find a place to do it that’s off the beaten path, you’ll have all those fall colors to yourself.
That is a tricky question. Leaf-peeping season is generally during the fall, from the beginning of September to early or middle October, in most places in North America. However it also depends on how much moisture the trees got throughout the summer, how cold or warm it is, the elevation, and even minerals present in the soil. There are a lot of variables.
Not all leaf-peeping seasons are created equal. Some years are explosively colorful and happen very quickly, while others are slower and more mild.
That said, in Colorado, I have always found the third and fourth weeks of September to be the brightest and most colorful time for leaf peeping. As you start creeping into October, the colors become darker shades of yellow and deeper shades of red and brown. Timing is everything. So, if you’re traveling for a leaf-peeping road trip, make sure you consult a calendar first.
