14 US National Parks With Breathtaking Fall Foliage
Summer is finally over, and fall is here! The leaves are getting ready to change colors and where’s a better place to see this than a National Park?! There are 63 national parks in America and while not all of them have the changing of the leaves, the ones that do are other-worldly.
So if you’re ready to peep some leaves this fall, here are the best US National parks for fall foliage!
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Starting in mid-October, you can expect some of the best fall foliage in the country at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The leaves will first, change at elevations above 4,000 feet and then, work their way down to lower elevations.
Trees that have the most colorful leaves in the park are the sugar maple, scarlet oak, sweetgum, red maple, and hickories. Some of the best spots in the park for peeping are the Carlos Campbell Overlook, Cataloochee Overlook, and Clingmans Dome Road.
Glacier National Park
Late September to early October is your best bet to see the leaves change color at the lower elevations of Glacier National Park. Some of the best spots to view the foliage are Going-to-the-Sun Road, Highway 2, and the east part of the park where the aspen trees are.
Aspen trees are the most common trees you’ll see in the park, and during the fall, they change to a vibrant yellow color. There aren’t many other colors in the park but a sea of yellow trees is incredible! Look for road closures and at the weather forecast because Glacier National Park can close pretty early in the fall due to snow and avalanches.
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas is an incredible place to visit during autumn. The weather will be nice and cool and the trees start glowing with unimaginable displays of colors! This means the park will have more visitors than usual, but get on one of the lesser-known trails and you won’t see a soul for miles.
McKittrick Canyon is a great hike to start with. This will take you through the red and yellow trees in the valley. Then there’s Pine Springs, a pretty difficult trail, that will take you up to Devil’s Hall where you can get a great burst of red coloring if you get there at just the right time! The colors here usually start in mid-October and last until mid-November.
Rocky Mountain National Park
This National Park is another one filled with aspens, so you expect to see an amazing sea of yellow. Bear Lake, Alberta Falls, and North Colorado Loop are some of the best places in the park to see the leaves change.
Bear Lake is one of the main attractions and is a great place to see aspens reflecting off of the amazing, calm water of the lake. Alberta Falls is a little bit of a hike to get up to but, during fall, it’s one that you won’t ever forget!
Lastly, there’s the North Colorado Loop, one of the most scenic drives in the park that will give you all the best views of the leaves, mountains, and even wildlife!
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Mid to late October, you’ll want to visit Ohio to see some incredible fall colors at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The place that you’ll want to start is the Hale Farm & Village. Here, you’ll see an adorable little red farm surrounded by colorful trees and green rolling hills. The best trees in the park are the sugar and red maples that will give you red, yellow, and orange leaves.
If you want to avoid the crowds in the park, you’ll want to come either early or late in the day, and on a weekday. Weekends get pretty crazy here with people from around the country coming for some world-class leaf peeping.
Voyageurs National Park
The fall colors here can start as early as mid-September, depending on the weather. Voyageurs is famous for its lakes and one of the best ones to see the fall colors on full display is Lake Kabetogama.
You can rent canoes, kayaks, or a boat to take out on the lake and get views of the incredible trees that line the banks of the lake. If you are wondering if fall has hit Voyageurs National Park, you can head to Minnesota’s Fall Color website to see where the leaves have changed and where they haven’t.
Mount Rainier National Park
This entire national park is a hot spot for fall foliage. The top places to visit include the Sunrise and Chinook Passes, Paradise and Reflection, Bench Lake, and Snow Lake. The best time of year to visit is mid-October to early November when you’ll get all the colors in full effect.
Some of the trees you’ll see change are the cottonwoods, tamarack, elderberry, aspen, and the willows. The park is huge, so if you drive long enough and head up in elevation, you’ll find some fall colors worth peeping.
Congaree National Park
You’ve probably never heard of this national park, but if you’ve seen incredible pictures of red, yellow, and orange trees on Instagram, you’ve probably seen this park. It’s in South Carolina and the fall foliage is everywhere as soon as you enter. No hiking or walking required!
The changing of the leaves happens anywhere from the end of October to the middle of November. If you want, to walk through Fall Heaven on the Boardwalk Loop Trail. It’s a 2.6-mile loop that will take you along a river through the forest on an elevated boardwalk.
Acadia National Park
The East Coast is one of the best places on the planet for leaf peeping. You can head down any road or trail at the right time of the season and see some of the most colorful trees you’ll ever see. Acadia National Park in Maine is known for its A+ fall foliage. The second or third week of October is the best time to come here if you want minimal green and maximum color.
No matter where you are in the park, you’ll see incredible leaves, but some of the best places are the Beehive Loop Trail, Cadillac Mountain, and Jesup Path. These trails and lookouts will take you high above the park for amazing views of the trees or into the trees for a fall wonderland.
Lake Clark National Park
While this park doesn’t have a lot of trees, the ground covering Lake Clark National Park in Alaska creates a blanket of colorful patches as far as the eye can see. The reason for this is the mosses, lichens, sedges, grasses, and berries that carpet the floor in a thick mat of leaves and bushes, and during fall they all turn colors.
September is the best time to visit for fall colors because the snow starts in October. The best location in the park for leaf peeping is the Tanalian Falls Trail, one of the few maintained trails that leads to a 30-foot waterfall and is surrounded by trees and colorful mountains. This park is only accessible by prop plane, but this almost guarantees you’ll have the entire park to yourself!
Mammoth Cave National Park
Late October is the best time to visit Mammoth Cave National Park for fall foliage. The weather is nice and cool at 70 degrees and drops to about 50 at night. Some of the best spots in the park to see the colors on full display are Sunset Point, the three remaining historical churches, and the Sloans Crossing Pond.
Another great thing to do here is rent a canoe or kayak and float down the river. This will let you experience the colors in a peaceful environment with fewer people. Also, while you’re here, go to Mammoth Cave, where you’ll find the world’s longest-known cave system! These dark caves have no fall colors in these dark caves, but they’re super interesting!
Yosemite National Park
This is one of the most popular National Parks in the world! Yosemite is a great place to come during the fall because you’ll avoid the summer crowds and get a show you’ll never forget! Some of the best trees and plants in the park to keep your eyes out for are dogwood, sugar maple, black oak, and, believe it or not, poison oak. Poison oak will turn a bright red to almost purple in the fall, so don’t go near any bushes that look like this.
For the best fall colors, late October is the best time to visit. You’ll want to head to Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point, and Wawona for the best colors. These areas will give you the yellows, reds, and oranges leaf peepers look for.
New River Gorge National Park
As I said, the east coast is the best area for fall foliage and this little National Park in Virginia is the perfect place to see fall in all its glory. The best time to visit here is mid-October to early November. The best locations in the park for fall foliage are Grandview Lookout, Long Point Trail, and the Burnwood Trail. The Long Point Trail will give you the best views, along with, the New River Gorge Bridge. It’s one of the best fall viewpoints you’ll ever see.
The State Park nearby has incredible locations like the Grist Mill and the Endless Wall Trail. The Grist Mill is a little spooky, perfect to get you into the Halloween spirit!
Shenandoah National Park
Last but not least, we have Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. This National Park is famous for its fall colors. They have a fall YouTube channel, that gets updated weekly to let you know if the colors are in full effect. They also have a live webcam that overlooks the valley, so you can see what the leaves look like, in real time.
During the first week of October, the leaves change at the higher elevations of the Park and then work their way down into the valley by mid to late October. The park gets pretty crowded, so make sure you get there early in the day or later in the afternoon.
What do you think?
Have you been to any of these National Parks in the fall? Which one would you recommend visiting for the best leaf peeping? Did I miss any National Parks? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading!
