Map Reveals Best Spots To View Fall Foliage in the US

Fall is in full swing across the United States, and leaf peepers—people heading out to take in the scenic foliage—are out in force.

New England is famed for its red and gold treetop hues at this time of year, but there are plenty of spots across the country that are great for exploring at this time of year.

Here are seven of the best leaf-peeping locations across the U.S. right now.

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1. Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Foliage on the Cape is some of the best in the country and has the advantage of coming a little later than in some other spots. In other words, there are still a few weeks of prime leaf peeping to be had.

Pitch pines, black oak, white oak, red maple and beech trees are among those making up the forests here, according to the National Park Service (NPS). The fall display is kicking off now and will continue into late October.

“The forests of Southern New England are quite different than Northern New England, so it’s not just the Cape,” former meteorologist Jim Salge, a foliage expert for Yankee Magazine, told the Cape Cod Times.

“The Berkshires and the Monadnock region is the first place you start to get into Sugar Maple dominant forests, closer to the Cape it’s a lot more oaks. But, that can be nice too.”

2. Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina

Tens of thousands of people visit the Blue Ridge Mountains each year to see the fall foliage and vibrant colors, according to the online travel guide Blue Ridge Mountain Life. It’s easy to see why.

The varied elevations allow for extensive views of the tree tops in full swing before the leaves fall off for winter. What’s more, the show continues for over a month, usually into November.

Leaf colors change at higher elevations first, where it’s colder, and work their way down the mountainsides.

Expect to see northern hardwood forests at 3,000 to 5,000 feet turning red, orange and gold around now. These are filled with American birch, yellow birch and maple trees, according to the NPS.

The Blue Ridge Parkway—stretching 469 miles between Shenandoah National Park and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park—is a great drive for those wishing to take in the fall colors while on the road.

3. Shawangunk Mountains, New York

One for the city folk, the Shawangunk Mountains are just a 90 miles drive north of Manhattan and offer scenic views of the fall leaves until late October.

The Shawangunk Mountains Scenic Byway is an 88-mile loop, with a notable section between Kerhonkson and New Paltz. According to Ulster County Tourism, the drive “offers views of rustic farmlands and mountain vistas, and ascends into the Shawangunk Mountains, which rise more than 2,000 feet above sea level.”

Trees here include red maple and sweet birch.

4. McKenzie Pass—Santiam Pass Scenic Byway, Oregon

This 34-mile stretch of road is everything you want for a fall road trip through the heart of Oregon. The byway heads through the Cascade Mountains, where trees flanking the river display shades of red, gold and orange until late October.

Conifer trees, including cedar, pine, maple and several species of fir, line the way, according to the McKenzie History Highway website.

“Forests along the Byway contain rare old-growth fir and ponderosa pine, and are home to a great variety of fish and wildlife, including several endangered species, such as bald eagles, northern spotted owls, Chinook salmon and bull trout,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service states on its website.

5. Charlottesville, Virginia

Sitting at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Charlottesville is a great spot for leaf peeping at this time of year.

Colorful trees surround vineyards in this part of the country, and foliage displays continue until early November.

“The ‘great fade,’ a loss of chlorophyll that often precedes the change to yellow, continues statewide,” the Virginia Department of Forestry said in an update on October 9.

“Many areas have already enjoyed an early red preview from Virginia creeper, dogwood, sourwood, black gum and sumacs. Overall, there is great variability across the landscape, from green to bright shades to brown, even over small geographic areas.”

6. Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Bucks County was named the number one fall foliage destination by Travel & Leisure.

The colors here reach their peak from mid-October onward, and you can see them in under an hour of driving from Philadelphia or 90 minutes from New York City.

Visit Bucks County recommends taking a drive along the Covered Bridge Driving Tour, where 12 covered bridges (unsurprisingly) line the route. These bridges date from the 19th century and make for a great photo with the fall leaves as a backdrop.

7. Hoosier National Forest, Indiana

Hoosier National Forest, in the hills of south central Indiana, is 204,000 acres of pristine leaf peeping at this time of year. The forest spans nine counties and is located about halfway between Indianapolis and the Kentucky state border.

Leaves in Indiana begin changing color in the first week of October and turn into deeper shades into early November.

For those wishing to passively observe the autumnal scenery, the French Lick Scenic Railway offers a one-hour and 45-minute journey through the hills and forests.

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