Best Destination for Fall Foliage (2019)

Wisconsin’s best fall foliage can often be found in Door County. Leaves reach their peak of color between late September and mid-October, when visitors from around the country come to drive its tree-lined roads or hike its trails.
Photo courtesy of Door County Visitor Bureau/Jon Jarosh

The annual display of fall color in the White Mountains of New Hampshire typically takes place each September and October, attracting millions of visitors from around the globe. One of the best places to take it all in is along the 34-mile Kancamagus Highway as it cuts through White Mountain National Forest.
Photo courtesy of White Mountains Attractions Association

Many Finger Lakes communities celebrate the fall riot of color with seasonal festivals and events, including the Bristol Mountain Fall Festival and the Naples Grape Festival.
Photo courtesy of iStock / JimVallee

The Pocono Mountains are ablaze with hues of red, orange and yellow come autumn, thanks to the area’s 127 species of indigenous trees, plants and shrubs. Leaf peepers can hop in the car for a scenic cruise along Route 507 near Lake Wallenpaupack or climb aboard a fall foliage train.
Photo courtesy of Joyce Bambach / Pocono Mountains

Just about the entire Upper Peninsula puts on a display of fall color that peaks during the last two weeks of September and the first week of October. A favorite fall experience for leaf peepers is the drive along M-26 along the shores of Lake Roland and past the trees of Copper Country State Forest.
Photo courtesy of iStock / Snehitdesign

While British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley is best known for its wine, it’s also known for its spectacular golden fall foliage. Drive between Merritt and Ashcroft for some of the best views, or combine your leaf peeping with some wine tastings.
Photo courtesy of iStock / Schleppitis

Autumn is one of the most popular seasons in the Catskills, thanks to the spectacular display of color painted across the region’s hilly terrain. Visitors can soak up the views while zip lining at Hunter Mountain, sipping cider at a local orchard or attending one of many fall festivals.
Photo courtesy of iStock / lightphoto

In the fall, the Hocking Hills region is speckled with a rainbow of bright autumn colors. Visitors can explore the area and see the trees from a different viewpoint on horseback, in a canoe or from above on a zip line or in a hot air balloon.
Photo courtesy of iStock / Ron and Patty Thomas

Vermont is well known for its fall foliage, particularly in the Green Mountains. For the best leaf peeping, make the drive along the Green Mountain Byway between the towns of Waterbury and Stowe. Mount Mansfield, the state’s highest peak, sits along the way.
Photo courtesy of Go Stowe

The mountains of Western North Carolina offer some of the state’s most spectacular fall scenery, particularly along the 40-mile stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway that passes through Jackson County.
Photo courtesy of iStock / Ryan Herron