It’s time to get your hiking boots on! Fall is here! It’s time to take advantage of the changing seasons, lace up those hiking boots, grab some snacks, and hit the trails to see fall foliage at its finest.
Whether you hike to mountaintop vistas, glassy lakes, or by roaring waterfalls, these hiking spots are the best to see fall foliage in all its glory.
Caesars Head State Park, North Carolina
Just outside of Greenville, North Carolina is Caesars Head State Park where you can hike the Dismal Trail loop, an 8.8-mile hiking loop. If you want some challenging terrain, this hike is for you! Stop on the suspension bridge for a breathtaking view of the Raven Cliff Waterfalls, and of course beautiful fall foliage!
Haystack Mountain: Wilmington, Vermont
Haystack Mountain’s 5-mile trail is perfect for a trek this fall. While you can see wildflowers galore in the summer, fall is truly the best time for a hike. At Haystack’s summit, you will be reward with pops of bright reds, oranges, and golden yellows.
Yosemite National Park: California
Yosemite is one of the most famous parks in the country, but fall is not its busiest season, which is fantastic for hikers looking to see some fall foliage. The Park has elevation changes of 11,000 feet, so you’ll trek through alpine meadows and oak woodlands. Look out for black oaks and golden bigleaf maples—they erupt in bright into bright orange and gold in the fall.
Aspen, Colorado
A fall foliage hiking list would not be complete with a mention of Aspen, Colorado. It is one of the most iconic spots to see foliage where golden aspens abound during the fall. It is named Aspen for a reason!
There are plenty of hiking trails here that will allow you to truly immerse yourself in the golden aspen leaves, especially if you trek to the nearby Maroon Bells, two 14,000 ft mountains in the White River National Forest range.
Acadia National Park: Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor is the perfect home base to visit Acadia National Park. Not only can you kayak or take a boat tour to see the leaves, but you can hike Acadia in all its fall glory.
The Park Loop Road is a 27-mile road that brings visitors to oceanfront cliffs and towering forests, but there are also 125 miles of hiking and mountain biking trail to explore as well.
Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest: Saratoga, Wyoming
Boasting 3 million acres, the Thunder Basin National Grassland and the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest are a draw for hikers and nature lovers year-round. But in the fall, the aspen trees erupt into stunning color. Saratoga is a great base for easy access to Medicine bow, and leaf lovers shouldn’t miss out on a stay at Brush Creek Ranch with over 30,000 acres of fall foliage with trails to hike and bike through.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Tennessee
While Tennessee is known for long and hot summers, when fall arrives, it brings fall foliage in all its splendor. There are countless places to enjoy the fall foliage in Tennessee, including the Great Smoky Mountains. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most visited parks in the country because as soon as the leaves begin to change it is one of the most beautiful displays of fall foliage around.
The Land of Enchantment: New Mexico
While New Mexico may not be the first state to come to mind when thinking of fall foliage, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t burst into color in the fall. New Mexico is known as the Land of Enchantment for a reason! While fall foliage only lasts a week in some areas, it turns vibrant gold, lighting up the hiking trails and byways in the fall.
If you can time it right, you will witness beautiful fall foliage on the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway and the High Road to Taos.
Get Equipped for Fall with 3RK
Get ready for wherever the trail will take you with mountain bikes, snowboards, skis, and more from 3RK. With our easy lease-to-own options, you will get the best gear available at a price you can afford. Enjoy time outside this fall with 3RK!
