America’s Best Fall Foliage Road Trips

While pumpkin spice lattes claim most of the attention during this season, we believe the highlight of fall to be its foliage. What better way to take in the natural beauty of the season than a road trip? Dig into this collection of America's best fall foliage road trips to maximize your leaf peeping opportunities. Let's face it, sweater weather is simply better, especially with a beautiful view on the horizon.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is an American favorite made even more spectacular with a breathtaking display of fall colors. Meandering 469 miles across North Carolina and Virginia, it’s home to Mother Nature’s longest-lasting show of fall foliage, and with thousands of feet in elevation, there is no shortage of scenic overlooks. Mount Mitchell and Grandfather Mountain change color in early October, while areas like Chimney Rock hold out until early November.

For the hardcore leaf peepers among us, there’s no better place to take your vehicle to experience the changing foliage than Montana. Montana’s backcountry offers the ultimate scenes of America’s rugged beauty. Take the road less traveled and cross the Continental Divide on Going-to-the-Sun Road. This 50-mile highway bisects Glacier National Park with plenty of scenic pull-outs to stop and admire the views. If you're lucky, you may even spot wildlife along the way.

Calling all bike enthusiasts. The 27-mile Park Loop Road in Maine is beautiful in a car, but if you're looking for a unique way to leaf peep, try it on a bike. Carriage roads wind throughout Acadia National Park, making this scenic drive perfect for both modes of transport. Not only will you be blown away by the fall foliage, but you can taste the infamous popover at Jordan Pond House.

America’s oldest scenic highway traverses the cliffs of Oregon for 75 miles of some of the best views this grand old land has to offer. Constructed in the early 1900s to give travelers up-front-and-personal access to Mother Nature in all of her glory, Columbia River Highway boasts the title of America’s first scenic highway. It dons fall hues in mid-October when its signature cottonwood, ash and maple trees begin to turn. Starting just east of Portland, the drive is also home to several waterfalls including Multnomah Falls and Horsetail Falls.

The Mitten’s Gold Coast gets most of the attention when people talk about fall colors, but the somewhat untamed beauty of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula shines in the fall as well. This five-hour loop leaving from Newberry packs in everything you could want in a fall color tour — trees, beers and even bears. Take some pictures at the Crisp Point Lighthouse, Tahquamenon Falls State Park (pictured above) and Michigan’s only historic cranberry bog, the Centennial Cranberry Farm.

It's no secret that Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming holds some of the most iconic views in America, so imagine the scenery painted with autumn colors. The 42-mile Grand Teton loop gives you the most bang for your buck when it comes to taking in the landscape. We recommend starting in Moose, Wyoming. You can do the drive quickly or make a full day of it and stop at unique sites along the way like Jenny Lake or Mormon Row.

Winding through the southern Berkshires in western Massachusetts, Jacob’s Ladder Scenic Byway follows the rivers that Native Americans traveled between Connecticut and the Hudson River Valley. At just 35 miles long, this foliage drive is perfect for slowing down and taking it all in. Drive this stretch of New England — straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting — before the cold sets in and witness the landscape’s change from summer’s green to autumn’s golds and reds. If you prefer some time outside the car, this route stretches alongside a chunk of the Appalachian Trail.

The Skyline Drive is a 105-mile National Scenic Byway that twists and winds through the 200,000-plus pristine acres that make up Shenandoah National Park. This one-of-a-kind park in Virginia is one of the nation’s premier fall RV trips for people who want to see fall foliage. In addition to the stunning scenery, Shenandoah offers plenty of other outdoor activities as well, such as hiking and wildlife viewing.

There’s a region in Southwestern Wisconsin that the glaciers never touched, deemed the “Driftless Area.” Stop along the way in Spring Green, Wisconsin, and grab a book and coffee before you tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s school, Taliesin. Beyond the beautiful tree-lined roads found on Wisconsin’s scenic autumn drives, the route from Madison up to La Crosse through the Driftless Area is chock-full of fall harvest stands and examples of Frank Lloyd Wright's iconic architecture.

Brilliant colors cover New Hampshire's Kancamagus Highway in autumn. Nicknamed the "Kanc," this scenic byway is well-known as one of the best places to take in fall foliage. At 34.5 miles long, this drive cuts through the White Mountain National Forest and packs a punch with its scenery and rich history. Pro tip: Don't miss the many waterfalls found in this area.

The middle of October is the best time to check out the leaves in the middle of Michigan. Grab some pumpkins and apples at a farm, and snap a few photos at a covered bridge. May we suggest Fallasburg Covered Bridge, Pioneer Village & School? Take a walk through one of the gorgeous parks along this route that loops around central Michigan. Seriously, it doesn’t get more autumn-y than that! See our trip itinerary here.

New York State's Finger Lakes region boasts some of the best fall foliage views in America. At the heart of the Finger Lakes, you'll find the Seneca Lake Scenic Byway, a 19-mile corridor that comes to life during this season. Outdoor activities are in no short supply, and the wineries and breweries along the way offer a tasty reward.