Best Places To Hike In The Fall
The Fall Colors Around the U.S.
Whether you are the hiker who blazes trails and does thru hikes in the Rockies, or the hiker that takes an occasional weekend to hike some waterfalls, we all love the fall color hikes.
And here’s why:
The fall is one of the best times to get out and hike because:
- the weather is usually ambient
- who doesn’t love “sweater weather”?!
- the scenery is unbelievable with the reds, yellows, oranges, and pinks
- It’s a great time to reconnect with friends after a busy summer
Dive in below to find your next fall color trip!
1. Mount Rainier in Mt. Rainier National Park: Washington
Paradise at Mount Rainier, courtesy photographer Ross Troxa
Mount Rainier is the perfect place to go if you’re not looking for a huge amount of elevation (2,000 feet) but want to take a decent hike and see the colors.
Since it is a National Park, you will need a Park Pass, but the views are totally worth the money and the hike. There is a network of trails around the park that allow for you to decide if you want to take a long or short hike.
2. Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Drone Picture of Copper Peak. Photo Copyright to Steve Carr.
Voted recently as the Best Place to See Fall Colors in USAToday, the Northern part of Michigan reigns for 2018. A vast amount of land that has a history rich in timbering and mining is an amazing site to behold in the fall.
The areas of Porcupine Mountains provide amazing hikes, fall foliage and lake scenery. The Gogebic Range provide spectacular views of the surround land and lakes with Copper Peak, dozens of waterfalls tucked everywhere, and exhilarating hikes throughout the landscape. The Tahquamenon Falls are always gushing in September and October and are a picture-perfect view with a colorful background.
3. Million Dollar Highway in Durango, Colorado
Remarkably one of the best drives you will ever take in your life in terms of scenery, this Highway is more than just looking through your car window.
Million Dollar Highway Photo Copyright to Durango, Colorado.
Unless you live in Colorado, this scenic driving and hiking area is probably a long weekend or week-long trip. Its out-standing views, mountain, lakes and rivers and vast amount of wooded land make for gorgeous views, a must for any fall color tourist.Something to note however, is that in this region for hiking, you will experience substantial elevation with hiking, but the views are unbeatable.
4. Glacier National Park in Montana
Montana alone is an amazing place to visit as it has a massive amount of scenery to see. However, the National Park holds an incredibly vast amount of lake scenery, glaciers, animal species, and places for visitors to explore.
Photo Copyright Exclusively to Erika Morck, Share the Experience
The National Park does require a pass, but it is definitely worth it. Make this trip in the fall, reserve a campsite or hotel, and hike the day away.
5. Pictured Rocks in Munising, Michigan.
Back to Michigan and this spot is revered by visitors that cannot believe they are in Michigan. The Rocks are almost painted in the sunlight, and the fall foliages of Maples, Birch, and Oaks are highlighted in the background.
The Pictured Rocks are located in Munising, which features the Chapel Loop, a 6.5-mile loop that extends are the Chapel Falls. The Chapel Falls are surrounded by exclusively gorgeous scenery that is exemplified by the 80-foot waterfall.
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When to Go for Peak Colour
Peak colour is narrower than people plan for, usually a window of one to two weeks in any given spot, and it moves predictably enough to aim at.
Two variables drive it. Latitude moves the peak south at roughly 100 miles per week through the season. Elevation moves it down the mountain at roughly 500 feet per week. That is why Michigan's Upper Peninsula and northern Montana turn in late September while Durango's high country peaks in the first half of October and the southern Appalachians hold on into late October and early November.
The practical approach is to pick an elevation band rather than a date. If the summits have already turned and dropped, drive lower. If the valleys are still green, drive higher. On a mountain like Rainier you can often find peak colour somewhere on the road in a three week window, just not at the same altitude each time.
Weather sets the quality. Cool nights above freezing with warm sunny days produce the most intense colour, while a hard early frost or a windy wet spell can strip a hillside in days. Most state tourism boards publish a weekly colour tracker in season, and they are more reliable than a long range forecast.
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