Autumn color depends on weather, elevation, tree species and latitude. A mountain ridge and a nearby valley can look very different on the same day. Use current regional foliage reports to refine your dates rather than treating one calendar week as a guarantee.
Leave time for towns, short walks and quiet viewpoints. Popular foliage weekends can bring traffic and limited parking, so confirm lodging and group arrangements early.
The Kancamagus Scenic Byway passes through the heart of the White Mountains while traversing the flank of Mt. Kancamagus, filled with scenic areas and overlooks. Visit the Russell Colbath Historic Site, which offers colonial history, and explore the Forest Discovery Trail, which provides forest ecology experiences in a living classroom.
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The Parkway provides spectacular mountain and valley vistas, quiet pastoral scenes, sparkling waterfalls and colorful flower and foliage displays as it extends through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and North Carolina.
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This byway follows the majestic shoreline of Lake Superior, the world s largest freshwater lake. Experience some of the most spectacular scenery in the country. The drive provides access to eight state parks, and the Superior National Forest and offers unlimited opportunities to enjoy the outdoors in all seasons.
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The Mohawk Trail Scenic Byway celebrates the history, heritage, and natural beauty of an important regional travel route. The Mohawk Trail is steeped in local and regional history and acts as a microcosm of the broader history of the region. Approximately 12,000 years ago, Native Americans used this route to travel between the Hudson River and Connecticut River Valleys. Later, the European settlers used the route, and eventually altered it, to support travel by horse and cart. As the use of automobiles increased, this route became the first to be constructed as a scenic auto touring route.
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The White Mountain Trail offers New England s most rugged mountain scenery as it travels easily through three historic notches or mountain passes. Views abound of villages and unspoiled National Forest. Stops include views of Mount Washington and the grand Mount Washington Hotel, mountain cascades, wildlife, and the Appalachian Trail.
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During its over seventy year history, Skyline Drive has offered travelers the opportunity to view many of the most scenic vistas in the eastern United States. The experience combines the protected setting of Shenandoah National Park with two visitor centers, miles of hiking trails, and opportunities for wildlife viewing.
Explore this route →Mountain weather and road closures can arrive before the color season is over. Choose an alternative lower-elevation route and avoid stopping on a travel lane or entering private land for photographs.