One thing I’m seriously envious of is when it comes to travel in the US compared to the UK is fall road trips. Sure, autumn in the UK is pretty but we don’t have the mass expanses of forests that decorate the landscape with their fall coats of yellows, oranges, reds and browns. If I were in the US this fall, this is where my road trips would take me.🍃🚗
1 Blue Ridge Parkway🍂
My personal favorite of the bunch is the glorious Blue Ridge Parkway, a 469-mile stretch of road across the heart of Appalachia that acts as a connector between the Great Smokey Mountains National Park and the Shenandoah National Park. The colors and scenery, especially at this time of the year, are absolutely stunning, and the parkway is regularly voted the top of the most visited lists.
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2 Cherohala Skyway🚗
Another route that takes you through the amazing Appalachian Mountains, the Cherohala Skyway is a slightly shorter options, coming in at a 43-mile drive from Tennessee to North Carolina. The skyway was first opened in 1996 and has proved extremely popular with people wanting a shorter road trip alternative.
3 San Juan Skyway🌳
Though many fall road trips are often oriented by the east coast, there are some amazing locations to be visited in the west too. Such as, for example, this 233-mile loop of scenic road that guides you across the natural beauty and wonders of the San Juan Mountains. You get a distinctly different vibe on the West Coast compared to the East Coast!
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Though many fall road trips are often oriented by the east coast, there are some amazing locations to be visited in the west too. Such as, for example, this 233-mile loop of scenic road that guides you across the natural beauty and wonders of the San Juan Mountains. You get a distinctly different vibe on the West Coast compared to the East Coast! Imagine driving past vibrant aspen groves, charming historic towns, and jaw-dropping mountain vistas.Every turn reveals a new surprise, making it perfect for the adventurous soul seeking an unforgettable fall experience in the heart of Colorado.
4 Essex Coastal Scenic Byway🍃
Back over to the East, this fun drive will take you on a 90-mile long trip through 14 of Massachusetts’ most beautiful coastal communities. If you are looking for a classic New England type road trip filled with picturesque views and some real historical attractions, then the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway could be the one for you.
5 Upper Delaware Scenic Byway📷
You might also know this stretch as the New York State Route 97, and it is a 70-mile long section that takes you along the Pennsylvania border and the namesake river. Filled with sloping hills, cut rock shapes and long valley vistas, you will be hard pushed to find a more enjoyable afternoon of driving.
6 Mount Nebo Scenic Byway🏞
Not a state that immediately comes to mind when thinking of fall colors! This short and sweet 35-mile loop takes you alongside the Mount Nebo Wilderness Area where you can enjoy a wide array of natural beauty including oak, spruce-fir, aspen and juniper, all of which thrive in abundance across Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. There are plenty of campgrounds along the way too if you want to stay the night!
7 US Route 40 Scenic🚘
If you are seriously pushed for time, then why not enjoy the tiniest of road trips with the 9.5-mile stretch of road in Maryland! It may be small, but it certainly packs a punch, and in fact it is the only ‘scenic route’ in the entire country that has actually been officially designated as such by the US Highway System!
8 Talimena Scenic Drive🌲
Spanning a total of 54 miles from Oklahoma to Arkansas, the Talimena Scenic Drive cuts straight through the Ouachita National Forest, the single oldest official national forest in the American south! The array of reds, oranges and golds that you experience along the drive is nothing short of a photographer’s dream.
9 Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive🏜
Let’s be real, Nevada is hot as hell during the summer, but as the fall comes in there is the chance for some more exploration, and the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive is the perfect opportunity to get out on the road and see something more than just desert, with white barked aspen trees a plenty.
Now it’s your turn to tell me your favorite places to see the many colors of Fall.
