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The Best National Parks For Fall Leaves | Weather.com

The Best National Parks For Fall Leaves

As colors start to change across the country, we've picked out favorite National Parks to visit in the fall.

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Fall is here and leaves are just beginning to change around the country. We've picked out the best National Parks to visit for fall colors.

Best Park For Drivers

Shenandoah National Park’s iconic Skyline Drive attracts drivers looking to see fall leaves from their car as they wind through the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Best Park For Hikers

In Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park offers spectacular views of fall leaves for hikers willing to trek through difficult trails. The nearly nine-mile Sky Pond Trail is a highlight for many.

Tourists drive October 18, 2008 on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah Park, Virginia. The red and gold leaves in the Blue Ridge Mountains are drawing hundreds of people to the scenic drive. AFP PHOTO/Karen BLEIER (Photo credit should read KAREN BLEIER/AFP via Getty Images)
Tourists drive October 18, 2008 on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah Park, Virginia. The red and gold leaves in the Blue Ridge Mountains are drawing many people to the scenic drive every year.
(KAREN BLEIER/AFP via Getty Images)

Best For Late Arrivals

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Fall leaves can start turning as early as mid-September in some locations. If you’re behind schedule, Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas offers a chance to see fall leaves as late as mid-November.

Best For Aspens

California’s iconic Yosemite National Park might be known for waterfalls and challenging climbs like El Capitan and Half Dome, but the park’s aspen groves are the glowing highlight for fall visitors.

Best Park For A Recovery Story

The Blue Ridge Parkway has been a classic destination for tourists to watch the fall colors for decades. Following the devastation of Hurricane Helene, the park’s 469 mile long route through North Carolina and Virginia was closed in 2024. As much of the route has now reopened, tourists have been encouraged to return and spend money to help with ongoing recovery efforts.

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