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Rocky Mountain National Park
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Photo by Will Pattiz and Jim Pattiz
The peak of the fall color gold rush in this beautiful region of the country is usually in late September, when the whole park is bathed in an aspen glow. Adding to this impressive natural display are the herds of elk spread throughout the park. One of the highlights of rutting season is hearing the bulls "bugle" in search of a mate.
Daylight and elevation set the timing of the color season while rain, snow, cold and wind affect the intensity of color. The best way to see Rocky Mountain National Park is by going for a walk or taking a hike. While dogs aren't allowed on the trails, there are short hikes for families and more challenging long trails for experienced hikers.
Visitors can take a short walk to several lakes in the park or climb to the top of the park's highest mountain—the 14,259-foot tall Longs Peak.
Bear Lake Road, the Peak to Peak National Scenic Byway, Cache la Poudre National Scenic Byway and the Colorado River Headwaters National Scenic Byway are favorite drives to experience brilliant fall colors.
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camp site.Acadia National Park
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Photo by Will Pattiz and Jim Pattiz
The best time to visit Acadia National Park is September and October; after the summer crowds have left, but before the temperatures get too low. The summer crowds disperse as the high average temperatures drop to the 40s and 50s, but the disappearance of the bustling crowds makes a fall visit all the more enjoyable.
In October, the leaves take on brilliant shades of red and yellow, making the picturesque vistas of the park that much more dramatic. Whether you're taking in the views from Cadillac Mountain, climbing the Bee Hive or just driving along Park Loop Road, Acadia's attractions are on full display in the fall.
Park Loop Road is among the best scenic drives in the country. Beginning at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center, the loop is 27 miles. During this drive, you'll find yourself peacefully driving under a dense canopy of trees, passing over stone bridges and bubbling creeks, and then, without warning, the trees clear and you're presented with a sweeping view of the Atlantic Ocean crashing against the rocky coast.
For the best fall color, take a stroll around Jordan Pond in early-mid-October. There you'll see a kaleidoscope of reds, yellows, oranges and greens set against the placid blue waters of the pond. If you're lucky, you might see an eagle swoop in for an afternoon snack.
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camp site.Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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Photo by Will Pattiz and Jim Pattiz
The Great Smoky Mountains fall foliage show starts in late September and spreads across the park well into early November. Each year, the mountain puts on a brilliant display of fall colors. With all of the different elevations in the mountain regions of North Carolina and Tennessee, there are many areas to visit in October and early November to experience the changing colors.
With more than 100 native species of trees, the Great Smoky Mountains are the perfect spot to watch the changing leaf palettes of autumn. Depending on the elevation, color displays start as early as late-September and usually reach their peak in the mid/lower elevations between mid-October and early November. In these lower areas, sugar maples, scarlet oaks, sweetgums and hickories change into bright gold, red and even purple shades. More than 1,600 species of flowering plants thrive in the park, including mountain laurel, rhododendron and azalea.
For a picturesque and historic drive, journey through Cades Cove, a valley that long served as a hunting ground for Cherokee Indians. The 11-mile one-way loop circles the cove, allowing drivers to take a leisurely tour of the surroundings. Lining the road are a variety of historic buildings, including churches, log cabins and a working gristmill. Cades Cove also allows for excellent wildlife sightings. Frequently found on the route are white-tailed deer, black bears, coyotes and groundhogs. For the more adventurous, the park also contains more than 800 miles of maintained trails, ranging from short, paved walkways to strenuous ascents to the highest peaks.
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camp site.Voyageurs National Park
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Photo by Will Pattiz and Jim Pattiz
Tucked in a remote corner of northern Minnesota and straddling the Canadian border is a place like no other in the national parks system. Here you'll find dense forests, unending lakes and serene wilderness.
Peak foliage typically comes in late September to early October. Visitors who explore the interconnected waterways and hiking trails are rewarded with glowing red maples and oaks, yellow aspens and paper birches and the bright gold of tamaracks. Paddle the placid waters of any of the park's lakes and you'll see why this is one of the national park system's best-kept secrets.
The magnificent splendors of this 55-mile-long park can be reached primarily by water. In fact, water dominates the beautiful landscape of Voyageurs National Park; within its boundaries, more than 30 lakes fill glacier-carved rock basins. Four large lakes—Rainy, Kabetogama, Namakan and Sand Point—cover almost 40 percent of the 218,054 acres of Voyageurs and make it one of the few water-dominated parks in the National Park Service system. Hundreds of rocky islands and a myriad of coves and bays are scattered throughout these large lakes. In the midst of all this water lies the Kabetogama Peninsula, a 75,000 acre roadless land mass. The topography of the peninsula and much of the rest of the park is rugged; rolling hills are interspersed between bogs, beaver ponds, swamps and smaller lakes.
Boats crisscross the lakes. Canoes and kayaks glide the narrow waterways. Fishermen sit at the rails of houseboats, hoping to hook walleye, smallmouth bass and northern pike. Nearly every lake is serenaded by the cry of the loon. And probably in no other national park in the lower 48 states is there a better chance to see bald eagles on the nest and on the wing or hear wolves howl at night.
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camp site.Zion National Park
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Photo by Will Pattiz and Jim Pattiz
Zion is known to be a colorful landscape, but fall brings an even wider range of hues and spectacular vistas to the red rock scenery. October and November are the ideal times of year to visit Zion. With moderate temperatures and smaller crowds, this is the favorite season for many of the local inhabitants most familiar with this beautiful region. Some of the best scenery is found at the higher elevations, many of which are accessible only by four-wheel drive. Wildlife is more plentiful, sunsets are more vivid and hiking can be more pleasant during the fall.
Autumn color lingers well into November through Zion Canyon and even later along the river on the approach to the park. It's a glorious season with generally clear days and crisp nights. By early November, ice may begin to form overnight in the river's shallows and light snows may dust the cliffs and linger in the shade along the road out of the park to the east.
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