The National Parks With The Best Fall Color

America's national parks have some spectacular views year-round, but many of them truly shine during the fall when the leaves change color. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is America's most visited national park, and its views truly peak in the fall. The elevation changes create foliage displays that last longer than in most places and offer breathtaking photo opportunities. Across the country, in Yosemite National Park, the mix of deciduous species with evergreens creates a nice contrast in a park that's quieter than during peak summer. You'll find views you'll never forget in these national parks with the best fall color.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park stands as the best of the national parks to view fall foliage, thanks to its long season. It is one of the most visited national parks in the country, and fall is the apex for visitors. Foliage displays start in mid-September at higher elevations in the Appalachian Mountains. As the season progresses, fall color sweeps down the mountainside to lower elevations, creating a unique aesthetic and making for breathtaking photos.

Given the park's size, you can still see fall foliage without dealing with the crowds. Lakeview Drive offers a scenic 6.5-mile drive through the park in North Carolina. For a longer drive, there's the Blue Ridge Parkway. It links the park with Shenandoah National Park, running for 469 miles and providing especially impressive views in the fall. Hikers also have plenty of options, like the Porters Creek Trail, which includes beautiful waterfalls that accentuate the fall color.

Acadia National Park

Up in Maine, Acadia National Park offers excellent fall displays, enhanced by its coastal backdrop. Foliage timing varies with weather, but it typically peaks in the first few weeks of October. This is also one of the park's busiest times, with many visitors coming to see the foliage of the maples and birches.

One of the best displays in the park is found on the Bubbles Nubble Loop. The trail takes hikers to the summits of North Bubble, South Bubble, and Conners Nubble, with great panoramic views of the park and its foliage. And for something unique, paddle out on Eagle Lake. Deciduous trees surround the lake, and the combination of the fall color and their reflection on the calm water makes for one of the best foliage displays in the country.

Shenandoah National Park

Timing peak fall foliage in Shenandoah National Park is difficult, and the target will shift from late September to early November because of Virginia's unpredictable weather and the changing elevations in the park. The best way to know that peak fall foliage is to check the National Park Service's website for color updates.

While foliage may be unpredictable, one thing isn't: the crowds. Fall is the busiest time of year, but some off-the-beaten-path locations have impressive colors and smaller crowds. The Skyline Drive is the perfect gateway to these more obscure places, like Rockfish Gap Entrance Station. Not far from Rockfish Gap is the trail to Turk Mountain. It's an easier mountain to climb than most, with an elevation gain of only 690 feet, and it offers a great view of the western part of the park at the summit.

Rocky Mountain National Park

The aspens of Rocky Mountain National Park make for some of the most impressive displays in the western part of the United States. Depending on the species and elevation, their leaves turn gold, brown, orange, red, and purple. Bear Lake Road offers excellent foliage views and is a popular drive for visitors.

Timing a visit to Rocky Mountain National Park is tricky. The park requires a timed entry reservation during designated hours from the end of May until late October. Peak foliage is typically earlier than in other parts of the country, with late September being a solid bet. Depending on the weather, peak foliage may be in mid-September to early October, meaning flexibility is key to getting the most out of a visit to the area.

Yosemite National Park

California is home to the world-famous Yosemite National Park. The park has a striking fall display every year thanks to its wide variety of tree species that produce various colors. Visitors find yellows from quaking aspens and cottonwoods, reds from maples and dogwoods, oranges from the black oaks, and a hint of purple from poison oak. These colors all mix with the greens of the coniferous trees for a sharp contrast. Because of California's climate, Yosemite also has one of the later foliage displays each year, peaking in late October and early November, with some color occasionally lingering until December. The best part is that, unlike many other parks that see a surge of attendance during the fall, it's one of the quieter times at Yosemite.

Yosemite Valley is the best place to see the full range of foliage, with a nice mix of species for great color. The basin of Wawona also offers a great place to see black oaks and dogwoods, along with a nice mix of colors from shrubs.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Ohio's only national park is no slouch when it comes to fall color. Cuyahoga Valley National Park gets busy in the fall as locals and tourists alike descend on it to see the impressive displays of fall color. Its long-running foliage season lasts through most of October, thanks to its diverse range of species. Red maples and sugar maples signal the start of the foliage season by changing first into striking red and orange colors. The white and pin oaks then take over, adding browns and reds to the landscape. The season ends with red oaks and dogwoods adding more red color to the landscape.

Because of this long, varied season, the best place to see the foliage depends on when you visit. In early October, Oak Hill Trail will provide a great look at the maples and lead hikers to Sylvan Pond for an idyllic view. In the middle of the month, the Brandywine Gorge Trail has a gorgeous display of maples and oaks, capped off with the breathtaking Brandywine Falls. At the end of the month, the Ledges trails lead to the Ledges Overlook, which provides a panoramic view of the late-turning oaks.

Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton National Park shows off the best of Wyoming, and fall is the perfect time to visit. The cooler temperatures lead to thinner crowds, but they're missing out on an excellent foliage display. The park has a mix of hawthorn, willow, aspen, and cottonwoods that provide a beautiful mix of yellows, reds, and oranges that pop against the mountain backdrop. Foliage is typically at its peak in late September and early October, though local weather can shift these timings.

Oxbow Bend is one of the most famous areas in the park, and it's an impressive sight in the fall. Find the right place to get a perfect picture of the Snake River, Mount Moran, and the trees in a single shot. And for a scenic drive, there's the Moose-Wilson Road that provides a good location to see hawthorns with their deep red leaves.

The fall foliage season is often a popular time to visit many national parks across the United States, thanks to their impressive color. Flexibility is key to finding the best fall displays, as weather plays a big role in when peak foliage begins and the depth of the colors. Avoid the crowds by staying on some of the more obscure trails, and you'll be treated to some of the best color at these national parks.