5 Family Favorite National Parks for Fall Foliage

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Kids are back at school, the nights are getting a little darker, and Target has been selling pumpkin-spiced flavored everything for months. Yep, it must be fall!

It can seem like such a long stretch between summer and winter vacations. Fall is the perfect time of year to take a road trip or a short weekend break to somewhere beautiful to enjoy the great outdoors in mild temperatures.

The US has some incredible national parks for fall foliage!

There’s something about stomping through piles of leaves and seeing wide-open landscapes of vivid, fiery colors that stimulate your senses. You can bet your kids will love it too!

Since there are many great national parks for fall foliage, I’ve narrowed down the ones I think are ideal for families. I’ve tried to pick ones dotted around the country but naturally, there’s a little East Coast bias!

I’ve included all the best fall color viewpoints, family-friendly hikes, and exactly when to visit so you can make the most of your family trip.

best national parks for fall foliage: national parks mom family exploring a park in autumnPin
Our family exploring an awesome east coast state park (Cacapon, in West Virginia) in the fall

Family-Friendly National Parks for Fall Foliage

1. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

  • Best Time to Visit for Fall Foliage: Mid-October to mid-November
  • Best Family Hikes in Fall: Stony Man Trail, Hawksbill Loop Trail, and Limberlost Trail

Let’s get the most obvious out of the way first! Shenandoah is widely known as an incredible national park for fall foliage. I have to agree. The Blue Ridge Mountains turn the most striking shades of oranges and reds during this season.

It helps that it has a longer leaf-peeping season than most other national parks too. Mid (to late) October is the height of the peak fall season in Shenandoah National Park.

Spot rusty brown leaves from the oak trees and bright yellow hues from the birches and poplars. Sumac and black gum trees produce vibrant reddish oranges. Maple trees and Virginia creepers also make an appearance.

The 106-mile Skyline Drive has over 70 viewpoints of the park. It’s the best place to see acres of autumnal colors! Some other spots include Natural Chimneys Park and Peaks of Otter on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Watch out for black bears here in the fall! They’ll be busy gathering berries and nuts for hibernation.

Shenandoah National Park with vibrant fall colorsPin
Shenandoah NP at the height of fall color (which has gotten later into the fall in recent years)

2. Acadia National Park, Maine

  • Best Time to Visit for Fall Foliage: Late September (maybe) to late October
  • Best Family Hikes in Fall: Jesup Path & Hemlock Path Loop and Jordan Pond Trail

Of course, many national parks for fall foliage are located in New England. Acadia National Park’s fall season might be short but it is sweet. Mount Desert Island transforms from a lush green woodland into a blanket of crimson and auburn.

three children in front of Acadia National Park sign in MainePin
It used to be that September in New England was a sure thing for fall color, but that’s no longer the case. The picture above was taken on September 24, and as you can see…there’s no significant color yet, period!

It used to be that the trees would start showing off in late September, but nowadays, you’ll want to wait until mid-October for peak colors.

view under one of the Roosevelt bridges on a carriage road in Acadia National Park, MainePin
my kids scurrying about under one of the historic carriage road bridges in Acadia – you can see there’s only a hint of color on the trees here, and this shot was taken on September 25!

It’s a smaller park, so book your accommodations early! Sugar maple trees are the main source of Acadia’s vibrant scarlet color. White ash, beech, and paper birch make up the yellows and oranges. Acadia National Park also has lots of evergreen conifers peppered throughout.

The scenic Trail Ridge Road provides beautiful vistas and it shouldn’t be closed if it isn’t snowing. Park Loop Road is also a great place to drive for views.

Cadillac Mountain views in autumn, Acadia National ParkPin
Cadillac Mountain views at peak fall colors

Cadillac Mountain has a great panorama of the area, and you can drive to the summit easily with kids. Jordan Pond and Eagle Lake areas are beautiful in every season; fall is no different.

3. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

  • Best Time to Visit for Fall Foliage: late-September through mid-October
  • Best Family Hikes in Fall: Ouzel Trail (2.7-mile version) and Sprague Lake Loop Trail

Many parks in the West have shorter fall seasons, but Rocky Mountain National Park is always beautiful at this time of year. It tends to have an earlier peak season around late September. Perfect if the kids have gone back to school and you’re already itching to take a quick weekend trip!

Bear Lake Rocky Mountain National Park
Bear Lake, Rocky Mountain NP in fall

Rocky Mountain National Park is famous for its aspen trees which turn a striking golden yellow in fall. Expect deeper red and purple hues the higher the elevation. Evergreen conifers (pines, spruces, and firs) balance out Rocky Mountain’s palette.

Bear Lake Road is a popular drive to see the best of the aspen’s colors. The Wild Basin area, Glacier Gorge, and Alberta Falls are all particularly scenic parts of the park. If you have a four-wheel drive vehicle, you’ll be treated to gorgeous views of the aspen and waterfalls down the Old Fall River Road.

The backdrop of jagged snow-topped mountain range and wash of fall colors make this one of the most dramatic national parks for fall foliage.

Be on the lookout for elk! It’s their mating season in the Rocky Mountains. Also, be mindful of altitude sickness if your kids aren’t used to high elevations.

Longs Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park with colorful aspen trees in fall
Longs Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park with colorful aspen trees in fall

4. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

  • Best Time to Visit for Fall Foliage: Early September to early October
  • Best Family Hikes in Fall: Jenny Lake Trail, Lakeshore Trail, and Leigh Lake Trail

Also in the West, Grand Teton National Park is one of the most truly beautiful national parks for fall foliage. Because it’s pretty far north in the US, it also has a much earlier peak time for fall colors. Head to Wyoming in late September for the best leaf-peeping opportunities!

Grand Teton National Park is also home to mostly quaking aspen trees. These turn bright shades of yellow and orange in the fall.

You’ll find fields full of narrow-leaf cottonwoods surrounding Grand Teton’s lakes and Snake River. They turn sunshine yellow too. Willows and black hawthorn trees also contribute to this sea of fiery golds and bronzes.

The River Road and US Highway 191 which run parallel on either side to the Snake River offer some of the best viewpoints in the park. The Schwabacher Landing area and the Oxbow Bend in the Snake River are particularly stunning!

Just north of Oxbow Bend is the Willow Flats Overlook. Unsurprisingly, it’s a great place to see the willow trees! Drive along Signal Mountain Summit Road for the best sweeping vistas across the national park.

Head to Grand Teton’s lakes to take a family photo in front of the most picturesque backdrop. Perfect for your Christmas greeting card!

peaks of Grand Tetons with vibrant fall colors

5. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee & North Carolina

  • Best Time to Visit for Fall Foliage: Late-October to mid-November
  • Best Family Hikes in Fall: Laurel Falls Trail, Gatlinburg Trail, and Porters Creek Trail

Finally, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is also one of the best national parks for fall foliage.

It’s the most popular national park in the US thanks to its proximity to two-thirds of the US population. Hopefully, that means you’ll be able to sneak away for a weekend road trip with the whole family!

three kids next to great smoky mountains national parkPin
Our family in Great Smoky Mountains NP in mid-October…check out the trees…still not much color on Oct 15!

Early November is usually the best time for the most vibrant fall colors in lower elevations. Late October is ideal for higher up the mountains.

There are so many trees in the Appalachian Mountains that contribute to this multi-colored paint palette. Leaves of dogwood, sourwood, red maple, and sumac usually turn crimson, Birch trees, American beech, tulip poplar, and black maple turn a sunny yellow color.

beautiful stream in the fall in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TNPin
This photo was captured on a family trip in mid-October (Oct 15, to be exact), and as you can see, the trees are most definitely not yet at peak color!

Expect mountain maple trees, pin cherries, and hobblebushes to turn colors first at higher elevations. Sugar maple, scarlet oak, sweetgum, and hickories are also thrown in there too! Phew!

Scenic roads in higher elevations will change their leaves first. If you’re visiting the Smoky Mountains earlier in the season, drive along Clingmans Dome Road, the Foothills Parkway, or Newfound Gap Road.

Cades Cove Loop Road is a great scenic drive later in the season due to its lower elevation.

Since this is the most popular national park, consider taking your family to the less crowded parts of the Great Smoky Mountains. Oconaluftee or Cataloochee always receives fewer visitors but as far as I’m aware, they still have lots of beautiful trees!

Great Smoky Mountains with vibrant fall colors

Best National Parks for Fall Foliage: Honorable Mentions

  • Cuyahoga Valley National Park, OH: This is one of the most underrated national parks for fall foliage! Cuyahoga Valley is perfectly located between Cleveland and Akron. It’s full of waterfalls, bike paths, a scenic railroad, and so many beautiful landscapes in the fall!
  • Yellowstone National Park, WY/MT/ID: C’mon, you already know Yellowstone is spectacular in the fall and every other season. The only reason I didn’t include it was to highlight other great national parks in fall foliage!
  • Yosemite National Park, CA: The same reason I didn’t include Yellowstone is the same reason I didn’t include Yosemite. Of course, Yosemite’s meadows are just breathtaking when covered in fall foliage. The valley is awash with maple leaf yellows and poison oak purples, it just gets very crowded.
  • Glacier National Park, MT: Glacier is gorgeous in the fall, but it’s sometimes difficult to plan your trip at the right time. Fall is very early and doesn’t linger so there’s a higher chance you might miss the fall colors when they’re trapped under a blanket of snow.
  • Zion National Park, UT: Utah’s Mighty Five national parks are mostly in canyon country. These parks are covered in red rock formations and hoodoos, not forests! However, the cottonwood trees lining the Virgin River are a lovely view from Zion Canyon Scenic Drive in the fall.
  • Mount Rainier National Park, WA: Another of the national parks for fall foliage worth mentioning is Mount Rainier. It gets bonus points for a long fall season (September to early November). Even though most of the trees in the park are evergreen, the other deciduous trees like mountain ash add a lot of autumnal color to the landscape.

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TOP 5 national parks for fall colors! Plus, all the best fall color viewpoints, family-friendly hikes, and exactly when to visit so you can make the most of your family trip. Happy fall, ya'll! #fallcolors #autumncolor #usnationalparksPin
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About Heather Thibodeau

Heather Thibodeau is the founder and mom behind nationalparksmom.com.

She and her husband Dave (AKA Tib) are on a mission to travel to as many US national parks with their three kids in tow as they possibly can, doing their best to keep the little ones out in nature and off of screens in an increasingly digital world.

Heather has earned degrees in biology & chemistry from Virginia Tech (Go Hokies), and holds master's and doctorate degrees in physical therapy from Duke University (Go Blue Devils).

Heather is also the creative force behind The Heathered Nest where she shares her love of all things DIY and home decor.

Her work has been featured in Better Homes and Gardens, House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping, This Old House, Today.com, The Washington Post, Boston Globe, and more.

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