16 Perfect Day Hikes to Find Fall Foliage

This article has been updated. It was originally published in September 2019.

The days are beginning to get noticeably shorter, we’re throwing more layers in our pack for those chillier hikes and evening outings, and the change of seasons is starting to show.

Autumn offers milder temperatures and fewer crowds in all our favorite places throughout the country. Best of all, however, is the impending colorful display of fall foliage when green leaves of trees slowly fade to lemon hues, shades of orange, crimson tones and even rich maroons and purples.

Even though we all learned about chlorophyll and deciduous trees back in elementary school, don’t take those fall colors for granted. When you see fall foliage on your next hike, remember that these trees are preparing for winter. As days shorten and temperatures cool, the chlorophyll responsible for their green color (and their nutrients) breaks down. Other pigments emerge and the result is often more impressive than the showiest fireworks display.

Larch turn golden borwn at Inspiration Lake and Prusik Peak in Washington state. Photo by Michael Sawiel. 

If you are a fall fanatic, we have some good news for you! There’s plenty of places throughout the country where you can absorb the richest colors of fall. Here are 16 of our favorite hikes that offer an incredible amount of autumn foliage - and make sure to check out the photo gallery for more stunning foliage shots to get your hiking-legs tingling!

1. Oberg Mountain, Lake Superior North Shore, Minnesota
2. Look Rock, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
3. Jay Covered Bridge, Adirondack Mountains, New York
4. Woods Canyon Lake, Central Arizona, Arizona
5. Blue Lake Hike, North Cascades, Washington
6. Catherines Pass Trail, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Utah
7. Marvine Lake Trail, Flat Tops and White River Plateau, Colorado
8. Enchantment Lakes Thru-Hike, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Washington
9. McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, Mount Shasta and Medicine Lake Area, California
10. Cascade Creek Trail, San Juan Mountains, Colorado
11. Woodford State Park, Southern Green Mountains, Vermont
12. Lake Shaftsbury State Park, Southern Green Mountains, Vermont
13. South Fork Mineral Creek, San Juan Mountains, Colorado
14. Kentucky Falls Hike, Siuslaw National Forest, Central Oregon Coast, Oregon
15. Stanley Lake Creek, Observation Peak and Divide, Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho
16. Lake Sabrina, Eastern Sierra, California