Nature puts on one of its most colorful shows during the fall when landscapes transform into a blazing tapestry of reds, golds and yellows.
We’ve rounded up four of our favorite places to take in this gorgeous spectacle.
Mont-Tremblant, Canada
Throughout the fall, foliage-seekers flock to Quebec’s 2,871-foot-tall Mont-Tremblant, where 50 miles of trails wind through vividly colored forests of yellow birch, sugar maple and American beech. Water activities such as kayaking and canoeing in traditional birch-bark canoes offer unique ways to enjoy the show, as does the ski gondola, which, through mid-October, takes riders to the summit for jaw-dropping views of Lake Superior and the St. Lawrence Valley.
Lake District, England
Visitors to England’s Lake District get double the color, thanks to glassy lakes that reflect the region’s dramatic fall finery like mirrors. Trekkers will want to head to Buttermere Lake, where a footpath runs through dairy pastures and over rocks to rim the 4.5-mile perimeter of the lake. In Keswick, Derwentwater Lake is only a 10-minute walk from the center of town. Climb to the top of Walla Crag for an expansive view of the mountains draped in red, gold and rust, or hop aboard one of the many tour boats that ply the calm waters.
Woodstock, Vermont
Woodstock is a quintessential New England town, complete with a village green, a covered bridge over the rocky Ottauquechee River and a general store — F.H. Gillingham & Sons — that’s been operating since 1886. Getting a dose of fall color couldn’t be easier; just stroll into the park next to town and you’ll be enveloped in clouds of foliage. Or, drive along Route 4 East to the 165-foot-deep Quechee Gorge. Amid the vivid trees, you’ll be able to see the rushing river far below and the dramatic circa-1911 bridge from several vantage points.
Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
A day of leaf peeping along North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Parkway is filled with miles of varied colors that dip into valleys, sail across broad mountain slopes and reach as far as the eye can see. There are dozens of places to pull over to admire the view. Don’t miss Linville Falls, which plummets 2,000 feet into Linville Gorge, or a zip-line adventure tour through the multicolored trees.