Autumn is the season of sweaters and pumpkin pie, but cooler temperatures and shorter days don’t mean you have to pack away your hiking boots just yet. In fact, Fall is an ideal time to explore some of the country’s most colorful trails.
While there are many locations to soak up the breathtaking sights of autumn, we’ve selected a few phenomenal nature hikes from around the country. On the trails, you’ll be able to spot the vibrant hues of orange, yellow and red bursting from the treetops while you discover cascading waterfalls and trickling streams below.
Ready for your next adventure? Grab your pumpkin spice latte and learn more about our 5 spectacular foliage hikes for fall.
1. Uncle Tom’s Trail – Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is home to Old Faithful and a majority of the world’s geysers. Fall is arguably the best time of the year in Yellowstone National Park. The cool weather combined with the refreshing scents of autumn make the hiking and nature trails even more enjoyable. Uncle Tom’s Trail is a popular hike that takes you from the top of the Canyon to the base of the 308-foot-high Lower Falls.
2. Appalachian Trail: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Rather than tackling the entire 2,200 miles of this National Scenic Trail, hikers can opt for a smaller section within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Drive to the parking area at Newfound Gap and take the Appalachian Trail to Indian Gap. The 3.4-mile round trip will give you a taste of this historic route and allow you to see the magnificent colors of the Fall foliage.
3. Falls Trail: Ricketts Glen State Park
Ricketts Glen State Park is located on 13,050 acres in Columbia, Luzerne, and Sullivan counties in Pennsylvania. A national landmark known for its old-growth forest and 24 named waterfalls along Kitchen Creek, the Falls Trail is a 3.5 mile loop that showcases 18 of the 22 named falls as well as the brilliant colors of changing leaves during the Fall season. The trail itself suits hikers of all experience levels, but mist from the falls tend to make the trail slippery, so hiking boots are strongly recommended.
4. Four Mile Trail: Yosemite National Park
A trail recommended for more advanced hikers, the Four Mile Trail in Yosemite National Park is closed in Winter months due to extremely hazardous conditions. Although many hikers do this trail as a round-trip hike, an alternative is to purchase a bus ticket to Glacier Point and hike down. Either way, hikers will enjoy breathtaking nature views and a glimpse of Yosemite’s spectacular wilderness.
5. Highline Loop: Glacier National Park
Roughly 55 percent of Glacier National Park is covered by forest. Of that percentage, roughly 90 percent is a coniferous forest. The remaining ten percent is considered to be a deciduous forest. On the popular Highline Loop trail, hikers will be able to view the park’s beautiful aspens in all their shimmering golden yellow and orange glory.
Do you have photos from your own nature hike? We’d love to see them! Tag your photos with #drivethenation on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter or comment below.
