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Seven spectacular fall foliage drives
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View from covered bridge of a Vermont lane in autumn.
It's leaf-peeping season. The time when travelers begin dreaming of the red, yellow and orange palette of New England's maple trees or the golden tint of Colorado's aspens; when they plan driving tours that meander through classic landscapes of spectacular color; and when they spend brisk autumn days gazing at treetops, sipping apple cider, and straining the memory cards of their digital cameras.
Although there are many destinations where you can enjoy the spectacle of autumn and marvel at the changing foliage, there are a few drives that manage to take the experience up a notch. Places where the scenery is magnificent at any time of year, but where nature outdoes itself in the fall and paints a truly breathtaking canvas. Here, then, are seven spectacular fall foliage drives for you to enjoy.
Route 100, Vermont
The quintessential road in perhaps the quintessential New England state. This region is well known for its fall foliage, and if you want your leaf-peeping excursion to be accompanied by town greens, church steeples, covered bridges, and roadside farm stands, then Route 100 in Vermont is for you. It stretches the length of the state, from Massachusetts to Canada, and cuts across some of the most postcard-friendly views in Vermont.
Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia and North Carolina
This remarkable 469-mile drive through two states connects Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. You don't have to do the entire drive, however. Pick any section of the Blue Ridge Parkway and you'll be rewarded with beautiful vistas of the Appalachian Mountains. The changing colors of autumn just accentuate the stupendous views.
Kancamangus Highway, New Hampshire
The White Mountains of New Hampshire rival the Green Mountains of Vermont for the potency of the fall foliage experience. The most scenic drive in New Hampshire at this time of year is the Kancamangus Highway (Route 112). This scenic 35-mile road slices through the White Mountains from Lincoln to Conway and provides lovely panoramas of New Hampshire in autumn.
San Juan Skyway, Colorado
If you're in the mood for cliff-hugging roadways and 14,000-foot peaks, then head to southern Colorado and the San Juan Skyway, a 236-mile loop through some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country. The Rocky Mountains provide an exquisite backdrop to the yellow aspens as you steer through Durango and Telluride or past Mesa Verde National Park. The section from Ouray to Silverton is known as the Million Dollar Highway and is a particularly dramatic drive.
Mohawk Trail, Massachusetts
This road (also known as Route 2) follows an old Indian trade route. It's one of the oldest scenic roads in the country, dating to 1914, and cuts across a charming region of northern Massachusetts. The highlight of the Mohawk Trail may well be the portion that winds through the Berkshires and the quaint college community of Williamstown.
Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, South Dakota
You know about the Blacks Hills of South Dakota and the Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Well, the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway takes in these and other sites along a 68-mile loop through a picturesque region of South Dakota. Aspen, spruce and birch trees change colors in the fall, making it a wonderful season to enjoy the drive.
Columbia River Highway, Oregon
A 70-mile route through the Columbia River Gorge, this road was built between 1913 and 1922 as a planned scenic route and is a National Historic Landmark. The Columbia River Highway provides dazzling views of cliffs, gorges and waterfalls, and the scenery is heightened by an explosion of color in the fall. One of the most exciting sites is of 620-foot high Multnomah Falls. You can also head south from Hood River on Route 35 and add in a loop drive that takes in part of Mt. Hood National Forest.
Check out these other fall foliage articles by Examiner writers from around the country.
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Photo credit: Bob Riel
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