According to the National Weather Service, the Northeast and Midwest portions of the United States are past peak in terms of fall foliage. However, parts of the South and West are still ablaze with the radiant glow of autumnal colors.
If you haven’t had your fill of the leaf peeping season, now is your chance. These popular fall foliage destinations are still showing off the season’s brilliant palette of yellows, oranges and reds:
NEW MEXICO
November is prime leaf peeping season at Bandelier National Monument. The park’s cottonwoods and box elders are especially radiant this month. In addition, the state’s Jemez Mountains, near Santa Fe, are also aglow with brilliant colored leaves. Another must-see leaf peeping spot is the Rio Grande River. While trees are minimal near the water, there are a lot of shrubs and brush, which are just as colorful.
MISSOURI
Missouri’s Ozark Mountain region offers some of the most breathtaking fall foliage in the United States. To best soak in the scenery, travel the Ozark Trail (a 500-mile network of hiking and biking paths) on foot. The nine-mile Marble Creek Trail, which runs from the Marble Creek Trailhead to scenic Crane Lake, is especially gorgeous this time of year.
For those who prefer to leaf peep from the comfort of a car, consider taking a scenic drive along Highway 19, which starts in Cuba and winds its way through Mark Twain National Forest. Along the way you can stop to stretch in the area’s richly forested hills and grab a snack in the charming towns that pepper the drive.
IDAHO
Southern Idaho’s mountains are still hanging on to the last bits of color this time of year. One of the most popular drives in the state is the Pend Oreille Scenic Byway. The 33-mile trail along Highway 200 borders the glacier-sculpted Lake Pend Oreille in northern Idaho and boasts some of the most spectacular fall colors in the region.
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