In just a few weeks the nation will be awash in spectacular fall colors. One of the beauties of leaf peeping is that in most cases you don’t have to travel far to view Mother Nature at her finest. That includes you city slickers in New York, Philadelphia and Detroit. Don’t believe me? Take a look:
NEW YORK
Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Most people think if you live in New York you have to drive upstate to the Adirondacks to take in the fall colors. But the fact is there are several great places in urban areas that provide the same experience. For example, the Brooklyn Botanic features 52 acres of gardens filled with 10,000 kinds of trees and plants from around the world. All of which pop with vibrant fall colors in late October and early November.
MICHIGAN
Porcupine Mountains. Located in the northern section of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is an area of about 60,000 acres along the shores of Lake Superior called the Porcupine Mountains. It has become a popular destination especially in the fall when you can take in the amazing contrast of colors. The area boasts several hiking trails that lead upward to spots where you are treated to unprecedented panoramic views of the red, orange and yellow mountains against the blue of Lake Superior.
CONNECTICUT
Litchfield County. Connecticut often gets overlooked when it comes to fall foliage because of its location next to perennial favorites Vermont and New Hampshire. But, the state is part of the Appalachian chain and boasts beautiful foliage of its own. Litchfield County in particular offers spectacular leaf peeping opportunities. It also has a wonderful downtown area that features antique shops, craft fairs, pumpkin picking and a picturesque covered bridge in Cornwall.
ARKANSAS
The Pig Trail. It’s officially known as Highway 23, but it cuts through the Ozark Mountains between the towns of Ozark and Brashears in northwestern Arkansas. The wiggly shape of the old highway reminded people of a pigtail—-hence it’s name. Each curve in the road provides ample opportunities to photograph some of the most incredible canopies of trees bursting with fall colors.
MAINE
Acadia National Park. I’ve reviewed this park before. And what gets me is that it is not as crowded as I would expect it to be during the fall. I’ve been told that people don’t think of the coast as a good foliage spot, but believe me, there is nothing more breathtaking than witnessing the scarlets and golds contrast with the blue of the Atlantic. What’s more, the colors last longer because the ocean has a moderating influence on the foliage. For a sight you won’t soon forget head to the summit of the park’s Cadillac Mountain. It’s the highest point along the Atlantic and offers stunning panoramic views.
VIRGINIA
Shenandoah National Park. How can you go wrong traveling along the Blue Ridge Parkway? The 469-mile national scenic roadway runs from Virginia to North Carolina and offers amazing places to see autumn’s colors. Make sure you stop at Shenandoah National Park, north of the parkway in Virginia during mid-October. That’s when you will get to view colorful fall wildflowers mix in with the vibrant colors of fall’s natural palette.
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