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Who doesn’t love a fall road trip? The temperatures are cooler, summer crowds have eased in many places and ordinary stretches of highway suddenly become some of the prettiest drives of the year.
The tricky part? The leaves don’t care about your vacation schedule. Peak color can shift depending on temperatures, rainfall, elevation and location. Add crowded scenic roads, spotty cell service and unpredictable weather and a little preparation can make the difference between a stressful trip and a spectacular one.
If you’re planning to chase those gorgeous fall colors this year, here are 10 things to know before you hit the road.
1. Don’t put too much faith in a predicted “peak” date
Fall foliage forecasts are useful, but they’re still forecasts. Color generally develops first in northern areas and at higher elevations before moving south and to lower elevations, while weather can affect both timing and intensity from year to year.
Instead of booking an entire trip around one supposedly perfect weekend, look at the typical foliage window for your destination and check local foliage reports shortly before you leave.
Better yet, plan a route that covers different elevations or areas. If one spot is past peak, another may be just getting started.
2. Look beyond New England
Vermont and New Hampshire are fall classics for good reason, but you certainly don’t have to stay in the Northeast to find spectacular autumn scenery.
Consider these destinations around the country:
- Stowe, Vermont: Quintessential New England, complete with brilliant maples, covered bridges, mountain roads and postcard-worthy small towns.
- Adirondacks, New York: Six million acres of mountains, lakes and forests make this an excellent region for a multi-day road trip.
- Upper Peninsula and northern Michigan: Head north for forests blazing with red, orange and gold, or drive M-119’s famous Tunnel of Trees near Harbor Springs.
- Ozark Mountains, Arkansas: The Ozark Highlands Scenic Byway is a beautiful alternative to the better-known East Coast foliage routes.
- Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee and North Carolina: Changes in elevation help create a long foliage season, with fall color gradually working its way down the mountains.
- Aspen, Colorado: The Rockies put on a very different fall show as groves of aspens turn brilliant gold against the mountains. Drives around Aspen and the Maroon Bells area are particularly spectacular.
- Zion National Park, Utah: Autumn brings colorful maples and cottonwoods set against Zion’s dramatic red-rock landscape.
- Columbia River Gorge, Oregon: Waterfalls, mountains and a mix of colorful deciduous trees and evergreens make this one of the West Coast’s standout fall drives. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-fall-colors-us
- Grand Teton and Yellowstone region, Wyoming: Golden aspens and cottonwoods are particularly striking against rugged mountains and evergreen forests.
The variety is part of the fun. Fall in Colorado looks nothing like fall in Vermont and both can be spectacular.
3. Start your day early
If you’re visiting a famous foliage destination on a fall weekend, sleeping in may mean spending more of your day sitting in traffic.
Get on the road early for quieter scenic drives, easier parking at trailheads and overlooks and beautiful morning light for photos. If your schedule allows, traveling midweek can also mean fewer crowds and potentially better hotel availability.
And resist the temptation to cram too much into one day. On a foliage road trip, the journey really is the attraction.
4. Download your maps
Some of America’s prettiest fall drives also happen to pass through mountains, forests and rural areas where cell service can be unreliable.
Download offline maps before you leave and save your hotel address, reservation details and any important parking or trail information.
It doesn’t hurt to keep a paper map in the glove compartment, either. It may feel wonderfully old-school — right up until you lose your signal and suddenly it feels downright ingenious.
5. Keep your devices charged
Your phone gets a workout on a road trip. It’s your GPS, camera, weather app, entertainment system and connection to the outside world, so you don’t want to see that dreaded 10% battery warning when you’re miles from your hotel.
Keep a charging cable in the car and carry a portable battery for hikes and sightseeing. TESSAN’s portable charger with USB-C cable is compact enough to toss in a day bag and provides back-up power when you’re away from the car.
A compact power strip is also handy for overnight stops, particularly in older inns or cabins where outlets can be scarce. A flat plug power strip like this one can turn one inconvenient hotel outlet into a central spot for charging phones, watches, tablets and other devices. A compact power strip and USB charging hubs for travelers dealing with limited hotel outlets.
6. Pack for different weather
A gorgeous 65-degree fall afternoon can begin with a frosty morning and end in cold rain, especially in the mountains.
Layers are your friend. Pack a sweater or fleece, lightweight waterproof jacket and comfortable shoes with good traction. Gloves, an umbrella and an extra pair of dry socks take up very little room in the car but can save the day.
Check the forecast each morning, too. Mountain weather can change quickly and conditions at higher elevations may be very different from those in town.
7. Don’t wait until you’re running on empty
Remote scenic routes can have long stretches without gas stations, so don’t wait for the fuel light to come on before looking for a place to stop.
Driving an EV? Map charging stations before you go and identify a backup or two along your route.
Before leaving home, give your car a quick road-trip check as well: tire pressure, windshield washer fluid and wiper blades are particularly important when you’re facing long drives and changing fall weather.
8. Leave room for detours
One of the biggest mistakes you can make on a fall road trip is scheduling every minute. The farm stand selling cider doughnuts, unexpected covered bridge or gorgeous lake you spot from the road may end up being the highlight of the trip.
Give yourself extra time between stops and embrace the occasional detour. Just make sure you pull over only in designated or clearly safe parking areas. Never stop in the roadway for a photo, no matter how spectacular the tree.
9. Keep a few emergency essentials in the car
You don’t need to pack as though you’re heading into the wilderness for a week, but a basic road-trip kit is smart.
Keep water, nonperishable snacks, a flashlight, first-aid kit and warm blanket in the car. A portable tire inflator and jump starter are also useful additions, particularly when driving through remote areas.
Before heading into a national park or mountain region, check road conditions and closures. Construction, weather and seasonal road closures can quickly derail a carefully planned route.
10. Reset every night
After a long day on the road, take 10 minutes to prepare for the next one. Charge your phone, smartwatch, camera and portable battery. Download tomorrow’s maps while you have reliable Wi-Fi. Check the weather and road conditions, then make any adjustments to your route.
Keeping everything together at one charging station also makes it less likely you’ll leave a cable, watch or power bank plugged into some obscure hotel outlet when you check out.
Most importantly, don’t get so focused on finding “peak” foliage that you forget to enjoy the trip. Fall color is fleeting and unpredictable, which is part of what makes chasing it so much fun.
