Colorado’s aspens can be fading while Texas maples are still green. Fall color follows its own schedule, and a road trip planned around the wrong week can miss the best views. These 11 drives trace the season from early mountain color to later displays farther south.
Catch Colorado’s Aspens on Their Way Out
The San Juan Skyway winds through Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, where aspen color typically arrives in late September and early October. In its October 9, 2026 fall-color report, the U.S. Forest Service marked Silverton to Red Mountain Pass and Red Mountain Pass to Ouray at peak. Silverton itself was already rated peak to post-peak.
Follow Maine’s Color Down to the Sea
Maine’s October 7-13 foliage report said peak color was approaching across central, coastal and southern Maine, while parts of western and northern Maine were already beyond peak. For a coastal drive, the state recommends the Schoodic National Scenic Byway. Tidal Falls Preserve, Winter Harbor and Schoodic Point offer stops along the way.
California’s June Lake Loop Is Near Peak
Mono County’s October 7 fall-colors update rated June Lake Loop near peak, with 50% to 75% of its color showing. County foliage updates generally come out on Wednesdays, so look for the latest report before setting off.
Climb the Laurel Highlands for Early Color
Pennsylvania’s October 8 report described fast-developing color in the higher elevations of the Laurel Highlands. Southern Somerset County, around Somerset, Berlin and Meyersdale, was nearing its strongest display. That does not mean the entire state was at peak: southeastern Pennsylvania was still expected to develop later.
Cross Massachusetts on Route 2
The Mohawk Trail follows Route 2 through western Massachusetts, with a scenic stretch connecting Orange and North Adams. The state’s tourism guidance puts peak foliage in this area often around the third week of October. Whitcomb Summit makes a natural lookout stop, while Shelburne Falls offers a detour to the Bridge of Flowers.
Bayfield and Wisconsin’s Lake Superior Shore
Travel Wisconsin’s October 10 report listed Bayfield at 75% color and forecast its peak for the third week of October. The Lake Superior National Scenic Byway follows roughly 70 miles along the southern shore and Bayfield Peninsula. Check the live color map as your date gets closer.
Great Smoky Mountains Color Moves Downhill
In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, elevation helps set the fall schedule. The National Park Service says color often begins above 4,000 feet in early to mid-October, with brilliant lower-elevation displays from mid-October into early November. Newfound Gap Road climbs to a pass at 5,046 feet, letting you see different elevation bands in one outing.
Illinois Waits Until the Last Week of October
Illinois tourism estimates the last week of October for peak color in the southwest part of the state. The Great River Road between Alton and Grafton is an easy way to follow that forecast, with bluffs above the Mississippi River along the route.
Hocking Hills Offers a Late-October Drive
Ohio’s October 8, 2026 update said fall color was developing across the state, but did not establish an exact peak date for Hocking Hills. The 26.4-mile Hocking Hills Scenic Byway passes forested hills and access points for well-known park sites. Ohio’s natural resources department has also scheduled Hocking-area fall-color events for October 24-25.
Lost Maples Starts Changing in Late October
Texas Parks and Wildlife says fall color at Lost Maples State Natural Area generally develops from the last two weeks of October through the first two weeks of November. Weather can move the window. Look at the park’s latest foliage and visitor updates before making the trip.
Talimena Byway Crosses Rich Mountain
The 54-mile Talimena National Scenic Byway links Mena, Arkansas, with Talihina, Oklahoma, and climbs Rich Mountain through the Ouachitas. Arkansas tourism says higher elevations usually begin changing color before nearby lowlands, while the state’s autumn display can carry into November. Check local conditions before choosing a November driving date.
Let the Leaves Pick Your Route
A great foliage trip starts with flexibility, not a fixed weekend circled months ahead. Peak dates are predictions until local observers see the trees changing. Keep a backup drive in mind, check an official report just before leaving and choose the route that fits the season you’re actually getting.