Travel

Favorite Fall Drives Blue Ridge Parkway

Margaret K 2012. 10. 29. 20:39

From

http://www.weather.com/activities/driving/fallfoliage/

 

East Central Foliage Map | Southeast Foliage Map

One of the things that makes Blue Ridge Parkway a consistent winner in our annual Favorite Fall Drives poll is its accessibility to so many states. Nestled along the ridge of the Appalachian Mountains, it's within driving distance of the Mid-Atlantic, Deep South, Mid-South, and Ohio Valley.

(More: First views of fall foliage | Explore Blue Ridge Parkway and save big)

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Scenic Byway and All-American Road and is the most visited part of the U.S. National Park System. The National Park Service takes great care to make sure the vistas are perfect for fall foliage. The parkway is, essentially, a road that was created for its gorgeous views.

Fall drives

iWitness weather user suzette1201

A waterfall right off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Hendersonville, NC is surrounded by the beautiful colors of fall.

START: Arden, NC (More: Forecast)
Arden is just south of Asheville and a great starting point for anyone traveling from points South, including Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, or Tennessee.

STOP: Folk Art Center at Mile Post 382 (More: Forecast)
Holding the largest and most important collection of Appalachian Craft in the world, you don't want to miss the Folk Art Center in Asheville. The Center is home to three different art galleries and also hosts daily craft demonstrations, from wood turning to weaving.

STOP: An Orchard or Gemstone Mining at Mile Post 331 (More: Forecast)
Parkway stops in Spruce Pine, North Carolina offer a couple of good opportunities for the kiddos to work off some energy. At Gem Mountain, you can get a tour of the mine and pan for your own gems. If you prefer to stay above ground, the 204-year-old Altapass Orchard has hay rides, fruit, fudge, a bee hive, and butterflies. It may be hard to get the kids back in the car after this stop.

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How to Capture the Best Fall Photos

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FINISH: Blowing Rock at Mile Post 291.9 (More: Forecast)
One of the most breathtaking views along the Blue Ridge Parkway is from Blowing Rock. At 4,090 feet, the rock overlooks John's River Gorge. Blowing Rock got its name because the current of air flowing upward from the Rock can sometimes blow light objects back at you after you've thrown them (i.e. a feather or paper).

 

 

Rocky Mountain National Park

 

Northwest Foliage Map | West Central Foliage Map | Southwest Foliage Map

Go west, young man, if you're looking for stunning foliage and mountain vistas.

Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park was voted the favorite western drive by our Facebook fans. The peak of fall foliage in the Rocky Mountains is in late September and early October, so gas up the car and go! Gold is the most prominent fall color in the Rockies, which is the autumnal color of Colorado's numerous Aspen trees.

START: Estes Park (More: Forecast)
For your fall drive, we recommend you start in Estes Park at the East Entrance to the Rocky Mountain National Park. In Estes Park, you can fuel up with lunch at the numerous restaurants or grab a picnic lunch for a day hike. From Estes Park, take US-36 West which will eventually become Trail Ridge Road.

Fall drives

iWitness weather user Tracydee123

The colors of fall surround a bike path in Summitt County, Colorado.

STOP: Alpine Tundra (More: Forecast)
Trail Ridge Road in the Rocky Mountain National Park is the highest road in any national park. Travel along it until you reach an elevation of about 12,000 feet and you'll find yourself in an alpine tundra. No trees and few plants grow in the alpine tundra due to its strong, frequent winds and bitterly cold temperatures. Along Trail Ridge Road, you'll see numbered signs that indicate interesting places to stop. Take a break at Sign No. 6, which is one of highest points along Trail Ridge Road. You can take a half mile hike along a trail here to get the full experience of the alpine tundra.

(More: Score Colorado vacation savings)

STOP: Glimpse the early miles of the Colorado River (More: Forecast)
At Sign No. 11, you can get a look at the early miles of the Colorado River. From here, the Colorado River flows 1,400 miles to the Gulf of California. You can also see the Grand Ditch, which carries water across the Continental Divide to Colorado's eastern plains.

END: Elk Bugling (More: Forecast)
Hopefully, your fall drive will end around dusk and you can enjoy a scenic vista while keeping your ears peeled for the mating call of the elk. Not only is fall peak season for foliage, but it's also the season of love for elk. The male elk makes a noise that sounds eerily like a bugle when trying to attract a mate (listen to an elk bugling). Dusk and dawn are the best times to hear it. From here, you can back track to Estes Park or continue on to the town of Grand Lake, home to the largest and deepest natural lake in Colorado.

 

Route 100, Vermont

New England Foliage Map

You could pick almost any road in Vermont and get a stunning view of autumn. Vermont has an early, but lengthy, fall foliage season. Foliage begins to peak in the last week of September and through the first two weeks of October.

Vermont was hit hard by Hurricane Irene in August, 2011. Many roads were washed out by the worst flooding to hit the state in decades. Jen Butson with the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing says all Vermont roads were back to normal before the end of last year. She's predicting a great leaf peeping season.

(More: Discover Vermont, save big)

"(Vermont Dept. of Parks and Forest) Commissioner Michael Schneider says we've had adequate soil moisture, which is one of the first preliminary steps to having a good season," reports Butson. "We've also had solid temperatures. All signs are pointing to another stellar season."

We're going to start this Fall road trip in the far north near the Canadian border.

iWitness weather user steve 1944

START: Newport, Vermont (More: Forecast)
On the shores of Lake Memphremagog, this small burgh of 5,000 is a nice jumping off point for your fall drive. This part of Vermont is referred to as the Northeast Kingdom. Newport's Main Street was renewed several years ago, as was the nearby waterfront on Lake Memphremagog. You can grab some food, or a lunch to go from the bakeries and cafes here before you head south on Route 100.

STOP: Stowe, Vermont (More: Forecast)
Nestled at the base of Vermont's highest mountain, Mount Mansfield, Stowe is a classic New England village. There's a plethora of things to do in Stowe. Take in the fall foliage from the back of a horse-drawn carriage at the Trapp Family Lodge. Watch a chocolate-dipping demonstration at Laughing Moon chocolates on Main Street. I suggest you grab the kids and see the foliage old-school style: with a hike. Head east of town to The Pinnacle Trail. It's a 1.4 mile hike to the summit of the Pinnacle, a 2,740-foot peak. After your hike, head south on Route 100 to regain those calories you just burned.

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Vermont's Fall Foliage

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STOP: Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Factory in Waterbury, Vermont (More: Forecast)
Combining a hippie sensibility with the sugar rush of ice cream, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory in Waterbury is Vermont's top tourist attraction. You'll get to see the manufacturing plant and sample ice cream in the Flavoroom. After you've sampled all you can handle at Ben & Jerry's Factory, hop on Route 2 and head towards Montpelier.

END: Montpelier, Vermont (More: Forecast)
You could take Interstate 89 from Waterbury to Montpelier, but why ruin your fall drive with an interstate? I suggest you stay on Route 2, which parallels the interstate but still provides some nice, non-interstate vistas. Montpelier is the capital of Vermont and has several museums and a college. An interesting stop for the kids is the Rock of Ages Quarry in Barre. It's the world's largest granite quarry and offers tours through mid-October. You can also try your hand at granite engraving and make your own souvenir.

 

The Catskills, New York

Northeast Foliage Map

The poll for favorite fall drive in the Northeast was a nail-biter. only 5 votes separated the winner from the runner up, both of which were New York state mountain ranges. However, the Catskills triumphed over the Allegheny Mountains to be the regional favorite fall drive.

(More: Shop this trip: Catskills Savings)

There are almost 100 mountain peaks in the Catskills, which are one of New York's most popular winter destinations. Since it's only a few hours north of New York City, it's a prime spot for leaf peeping for urban dwellers.

We start our drive in East Windham, New York near the Catskill Park.

Vermont foliage

iWitness weather user BJGSKIBUM

An early morning hike to Polly's Rock in the Catskills of New York gave this iWitness weather user a postcard perfect shot of foliage.

START: East Windham, New York (More: Forecast)
Survey the lands you're about to tour on your fall foliage drive from Point Lookout Overlook. on clear days, you can see five states from this spot. From East Windham, travel west on Route 23 through the Catskill Park. At 700,00 acres, it's almost as large as Rhode Island!

STOP: New York's "Mount Rushmore" in Prattsville (More: Forecast)
In 1843, local businessman Zaddock Pratt hired a stone cutter to depict his life story on the face of a local rock outcropping. Though small, Pratt Rock is a quirky piece of Hudson Valley history and worth stopping to see. This area was hit hard last year by Hurricane Irene. Several bridges in the area were damaged during the storm, trapping some vacationing families in the community. Everyone was rescued by authorities and roads are back to normal.

St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church

The Ukrainian basilica near Hunter, New York in the Catskill Mountains.

STOP: A Ukrainian Catholic Basilica in Hunter, New York (More: Forecast)
Do not enter the town of Hunter without stopping at St. John the Baptist Ukraininan Catholic Church. It's hard to miss, because it's a rather impressive cedar log complex at the top of a hill. Built entirely in the style of Carpathian highlanders the 1962 basilica was built without nails. Make a return visit next summer when church-goers let visitors sample Ukrainian cuisine at the weekly Sunday brunches (summers only).

FINISH: Kaaterskill Falls (More: Forecast)
New York's highest two-tiered waterfall cannot be missed, especially in fall. The hike to the fall is a not a long one, but it can be tricky. From the parking lot, you have to walk along the narrow road shoulder for about a quarter of a mile. You'll be walking very close to traffic. But once you get to the falls, you'll be treated with the sight of a double cascading waterfall which plummets 260 feet.

 

 

 

 

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