Poll: Top Leaf Peeping Area

[plankton]

Okay people, time to tell us why your area is tops when it comes to fall colors (or spring colors, I guess, for you southern hemispherians). Give us some specific spots along roadways or trails that give spectacular views.

 

[Tom R]

leaf

I can't testify about the other ones, but when I lived in Northern Maine (Aroostook County) there were some streatches of road that were close to being a psychedellic experience to drive. The colors were so intense that it made driving dangerous because of the distraction. I also remember seeing a bunch of yellow leaves floating on a quiet back eddy of a small stream. The trouble was that I didn't know they were floating until I disturbed the water and made ripples. I could have drowned.

 

[NHPlanner]

NH/VT. I'm biased, obviously. The Green and White Mountains in October are simply breathtaking.

 

[H]

I am partial to East Tennessee / The Great Smokey Mountain National Park in Appalachia, USA. North Georgia is pretty good as well. However the most perfect fall day I ever experienced took place on the perfect small town main street of Jonesville, Virginia, it was something out of a novel it was so crisp and perfect with big leaves blowing in every gust as the residents raked their yards and said hello to you as you walked past. It was surreal to say the least.

*I had no reason to be there, I was just out looking at main streets in small towns, taking notes. And of the main streets I have observed (and I make an effort to observe many) this appeared to be a picture perfect one. I don’t how it actually functions, since I did not study it. If anybody knows anything about this town, please fill me in. Thanks.

 

[Miles Ignatius]

A Blaze of Glory

I go with Guanella Pass Road, about 30 miles west of Denver, in the Rockies. From 6,000 to say 8,000 feet there's gorgeous clusters of Aspens. Eat your hearts out, Adirondacks....

 

[JNA]

Highway 89 through Logan Canyon in Utah!

 

[SW MI Planner]

Upper Michigan (including the upper part of the lower peninsula and all of the upper peninsula)

 

[plankton]

The Smokies and Appalachians certainly deserve recognition here.

I spent some time in Greenville, ME last fall and was truly astounded by the beauty of the mountains encircling Moosehead Lake.

My vote went to the upper midwest though (a total homer vote - I feel so ashamed).

 

[carlomarx]

Between Breckenridge and Vail is some beautiful country. If anyone likes to ride motorcycles, Colorado Hwy 9 is spectacular for aspen color explosions.

As Fall ..uh... falls, I like to go out to the desert, do a little Edward Abbey thing, and just feel the heat of a summer radiate off the dry NM or AZ earth. Maybe Death Valley or Joshua Tree this year.

 

[donk]

I'll second the northern maine, then extend the drive into NB. The road between Fredericton and Miramichi just before our thanksgiving is pretty impressive.

While I've never driven it at the right time of year, the TCH between Riviere de Loup and Edmundston looks like it would be gorgeous as well.

 

[Mud Princess]

It's pretty tough to choose just ONE place... but I've seen some gorgeous colors in the Adirondacks... e.g., along Route 73 in Keene Valley, NY... or on top of any of the mountains around Lake George (Sleeping Beauty and Buck Mountain have the best views). I really enjoy fall hiking, so I get to see some beautiful colors in the mountains.

 

[The Irish One]

Parts of Maine are just amazing. It's been too long for specific roads. Mendocino and Humboldt county bushwacking in October can lead to some amazing leaf, you will be hunted by rednecks.

 

[Cardinal]

This is going to be one of the most difficult choices I have had to make on Cyburbia.Back in the late 80's I lived a time in Virginia, and had the opportunity to experience the Blue Ridge and Shanendoah. It was beautiful, and beats the Smokies, but I've seen better. That would be the Tetons. I was there in October a couple years ago. The aspen are all golden yellow and contrast with the browns, russets and reds of the grasses and shrubs, and it is all crisply vibrant in the high altitudes. Place the colors against the backdrop of the mountains and it is truly dramatic. But then I would say that the Upper Penninsula of Michigan edges out the Tetons. It might do so for no other reason than the richness and variety of color, but as I mentioned in another post, the cliffs and the amazingly clear, blue waters of Lake Superior seem to highlight every shade of red, yell, green , and everything in between. I'll try to post some pictures in the gallery.

I've posted a few photos of Grand Teton National Park and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Gallery, under Cities and Places / Other Places. Here's the direct link: http://www.cyburbia.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=513&password=&page=

 

[Belle]

Re: A Blaze of Glory

I go with Guanella Pass Road, about 30 miles west of Denver, in the Rockies. From 6,000 to say 8,000 feet there's gorgeous clusters of Aspens.

I have to second this, I love that area! I have some great technicolor pictures from a couple of years back.

I'll also add that the colors on the Blue Ridge are lovely.

That said, I'll admit I haven't traveled a lot in fall, so I'm looking forward to seeing some of the places mentioned here some day...

 

[biscuit]

However the most perfect fall day I ever experienced took place on the perfect small town main street of Jonesville, Virginia, it was something out of a novel it was so crisp and perfect with big leaves blowing in every gust as the residents raked their yards and said hello to you as you walked past. It was surreal to say the least.

*I had no reason to be there, I was just out looking at main streets in small towns, taking notes. And of the main streets I have observed (and I make an effort to observe many) this appeared to be a picture perfect one. I don’t how it actually functions, since I did not study it. If anybody knows anything about this town, please fill me in. Thanks.

Wow. What in the world were you doing in Lee County, VA? You'll get all kinds of weird looks driving through there with out of state tags. I actually spent quite a bit of time in the neighboring towns around Jonesville (Pennington Gap, Big Stone Gap, etc...) while working as a consultant right out of college. Anyway, the area is beautiful in the fall and Jonesville, which is only a few miles from the Cumberland Gap, is one of the healthier towns in an otherwise poor and sometimes rough area.

As for the best place to see leaves...well I just can't say since I usually travel in the summer. But I've found the Laural Highlands in SW Pennsylvania - Ohiopyle State Park near Fallingwater - especially nice. It's one of our favorite places to visit that time of year.

 

[SkeLeton]

The 9th and 10th Regions in Fall are awesome (specially the Andine part), yeah I'm biased like everyone that says that their region is the best place in any season.
The reason of why I nominate my area is because you have amazing snow capped volcanoes, wonderfull lakes and a incredible forest.

 

[pete-rock]

I went with the Upper Midwest.

Northern Michigan and the UP are gorgeous in the fall. I was up near Traverse City in October several years ago, and it was so picturesque I thought I was in a painting.

An up-and-comer that few would think of -- southern Indiana. Numerous times while at Indiana University I went to Brown County State Park and Hoosier National Forest and saw spectular colors. And while I haven't been there yet, I hear far southern Illinois, the start of the Ozarks, is beautiful also.

 

[tsc]

....Adirondack Mountains! (or anywhere in the real Upstate)
For spectacular fall foliage you need Sugar Maples!... Vermont is excellent too... but I need to always put in something for the neighbors up north!!.. and there are too many city folk in Vermont in the fall.....

 

[Zoning Goddess]

I was on I-75 north of Tampa once and saw one tree that had apparently changed colors for the fall. Hey, it was a major event for Florida...

When I was in college In Mass., we used to go to Quabbin Reservoir in the fall. Beautiful fall colors over the water.

 

[SlaveToTheGrind]

Highway 89 through Logan Canyon in Utah!

Or Provo Canyon through the Alpine Loop or the Mt. Nebo scenic byway.

 

[indigo]

at risk of getting booed out of here by my fellow wisconsinites . . . northwestern pennsylvania beats up nort' wi. they've got the red sugar maples and the conifers to set it off -- and you can skip the crowds that line the roads in the poconos and new england.

 

[martini]

I have to vote the good 'ol upper midwest. The North Shore of Lake Superior(and the BWCA), around to the south side and northern Wisco, and the UP are amazing. Like Cardinal said. the warm colors of the leaves burning off are perfectly set off by the cool colors of the Lakes and skies around here. Plus that far north, and the roads can be pretty vacant at the right times. The camping at that time of year is to die for. Warm days, perfect sleeping nights, and waking up to loons. Can't get much better.

 

[Tom R]

nwpa

at risk of getting booed out of here by my fellow wisconsinites . . . northwestern pennsylvania beats up nort' wi. they've got the red sugar maples and the conifers to set it off --

Agree. There used to be a 300' high railroad bridge near Kane, PA at a little place called Kushequa. It was a great place to view the foilage for miles. It was blown down in a storm this summer. Bummer.

 

[jmf]

I have to go with the obvious - Cape Breton Highlands National Park, combined with the Celtic Colours Music Festival October is pretty awesome in Cape Breton.

There is also a place on the TransCanada Hwy on the way to CB called Marshy Hope which always seems to have great fall colours.

 

[Plannerbabs]

I'll go with Pete-rock. Southern Indiana is lovely in the fall, and if you go far south, towards Madison, you go through some small towns, usually with a yard sale or two going on, wind through the tops of the hills with the fields all golden, then drop down the hills towards the river. At the risk of opening it up to lots of traffic, route 129 down the hill, along a ravine, then right at the river road towards Madison or left into Vevay, is a great fall trip. Beautiful drive, well-preserved small towns, great places to eat. Just don't all go at once, ok?

 

[Mastiff]

Re: leaf

I can't testify about the other ones, but when I lived in Northern Maine (Aroostook County)

How could you see the trees for the 'tater fields?!

 

[michaelskis]

Take the M-28 tour in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It has be best fall color due to the sudden cold weather from the north winds and the constant moisture from the many lake induced rain storms in the summer months.

Another good place is the Door Peninsula of Wisconsin for the same reasons.

 

[michaelskis]

Re: nwpa

at risk of getting booed out of here by my fellow wisconsinites . . . northwestern pennsylvania beats up nort' wi. they've got the red sugar maples and the conifers to set it off --

BOOOOOOOO

Last year I went for a color tour in Northern PA, hoping that it would feel like home... Well I was severely disappointed.

 

[SGB]

the geographic bias of Cyburbia

All you midwesterners really ought to see northern New York state and northern New England some fall.

That's all I'm sayin'.

 

[JNA]

SGB
I am not from the midwest, I just work there.
I spent summers in the Adirondacks, near Sabattis, which is between Long Lake and Tupper Lake.
So at one time I was interested in attending Paul Smiths.

 

[Cardinal]

I see the Upper Midwest continues to have the lead. I don't think that has anything to do with the number of Cyburbians from that part of the country. It is just our natural superiority.

 

[Tom R]

Re: Re: leaf

How could you see the trees for the 'tater fields?!

The trees grow much taller.

 

[Richmond Jake]

OK, I gotta put in a good word for north Idaho. When the tamaracks start to change from green to yellow/gold, it's an amazing sight.

 

[biscuit]

Prblem with the foliage

I've heard that there might be a less than spectacular leaf viewing season this year due to all the rain we had over the summer. A lot of Oak and Maple trees have already dropped their leaves around here because of some type of blight brought on by all of the excess moisture.

 

[Plannerbabs]

That's too bad--so when we go camping around Jim Thorpe, PA the 1st week of October, it won't be spectacular? I'm coming all the way out from the less colorful central midwest, and I want pretty leaves, gosh darn it! (altho I could be calmed with Yuengling).