There are locations in this country where the fall colors are so spectacular that a single bucket list trip just won’t suffice. RVers end up coming back to these places again and again. That’s certainly the case in the higher elevations of Colorado, where mountainsides covered with aspen trees turn into brilliant shades of yellow and gold.
“We have tons of repeat customers,” said Lindsay Grady of Kebler Corner, a campground with RV and tent sites and rental accommodations in Somerset, Colorado. RVers frequently return to Kebler Corner not only to see the fall colors and visit area attractions, such as Kebler Pass and the historic mining town of Crested Butte, but to have family reunions, Grady said.
The intense orange, red, and yellow hues of New England’s maple trees have a similar allure, bringing RVers back again and again to see the fall colors while they enjoy quality time with friends and family. The good news for RVers, of course, is that there are many locations across the country that offer spectacular fall foliage. Here are several of them along with recommendations on campgrounds that can be used as base camps for fall color tours:
Guardsman Pass Scenic Byway in Heber Valley, Utah: Some of the prettiest fall colors in Utah can be found along this scenic backcountry byway between Park City and Midway. In late September and early October this route typically features a mix of fiery red oak trees and golden aspens. Nearby campgrounds include:
Colorado's Kebler Pass: One of the most scenic drives in Colorado in fall is 10,007-foot Kebler Pass, which is covered with aspens. Locals recommend taking a 73.5-mile scenic drive from Crested Butte to Carbondale. From Crested Butte, take County Road 12 for a spectacular 30-mile drive through aspen trees over Kebler Pass. County Road 12 is a good quality gravel road, though for day trips, it’s best to leave your trailer in the campground and enjoy the road in the comfort of your tow vehicle. Turn right when you reach State Highway 133, which will take you on 8 percent grades over 8,770-foot McClure Pass to Carbondale. McClure Pass includes views of the famous Maroon Bells Mountain peaks near Aspen. For a scenic side trip, as you head north to Carbondale, take County Road 3 for six miles to visit the tiny historic town of Marble, which is located along the Crystal River. Famed for its high-quality marble, which was used in both the Lincoln Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Solider in Washington D.C., Marble is also the home of the famous Crystal Mill and the Yule Marble Quarry while also serving as an entry point to the Maroon Bells / Snowmass and Ragged Wilderness areas. Campgrounds along and near this route include:
- Blue Mesa Outpost in Gunnison
- Carbondale / Crystal River KOA Holiday in Carbondale
- Kebler Corner in Somerset
- Oasis RV Resort and Cottages
- Tall Texan RV Park in Gunnison
Wisconsin's Lake Superior Scenic Byway: This scenic byway offers spectacular fall colors, pristine sandy beaches and scenic views of the clear waters of Lake Superior as well as quaint harbor towns, historic fishing villages, small orchards and farms. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and the Gaylord Nelson Wilderness Area, with its famed lighthouses, are also located in this area. Early October is considered a reliable time to see fall colors along this route. Nearby campgrounds include:
The Tunnel of Trees on Michigan's Upper Peninsula: Northern Michigan’s Tunnel of Trees on M-119 is one of the state’s most iconic attractions and is considered to be one of the most scenic roads in the nation. The scenic road winds from Harbor Springs, north of Petoskey, to Cross Village, passing through hardwood forests that turn into brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow, typically from late September to mid-October. Campgrounds near the Tunnel of Trees and in other scenic locations in northern Michigan include:
- Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Petoskey
- Rippling River Resort in Marquette
- Sno-Trac Village Campground in Grayling
- Sun Outdoors Petoskey Bay Harbor in Petoskey
- Timber Ridge Resort in Traverse City
Letchworth State Park in New York: Known as the "Grand Canyon of the East," Letchworth State Park features 14,300-plus acres of dense forests, which usually hit their peak in early-to-mid October, when leaf peepers will be treated to yellow, orange, and red foliage framing the magnificent Genesee Gorge and Genesee River. Nearby campgrounds include:
The White Mountains Trail in New Hampshire: This 100-mile National Scenic Byway is a loop tour that winds through sections of the 800,000-acre White Mountain National Forest, which includes some of the most scenic fall foliage in the world. The White Mountains Trail overlaps the Kancamagus Highway, a 34.5-mile National Scenic Byway that winds through the heart of White Mountain National Forest. The White Mountains Trail also goes past many of the region's most popular historic attractions, including the Mt. Washington Cog Railway, the world's very first mountain-climbing cog railway, which takes passengers to the top of 6,288-foot Mt. Washington. Visitors can also see “Old Peppersass,” the world's first mountain-climbing locomotive, which reached the summit on July 3, 1869. Other historic attractions include the secluded Omni Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, where 44 nations met on July 1, 1944 — during the height of World War II — to develop a system of economic order and international cooperation that would help countries recover from the devastation of the war and foster long-term global growth. At its conclusion, Bretton Woods Conference attendees produced the Articles of Agreement for the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). While peak fall color is always hard to predict, the fall color season in the White Mountains typically runs from September through mid-October. Campgrounds in this area include:
- Chocorua KOA Holiday in Tamworth
- Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Glen Ellis
- Lincoln / Woodstock KOA Holiday in Woodstock
- Maple Haven Campground in North Woodstock
- Twin Mountain / Mt. Washington KOA Holiday in Twin Mountain
Green Mountain Byway in Vermont: Maple, birch, and beech trees line this 71-mile drive that is known for producing some of New England’s most brilliant displays of fall color. Leaf peepers pass through two state forests and three state parks as they drive through the quaint town of Waterbury, home of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, and Stowe, one of the most famous ski resorts in the Northeast. Fall colors in this area usually begin to appear by the second week of September and peak at some point in October. Nearby campgrounds include:
The Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania: Laurel Highlands’ covered bridges, rolling hills, picturesque small towns are complemented with dense and varied foliage that make this area an exceptional fall foliage destination. Once here, it doesn’t take long to see why the Laurel Highlands has inspired many artists and architects, including Frank Lloyd Wright, who built four homes in the area. These include Fallingwater, a famous Wright-designed home from the 1930s that has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The leaves typically start to change in September and hit their peak in October. Nearby campgrounds include:
- Benners Meadow Run Campground in Farmington
- Donegal Campground in Donegal
- Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Mill Run
- Mountain Pines Campground in Champion
- The Blue Canoe RV Resort in Connellsville
The Skyline Drive Scenic Byway in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia: This 105-mile-long Scenic Byway inside Shenandoah National Park is widely considered to be one of the prettiest drives in the Mid-Atlantic States in fall. The route features more than 75 scenic overlooks, including Bacon Hollow and Stony Man Overlook, which are among the best spots to see the buttery yellow hickories, chili pepper–red oaks, and maples in every shade. Fall colors start in late September in the higher elevations and typically last into November in the lower elevations. Nearby campgrounds include:
Ozark and St. Francis National Forests in Arkansas: These forests offer a thick patchwork of gold, red and green covering 1.2 million acres of woodlands. There are numerous public campgrounds in and just outside these national forests, including Spadra Recreation Area Campground in Clarksville. Private campgrounds include:
