The Essentials

Leaf Peeping Destinations

It’s the perfect time of the year for leaf peeping.

And fall foliage trips fit in nicely with Covid-19 behavior rules. It’s a safe, socially distanced way to travel this fall, almost anywhere the leaves turn.

For classic leaf gazing destinations in the Northeast — like Route 100 in Vermont and the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the best time to go is right now.

Leaf gazers on the West Coast should check out Mt. Hood Scenic Byway in Oregon and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in Washington, where trees take longer to change and won’t peak until mid-to-late October.

The leaves in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio and Smoky Mountains of Tennessee also have a surprising amount of foliage that shouldn’t be missed.