Fall foliage season is one of the most popular times to visit the America's Byways where the changing leaves offer a spectacular backdrop. One of the top destinations is the Kancamagus Scenic Byway. As it meanders through the White Mountains in New Hampshire, you'll get a refreshing fall experience. Hardwood and coniferous trees line the slopes and river valleys around the highway. Their bright fall colors provide a perfect frame to the white-capped mountains in the northern Appalachians. Additionally, the highway connects to the White Mountain Trail, another National Scenic Byway, which creates a 136-mile loop though some of the East's most spectacular scenery. The best time to travel is on a weekday to avoid possible crowding during peak season.
Another top destination are the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive in North Carolina and Virginia. Famous for their tree-covered rolling mountains, there are few better places to explore the explosion of fall color. Taking a drive through this romantic part of the country, one will find rare synergy between road and wilderness. The Blue Ridge Parkway was conceived in 1935 to link Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. The end result is a road that took delicate measures to preserve the land, creating an everlasting experience for everyone.
Leaf-peepers in the Midwest will want to check out the Loess Hills Scenic Byway. Besides western Iowa, only the Yellow River Valley in China contains these unique land features found along the Loess Hills Scenic Byway. The loess hills are soil deposits left by glacial melts that were then blown upward by strong winds. Experience rich hues of orange and red as you overlook hardwood forests and prairies on this byway.
