The Appalachian Mountains are quite extensive, ranging from the northern Maine woods all the way to Alabama. But in the entire Appalachian range, few areas have quite the reputation for stunning natural beauty as New York's Adirondacks.
The Adirondacks occupy a vast subrange of the Appalachian Mountains across Upstate New York. Thanks to their immense natural beauty and deep forests, the Adirondacks are among the top tourist destinations in the northeast. Not only do the Adirondacks have several easy 46er peaks to hike, but their vast forest settings make for some of the best fall foliage views come autumn.
Of course, popularity can come with a price. During the height of leaf-peeping season, most of the top Adirondack hiking trails can get a bit too crowded for most people's tastes. The good news is that the sheer size of the Appalachian Mountains provides fall-friendly hikers with many more great destinations to see amazing autumn colors. These seven Appalachian hiking trails are great alternatives to the beautiful but overexposed Adirondacks.
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7 Mount Lafayette and Franconia Ridge Trail Loop
White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire
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The magnificent White Mountains of New Hampshire are probably the top rival to the Adirondacks when it comes to world-famous fall foliage views.
Year-round, the White Mountains contain some of the most dramatic sights anywhere in the entire Appalachian Range. Among the range's many wonders is the formidable Mount Washington and its famous Cog Railway, a top tourist destination in New England and the highest mountain in the Northeastern United States.
But the best destination in the White Mountains for memorable fall foliage hikes is undoubtedly the exceptional Mount Lafayette and Franconia Ridge Trail Loop. The trail takes hikers on a scenic tour through Franconia Notch State Park and White Mountain National Forest, a stunning stretch of New Hampshire mountain landscape centered around a gorgeous mountain pass known as Franconia Notch.
Hikers will begin their tour from accessible campgrounds in Franconia Notch State Park. From there, the trail passes by several scenic waterfalls as it makes its way around the summit of the gorgeous Mount Lafayette. On clear days, many past hikers report that you can even see Mount Washington and the stunning mountains of the Presidential Range in the distance!
This particular area of the White Mountains is considered to be among the most beautiful in New England, so the trail's scenery is spectacular all year round. But during the autumn months, the vast forests of the White Mountains take on breathtaking displays of fall coloration that make this trail one of the best fall foliage hikes in Appalachia (and maybe the world as a whole!).
Entrance Fee
$5
Difficulty
Hard
Distance
8.6 miles
Time to Complete
6-7 hours
Elevation Gain
3,815 feet
Dog-friendly?
Yes
6 Mount Mansfield Loop Trail
Underhill State Park, Vermont
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Elsewhere in New England, Vermont's Green Mountains more than hold their own against the neighboring Adirondacks and White Mountains when it comes to truly special views.
This particular Appalachian subrange takes its name from the deep green colors of its vast forests during the spring and summer months. But in the fall, these "green" mountains become a wonderland of orange, red, and gold.
At 4,393 feet, Mount Mansfield is the highest mountain in both Vermont and the Green Mountains as a whole. The Mount Mansfield Loop Trail is the best destination for exploring the enchanting majesty of this formidable peak, especially for hikers in search of the region's best fall colors in the autumn.
Since the trail goes all the way to the highest summit in Vermont, there are understandably a few more precarious sections. One section of the trail requires passage over a rock wall with only a few places to grip, while another requires crossing a deep chasm. But while these technical hazards may not be for all hikers, no one can doubt the marvelous views the trail offers those who make it to the top.
The Mount Mansfield summit actually ascends above the tree line. As a result, the highest elevation parts of the trail provide exceptional views of the Green Mountains decked out in their best fall colors, without any obstruction from taller trees. On the way up and down the summit, the trail also passes by several more scenic sections (including humorously named areas like "the Nose" and "the Forehead") before looping back down to the starting point.
Entrance Fee
$5
Difficulty
Hard
Distance
7.7 miles
Time to Complete
6-7 hours
Elevation Gain
2,893 feet
Dog-friendly?
Yes
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5 Ricketts Glen Falls Loop
Ricketts Glen State Park, Pennsylvania
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Fall foliage tends to extenuate any other type of natural scenery, but there's something truly special about a waterfall surrounded by bright shades of red and orange. The East Coast already has tons of beautiful waterfalls that make exceptional fall foliage hikes in the autumn. But why go to a park that has one amazing waterfall when you can go somewhere that has 24?
That place is none other than Pennsylvania's Ricketts Glen State Park. Located between the Appalachian Plateau and the Ridge-and-Valley subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, Ricketts Glen features a serene old-growth forest straddling the scenic Kitchen Creek. As the creek descends a steep escarpment, it forms 24 distinct waterfalls that each offer amazing scenery for hikers.
The Ricketts Glen Falls Loop is the park's main hiking route for experiencing each waterfall up close. The trail follows a somewhat lengthy but well-worthwhile 6.9 loop up past all the park's main waterfalls. Given the terrain, much of the trail does require some steep uphill climbs.
But the extra effort is certainly rewarded with some of the best waterfall views in all of Appalachia! In the fall, each of the trail's main falls is surrounded by exceptional displays of fall coloration, creating one of the most unique and memorable fall scenes anywhere in the country.
Entrance Fee
Free
Difficulty
Hard
Distance
6.9 miles
Time to Complete
3 hours 5 minutes
Elevation Gain
1,053 feet
Dog-friendly?
Yes
4 Endless Wall Trail
New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, West Virginia
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No state has a closer association with the Appalachian Mountains than West Virginia. As such, it's hard to find any West Virginia park or hiking trail that doesn't offer spectacular views in the fall.
But even in a state famous for its Appalachian beauty, the Endless Wall Trail at New River Gorge National Park & Preserve is special. West Virginia's New River Gorge is already famous for prime fall foliage-viewing spots. The national park's Endless Wall Trail provides excellent access to many of these scenic observation spots while minimizing difficulty for hikers.
The trail begins at the park's Lansing-Edmonds Road, and from there follows an accessible 3.2-mile loop up to the edge of the gorge. During the hike, visitors will pass by no fewer than seven spectacular viewpoints of the magnificent gorge and the mighty New River flowing below.
In the autumn months, the gorge and its surrounding forests take on some of the best collections of fall colors anywhere in West Virginia. With its ample viewpoints and relatively flat terrain, the Endless Wall Trail is probably the most accessible gateway to amazing fall foliage views anywhere in Appalachia.
Entrance Fee
Free
Difficulty
Easy
Distance
3.2 miles
Time to Complete
1 hour 15 minutes
Elevation Gain
318 feet
Dog-friendly?
Yes
3 Old Rag Mountain Loop
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
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Of the major national parks in the Appalachian Mountains, Virginia's Shenandoah National Park may have the best combination of accessibility and memorable experiences.
The park is a fairly short drive from major cities like Washington DC and Baltimore, so residents of major urban areas can explore the park's exquisite fall foliage on a convenient day trip. At the same time, Shenandoah is also near several charming small towns that offer excellent immersion into the culture of Appalachia even as you tour the region's natural beauty.
For hikers and fall foliage fans alike, Shenandoah's Old Rag Mountain Loop Trail is a top destination on the East Coast for finding truly breathtaking views of autumn colors.
Old Rag Mountain itself is a fairly challenging climb. The route to the top features several false summits and sharp switchbacks, which may require a bit more effort than easier trails in the park. But, ultimately, the mountain's many false summits are just more opportunities to catch spectacular views of the Shenandoah Valley below.
Oftentimes, the higher points along the trail ascend above the cloud cover, so hikers can witness the awe-inspiring sight of the Shenandoah Valley rising above the clouds. Autumn is an especially magical time to hike the trail, with seemingly endless stretches of beautiful fall colors rolling across the Appalachian peaks in all directions around the mountain.
Entrance Fee
$15-$30
Difficulty
Hard
Distance
9.4 miles
Time to Complete
5-6 hours
Elevation Gain
2,604 feet
Dog-friendly?
No
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Shenandoah National Park can be explored with more than just hiking, and its mountain overlooks, quaint towns, and scenic drives are proof.
2 Double Arch, Courthouse Rock, and Auxier Ridge Loop
Red River Gorge Geological Area, Kentucky
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The Red River Gorge is one of the most striking aspects of Kentucky's Appalachian Mountains. Appalachia as a whole does have many scenic gorges, but most of them feature hilly river valleys and temperate forests more indicative of the East Coast.
Kentucky's Red River Gorge, on the other hand, displays numerous features associated with the dramatic landscapes out west. Around the gorge, hikers can find prominent landmarks like natural bridges, sandstone cliffs, and complex rock shelters that would be more at home in the desert realms of Utah than anywhere in Appalachia. As such, the Red River Gorge Geological Area features some of the most unique (and most beautiful) fall foliage views in the Appalachian Mountains.
The Double Arch, Courthouse Rock, and Auxier Ridge Loop Trail is a scenic, 6-mile trail that includes many of the gorge's most memorable features. From its main trailhead off of Tunnel Ridge Road, the trail takes hikers on a loop around striking rock formations like the Arch of Triumph, Double Arch, and Courthouse Rock Arch.
In essence, this particular trail is the best of both worlds. You get the amazing fall colors of the East Coast, while also experiencing the incredible geological formations mostly found out west!
Eventually, the trail passes by scenic overlooks of the Red River Gorge itself. Here, hikers can find amazing, panoramic shots of some of the best fall foliage displays in all of Kentucky!
Entrance Fee
Free
Difficulty
Moderate
Distance
6 miles
Time to Complete
4-5 hours
Elevation Gain
1,036 feet
Dog-friendly?
Yes
1 Mount Mitchell Loop
Mount Mitchell State Park, North Carolina
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At 6,684 feet, North Carolina's Mount Mitchell is the highest mountain in Appalachia and the highest point in the United States east of the Mississippi River. This impressive elevation, combined with the mountain's prime spot in the Blue Ridge Mountains, makes Mount Mitchell State Park arguably the best place for amazing fall foliage scenes in the entire Appalachian Range.
Hikers who want the best Mount Mitchell fall experience should head to the park's 6-mile Mount Mitchell Loop Trail. This particular trail combines portions of many of the park's top scenic trails for one comprehensive Mount Mitchell adventure.
Hikers will begin the loop along the Deep Gap Trail to prominent scenic spots like Big Tom and Mount Craig. From there, the trail passes through the Big Tom Gap and Buncombe Horse Trails. During this section of the route, hikers will pass by several lovely waterfalls and creeks that are exceptionally beautiful when decked out in fall colors.
After passing through this scenic section, the trail begins its ultimate ascent up to the Mount Mitchell summit. This part of the hike is probably the most challenging, as it requires some steeper climbs compared to the previous few miles.
But at the summit, hikers will be rewarded with the highest-elevation shots in the entire Appalachian Range. In the fall, the summit of Mount Mitchell provides monumental views of the Blue Ridge Mountains decorated in stunning fall colors, with visibility often stretching miles and miles into the horizon.
Entrance Fee
Free
Difficulty
Hard
Distance
6 miles
Time to Complete
4-5 hours
Elevation Gain
1,394 feet
Dog-friendly?
Yes
As of October 2024, many trails and recreational areas in Mount Mitchell State Park may be temporarily closed due to Hurricane Helene. Visitors should check current park conditions for up-to-date information on trail access.