Every autumn, the dark green mountains of the East Coast’s national parks transform into a breathtaking display of golden, amber and pumpkin-orange hues.
Along with the vibrant colors, the crisp fall air provides the perfect weather for exploring the parks and drinking in nature’s greatest seasonal decorations.
In honor of the start of this new season, we picked the top three national parks on the East Coast with the best fall foliage landscapes. Along with each of our top three picks, we provide you with the crowd advice, top-rated local campgrounds and tips to successfully catch the peak of fall foliage at each park.
1. Acadia National Park
Where: Mount Desert, Maine
Crowd Factor: Light, though crowds tend to grow heavier at peak hours (10am-3pm) on the weekends.
Local Campgrounds: Blackwoods Campground, Bass Harbor Campground, Hadley’s Point Campground, Bar Harbor/ Oceanside KOA.
Best time to visit: The leaves in Acadia National Park are typically at their most vibrant colors during the last couple days of September through the first two weeks in October. Hike to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, and you will see an incredible scenic view of colorful mountains alongside the Atlantic Ocean.
If hiking isn’t your forte, you can drive the 27-mile Park Loop Road to see a magnificent vista of the Atlantic Ocean and the golden gradients of the mountains of Acadia. In addition, Acadia is full of beautiful biking trails. The glorious unpaved carriage roads are closed off to motorized vehicles, so your bike ride or hike will be as epic and serene as possible!
2. Shenandoah National Park
Where: Virginia
Crowd Factor: Moderate, but crowds intensify during the Fall Foliage Bike Festival (October 16-18).
Local Campgrounds: Mathews Arm, Big Meadows, Loft Mountain Campground. Note: None of these campgrounds offer hookups, but they do offer potable water and dump stations.
Best time to visit: Peak foliage at Shenandoah National Park is usually the last two weeks of October. Check out this fall color report produced by Shenandoah mattNational Park to help you catch it at its prime.
After you’ve tired yourself out exploring the 500 plus trails of Shenandoah, hop back in your car and take a drive on Skyline Drive. Skyline Drive stretches over 100 miles along the Blue Ridge Mountains, and you will be rewarded with a stunning overview of the park and its vivid foliage.
Want to make your fall foliage adventure to Shenandoah even better? Drive along the famous Blue Ridge Parkway where you will be blown away by the incredible scenery. Follow the Blue Ridge Parkway far enough, and you will end up at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park–the next stop on our tour!
3. Great Smoky Mountains
Where: North Carolina and Tennessee
Crowd Factor: Crowded, so rise and shine before 10am on the weekends, or go on a weekday, if you want some alone time with the park’s colorful beauty.
Local Campgrounds: Smoky Mountain Premier RV Resort, Elkmont Campground, Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Camp Resorts.
Best time to visit: Peak foliage at Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a tad bit later than Shenandoah, because it is further south. The best leaf-peeping is generally between the last week of October to the first week of November. The Great Smoky Mountains have an extensive diversity of trees including oaks, red maple, birch, sugar maples, poplar and sweetgum.
Once you are done with your fall adventure, it's time to winterize your RV. Download our free guide to winterize your rig at home!