There are few better ways to celebrate the magic of fall than heading outdoors and camping beneath the season’s changing leaves. The common characteristic of any of the best fall camping trips is viewing the foliage change. The good news is that you don’t have to be in the Northeast to experience the best of Fall. We’ve selected our favorite spots around the U.S. to take in autumn’s arboreal show of color. Now is the time to book your site, since booking windows have already opened for the fall and these spots are coveted and get reserved quickly.
Where are we going this year for fall camping trips?
- The Pacific Northwest: Mt Hood & Columbia River Gorge in the Pacific Northwest
- The North-East: The Catskills
- The South: Great Smoky Mountain National Park
- The Midwest: North Shore, Lake Superior
- The West: Rocky Mountain National Park
Learn below more about what to do and where to camp in these areas.
Recommended: Some of the Best Campgrounds for Families
1. The Pacific Northwest: Mt Hood & Columbia River Gorge in the Pacific Northwest
Why We Love It
- Foliage viewing along the river gorge or stately Mt. Hood adds another layer of beauty
- There are a lot of hiking options, as well as foliage viewing from trains or boats
- Peak viewing season: most of October
The area encompassing Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge is prime foliage-viewing in the Pacific Northwest. In the gorge, waterfalls spill from basalt cliffs among the changing fall leaves. Higher up in the Mt. Hood National Forest guided hikes are available by foliage gurus, including to Mirror Lake with reflections of the foliage in the still water. With nearly 1,000 miles of trails in the park, there are plenty of opportunities to take in the splendor of fall foliage in deep wilderness. From all over the landscape, enjoy views of regal Mt. Hood jutting snow-capped over the surrounding forests for a memorable fall camping trip in Oregon.
Fall foliage peaks along the Gorge from late September through late October. Higher elevations in the area tend to peak a little sooner, so plan your fall camping trip in the Pacific Northwest accordingly. If you feel like getting off your feet while enjoying the foliage, take a scenic train ride on the Mt. Hood Railroad or by boat on the river.
Where to Camp: Ainsworth State Park or Memaloose State Park, Oregon
2. The North-East: The Catskills
Why We Love It
- Large area with easy viewing of fall foliage
- Plenty of fun, family-friendly activities
- Peak viewing season: late September through the first half of October
The Catskills in New York are ideal for all types of campers, whether you’re into relaxing at the campsite or tackling local excursions, and the area ranks among the best fall camping trips for the foliage change. There are plenty of hikes and drives that are perfect for admiring foliage. There are many family-friendly activities in the area as well. Try attending a fall festival, riding a fall foliage-viewing train on the Catskill Mountain Railroad, or taking the Hunter Mountain chairlift for stunning views that extend to the Vermont Berkshires.
At nearly 6,000 square miles, the Catskills Mountains are complete with forest preserves, rich wildlife, rolling hills, and a network of rivers and lakes, making it some of the best fall camping in New York. Peak foliage season is typically from late September through mid-October, when the expanse of fall foliage can be easily seen from anywhere in the Catskills, so be sure to plan your fall camping trip in New York around this time.
Where to Camp: Kenneth L. Wilson Campgrounds or Devil’s Tombstone Campground, New York
3. The South: Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Why We Love It
- Wider timeframe to view changing leaves
- Rich variety of tree species changing leaves
- Peak viewing season: late October through early November
Nearly 100 indigenous species of trees call the Great Smoky Mountains home, many of which transform into astonishing colors of red, orange and yellow in autumn. At higher elevations, leaves on trees like hickories, scarlet oaks, and sugar and red maples, begin to transform as early as late September. The splendor continues into late November, generally appearing its most spectacular in late October and early November. This is one of the later seasons of our fall camping spots listed, so is a great area to visit if you’re looking for ideas for camping in October or November specifically.
The rich biodiversity of the Smokies across North Carolina and Tennessee is best enjoyed up close and personal at a campsite or traversing one of its 850 miles of trails. Enjoy a sweeping panorama of the Great Smoky Mountains at Clingmans Dome in North Carolina, the highest point in the Smokies. You can also catch a bird’s eye view of the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel at The Island in Pigeon Forge.
Enjoy some of the best fall camping in North Carolina from late October through early November. Below are a few camp spots we recommend.
Where to Camp: Mount Mitchell State Park, Lake James State Park (walk-in sites), or Fort Wilderness RV Park and Campground, North Carolina
Recommended: Blue Ridge Parkway RV Road Trip
4. The Midwest: North Shore, Lake Superior
Why We Love It
- Two distinct waves of changing leaves
- Diversity of landscape and activities in a small area
- Peak viewing season: Highlands during the second half of September and the shoreline the first half of October
With the change in elevation between Minnesota’s North Shore and the interior highlands to the north comes a special fall foliage display and should be added to any best fall camping trips list, and makes for great camping in October specifically. The inland maple trees along the ridgelines of the Sawtooth Mountains begin their color transformation in mid-September, usually lasting 2-3 weeks. Along the shoreline of Lake Superior, the leaves on aspen and birch become wonderful warm colors a couple of weeks later, lasting through mid or late-October. Experience some of the best fall camping in the Midwest around this time.
The North Shore interior is the outdoors person’s paradise with backcountry attractions like backpacking, hunting, and fishing, set in the northern country wilderness. The shoreline boasts similar outdoor activities, as well as scenic drives or biking along the shore-hugging North Shore Scenic Byway. A Midwest fall camping trip is definitely worth considering!
Where to Camp: City of Two Harbors, Minnesota
5. The West: Rocky Mountain National Park
Why We Love It
- Aspen leaves transform into vibrant golden yellow
- Foliage change coincides with elk migration
- Peak viewing season: mid-September
Autumn in Colorado is renowned for aspen turning stark golden yellow in magnificent contrast to the surrounding evergreen and mountainous terrain. Aspen leaves begin changing color as early as late August at higher elevations. The golden foliage descends to lower elevations in the coming weeks, peaking throughout Rocky Mountain National Park in mid-September, which is one of the best times to play your Colorado fall camping trip. Magically, this coincides with the elk migration season; they migrate to lower land for winter mating.
Some of the best fall camping in Colorado can be found around the picturesque towns dot the hillsides, like Estes Park. Hundreds of miles of trails in the area accommodate hikers of all types, whether you’re looking for a leisurely stroll or an adventurous climb.
Where to Camp: Estes Park Campground at Marys Lake or Estes Park Campground at the East Portal, Colorado
Recommended: 5 Picturesque Cabins & Campgrounds with Lakes to Visit This Fall
Tips for Planning Your Fall Foliage Camping Trip
Recommended: Memorable Fall RV Road Trips to Take This Year
Have a Few Fall Camping Destinations In Mind and Stay Flexible
Because the timing and vibrancy of fall foliage changes year-by-year (and by area), we recommend choosing a couple of possible destinations and have itineraries ready for more than one possible fall camping trip. You can make your final decision based on this season’s foliage reports.
You could also try staying flexible on dates, however since most people have to take off days from work in advance, it might work out better to keep your destination flexible instead of your timing. For example, you may have a Colorado fall camping trip in mind for late September, but if the leaves in the Rocky Mountains change early, you may decide to pivot to fall camping in the Pacific Northwest during the same date range, as the leaves often change later there. This of course also depends on where you live and where it’s feasible to travel to within your planned dates.
Recommended: 8 Reasons to Go Camping in the Fall
When planning your fall camping trip, keep in mind that the peak foliage week is difficult to anticipate since it depends on the weather. That could mean you might have to plan your trip last minute. Here are a few tips for planning a last-minute camping trip:
- Have your kitchen box and other gear that can be pre-packed ready to go
- For other gear like down sleeping bags that can’t be stored in a packed state, or for items that you may need to access regularly, keep them in a staging area such as storage bin or all in the same room so that it’s all in the same place
- Have a meal list already prepared to make pre-trip grocery shopping as fast as possible. If you’re able to cook and freeze any meals, that will speed up the packing process as well
- When searching a campground on ReserveAmerica, use the campground page’s “Find First Available Date” feature. This will show the soonest available campsites for that campground.
Are you ready for your adventure? Plan your camping trip!