Where To Go For a Fall Leaf-Peeping Road Trip

There’s no need to mourn the end of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, colourful displays begin to transform landscapes across North America, Europe and Asia. The east coast of the US is often considered the hub of leaf-peeping — the practice of travelling to see and photograph autumn foliage — but there are routes around the world that weave past multihued forests bursting with red, orange and yellow. From Japan’s Romantic Road to the ancient woodlands of the Forest of Dean, we’ve rounded up seven drives that make for truly unforgettable autumn escapes.

1. England: Symonds Yat Rock to Goodrich Castle, Forest of Dean

Length: 50 miles
Time to drive: 2-3 hours

Located on the border of England and Wales, the ancient woodlands in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley transform as temperatures drop in October. Expect to see sweet chestnuts, oaks, beeches, hawthorns and ash trees turning shades of gold, orange and deep red. To see the famous forest at its best, embark on a leaf-peeping drive, designed to show off the region’s most impressive lookouts and trails. Start at Symonds Yat Rock, which overlooks the colourful treetops and winding River Wye. Take the time to wander around Cyril Hart Arboretum, home to more than 200 species of trees, before looping back up to Goodrich Castle and enjoying the views from nearby Coppett Hill.

2. Japan: Ueda, Nagano to Nikko, Tochigi

Length: 217 miles
Time to drive: 7-9 hours

This route is Japan’s take on the Romantic Road, inspired by the famous journey through Bavaria. Before setting off from Ueda (an hour-and-a-half train ride from Tokyo), explore Ueda Castle; during autumn, the surrounding maple trees turn bright-red and the gingkos glow gold. From there, the route takes travellers from Nagano Prefecture into the mountainous Gunma Prefecture — home to onsen towns, including Kusatsu — before entering Tochigi Prefecture. Just west of Nikko, visitors will find Lake Chuzenji; the high-elevation lake is especially beautiful from mid-October to November, when the surrounding maple and katsura trees turn red and yellow.

3. USA: Stamford to Newport, Vermont

Length: 216 miles
Time to drive: 5 hours

Starting in Stamford, a three-hour drive from Boston, Vermont’s Route 100 showcases the best of New England’s autumn foliage. The state’s longest highway runs along the Green Mountain range, past burnt-orange and crimson-red maples, as well as yellow birch and beech trees. With its abundance of sugar maples and temperate climate, Vermont is the country’s leading producer of maple syrup. Travellers can sample the state’s most famous product at the Great Mountain Sugar House in Ludlow or purchase a variety of other locally made goods at the Vermont Country Store in Weston.

4. Canada: Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia

Length: 185 miles
Time to drive: 5-7 hours

Heading north to Canada’s east coast, the Cabot Trail curves around the edge of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. Starting and ending in the town of Baddeck (located about a three-and-a-half-hour drive from the province’s capital, Halifax), the route winds along the rugged coast of the Atlantic and the Gulf of St Lawrence. From late September to mid-October, sugar and red maples, yellow birch and American beech trees burst into colour. Stop to hike the four-mile Skyline Trail near Chéticamp to to see vivid red and yellow hues contrast with the greens of the surrounding pines and firs, while taking in sweeping views of the gulf.

5. Germany: Würzburg to Füssen, Bavaria

Length: 290 miles
Time to drive: 4-5 hours

Germany’s Romantic Road takes travellers through the heart of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Starting from Würzburg — known for its Franconian wines and baroque architecture — the route passes some of the country’s most picturesque medieval towns, including Rothenburg ob der Tauber, with its narrow lanes and timber-framed houses. As the journey nears its end in Füssen, take the time to stop at the 19th-century Neuschwanstein Castle. It’s particularly impressive in October, as the surrounding woodland — a mix of sycamores, maple and beech trees — turns shades of copper, gold and scarlet.

6. Romania: Curtea de Argeș to Carțișoara, Transfăgărășan Highway

Length: 71 miles
Time to drive: 3-4 hours

Starting in Curtea de Argeș, a riverside city in south-central Romania, this dramatic route along the Transfăgărășan Highway is not for the faint of heart, with steep, hair-raising turns winding through the Făgăraș Mountains. But the drive is well worth it — particularly in autumn. Beeches and maples in the surrounding forests turn vibrant shades of red, rust and gold, standing out among deep green firs. Stop for a hike at the journey’s highest point, Bâlea Lake, situated at an altitude of 2,034 metres. The highway is best explored in early autumn, as the elevated section closes due to snow from the end of October to late June.

7. USA: San Juan Skyway, Colorado

Length: 236 miles
Time to drive: 6-7 hours

Also known as the ‘Road to the Sky’, the San Juan Skyway curves through the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado. The route starts in Durango (about six hours from Denver), and popular stops along the loop include the historic mining towns of Silverton, Telluride and Ouray. The latter is known as the ‘Little Switzerland of America’, thanks to its surrounding rocky peak landscape and extensive hiking trails. From late September to early October, the mountains put on an impressive show, with colourful aspens, cottonwoods and gambel oaks lining the highway.