10 BEAUTIFUL PLACES FOR BEAUTIFUL LEAVES NOW

Time to get out and see some Beautiful Leaves! We found 10 of the most beautiful places to see them. Check them out below. And share your photos with us when you get back!

1. GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING

Grand Teton National Park, in northwestern Wyoming, is a virtually pristine ecosystem, with the same species of flora and fauna living here since prehistoric times. More than 1,000 species of vascular plants, dozens of species of mammals, 300 species of birds, proliferate these dramatic landscapes.

The park spreads out across approximately 310,000 acres (130,000 ha). The 40-mile-long (64 km) Teton Range runs through them. Together with surrounding National Forests, it forms the 18,000,000-acre (7,300,000 ha) Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the largest intact mid-latitude temperate ecosystems in the world.

Endangered whitebark pine, limber pine, Douglas fir, blue spruce, and Engelmann spruce are among the evergreens found here, while aspen, cottonwood, and alder, put on a truly beautiful leaf show in autumn.

2. THE NARROWS -- ZION NATIONAL PARK, UTAH

The Narrows is one of the premier hikes on the Colorado Plateau in Zion National Park. You will hike along this section of canyon on the North Fork of the Virgin River. Ogle at the deep gorges, with vertical red sandstone cliff walls on either side.

It is an unusual hike because you will be trekking waist-deep through the river for about a third of the way.

Check out the beautiful yellow aspen and red scrub oak leaves as they flutter in the autumn breeze. The foliage is more spread out, which highlights just how beautiful it is when it starts to change color in the autumn.

If you love to take beautiful photos, this place deserves a spot on your bucket list. The colors of the leaves and the rocks, together with the monumental geological forms, together with the flowing waters make this a bonanza. Bring your tripod through because the light tends to be low.

3. JOTUNHEIMEN NATIONAL PARK, NORWAY

Jotunheimen, or “Home of the Giants,” is a national park in Norway that is recognized as one of the world’s best hiking regions. With over 200 mountain peaks, over 2,000 meters (6,560 ft) high, Jotunheimen is an extraordinary place to check out the fall foliage in all of its majesty. 

Jotunheimen’s high peaks allow one to see all of the leaves changing color for miles! Look out for reindeer, elk, deer, wolverines and lynx! And there’s plenty of trout in the lakes and rivers.

You can even see the remains of Stone Age hunting camps nearby.

You can stay in a hostel of one of 160 private huts in the region. Register with the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association.

4. SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK, VIRGINIA

Shenandoah National Park, in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, offers more than 500 miles of hiking through some of the most beautiful forests in the country. The abundant oak and maple trees flaunt leaves that rock out in fiery hues.

The park’s extraordinary road, Skyline Drive, offers 105 miles of beautiful autumn leaf colors to enjoy. And check out the fabulous Fall Foliage Bike Festival.

5. CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK, UTAH

Capitol Reef National Park, in south central Utah, is sublimely beautiful any time of year with its sandstone peaks, cliffs and awesome rock formations. But in the fall, as the leaves change color to match the deep oranges and yellows of the stone backdrops, the whole picture really sings.

Check out the hundreds of miles of trails and unpaved roads for an unparalleled western autumn experience.

6. THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS, TENNESSEE & NORTH CAROLINA

The Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountain chain in Tennessee and North Carolina, are named for the beautiful layer of fog that seems to perpetually cover its peaks. 

Beneath the fog lies the largest stand of old growth forest east of the Mississippi, covering over 187,000 acres. And in autumn, hundreds of thousands of gorgeous trees turn color. The diverse ecosystem here supports over 100 species of trees result in a stunning fall display as each leaf reveals its unique set of colors within.

Look out for black bears, as the Great Smokies are home to the densest black bear population in the Eastern United States. The most diverse salamander population outside of the tropics also lives here among the beautiful fallen leaves.

The Great Smokies have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site.

7. ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, MAINE

The beautiful leaves of Acadia National Park are spread out across more than 47,000 acres (19,000 ha), including 30,300 acres (12,300 ha) on Mount Desert Island.

Check out the beautiful aspen, birch, alder, maple leaves in autumn along miles of carriage roads that were originally built by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., further embellished by views of the ocean, island lakes, and pine forests. White-tailed deer, moose, beaver,coyote, bobcats, and black bears will keep you company.

Cadillac Mountain, a pink granite summit here is one of the first places in the United States to see the sunrise.

8. ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS, NEW YORK

The Adirondack Mountains are heavily forested, which makes them a prime place to view beautiful leaves. Its unique boreal forest is home to more than 260 species of birds, many of which breed only here.

Dotted with some of the most beautiful lakes, including Lake Placid, Lake George, Saranac Lake, Schroon Lake and the St. Regis Lakes are great places to canoe and kayak for a special view of the trees around their rims. Or catch a view of beautiful leaves from the hundreds of hiking trails.

9. MINNEWASKA STATE PARK PRESERVE, NEW YORK

The Minnewaska State Park Preserve in New York presents stunning views of the Catskill Mountains. In addition to endless swaths of beautiful trees, these mountains are covered with blueberry and huckleberry bushes, with leaves that turn fiery red in the fall.

The Minnewaska State Park Preserve holds 21,106 acre (8,541 ha) of trees. It sits atop the Shawangunk Mountain range, part of the Appalachian Mountain range, in upstate New York. When you hike up along the ridgeline, you can see the remarkable autumn leaf display roll out for many miles all around.

Check out the extensive Chestnut Oak Forest, along with other unique ecosystems here. Watch out for bobcats and rattlesnakes.

10. CONWAY SUMMIT, CALIFORNIA

Conway Summit, in Mono County California, is a great place to see rolling hills and mountains covered in the spectacular aspens. In the fall, as their leaves all turn out their colored glory, the place appears to be caught in a perpetual sunset. This is an autumn view you don’t want to miss.

Read more about Beautiful Leaves, as they relate to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact including Contemplating Leaves Now, Good, Good, Good, Leaf Vibrations Now, Beautiful Artisan Tea Leaves Now, and Beautiful Leaves as Both Artist & Medium Now.

Enter your own images and ideas about Beautiful Leaves in this week’s creative Photo Competition. Open for entries now until 11:59 p.m. PT on 10.26.14. If you are reading this after that date, check out the current BN Creative Competition, and enter!

PHOTO CREDITS:

1. Photo: by Dave Hensley. Aspen Trees at Grand Teton National Park in Autumn.
2. Photo: by Diana Robinson. Sunrise at Oxbow Bend.
3. Photo: by Quirkster. Zion National Park, Utah.
4. Photo: by Aravind Ravisankar. Zion Narrows, Zion National Park.
5. Photo: Courtesy of Visit Norway. Jotunheimen National Park.
6. Photo: Courtesy of the United States National Park Service. Shenandoah National Park.
7. Photo: Courtesy of Mowry Journal. Capitol Reef National Park. Utah.
8. Photo: by Kurt Thomas. Smoky Mountains.
9. Photo: Courtesy of the United States National Park Service. Acadia National Park, Maine.
10. Photo: by Robbie. Adirondack Mountains.
11. Photo: by Shira P. White. Shawangunk Mountains in Minnewaska State Park. New York.
12. Photo: by Pacheco. Conway Summit, California.