The Best Fall Hiking Trails in the U.S.

Is there anything better than fall hiking?

Published by Conde Nast Traveler, October 2020
Written by Cassie Shortsleeve

The temperature is perfect, the leaves are changing, and as the foliage drops, you get clear views of the American countryside—from its majestic lakes to forest-covered ridges—while also getting a healthy dose of fresh air. From Acadia National Park in Maine to southern edges of the Appalachian Trail, here are 26 destinations primed for fall hiking, from east to west across the U.S. Remember to always research current trail conditions (as well as any COVID-19 restrictions) before you head out—then grab your mask and a couple layers to take in autumn’s colors before winter hides them in white.

Mount Greylock, Massachusetts

At 3,491 feet, Massachusetts’s tallest peak inspired minds like those of Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry David Thoreau (look for a rock inscribed with some of Thoreau’s writing at the summit). The Bellows Pipe trail reveals what all the fuss was about: The view at the top includes a lighthouse-looking structure (the Massachusetts Veterans War Memorial Tower) and in the distance, Vermont’s Green Mountains, the Catskills, and on a clear day, New Hampshire’s White Mountains.