Photo Courtesy: istock.com/jenifoto
Discover Fall Colors
Find autumn in all its glory at these locations
As cooler temperatures descend on the forests, valleys and meadows of the Pacific Northwest in fall, so does a stunning display of colors. The crisp autumn days and even chillier nights provide the perfect conditions for leaves to show off in shades of crimson, gold and amber before they drop for the winter.
These foliage changes can be seen on road trips and in cities, along meandering rivers and behind rushing waterfalls. For a more immersive autumn experience, consider a longer stay in some of the best places to see the leaves turn. The Lodge at Black Butte Ranch in Sisters, Oregon, recently underwent a renovation and makes an elegant homebase for fall explorations in the region, starting with the aspen groves on the 1,800-acre Ranch. The glowing red of the Sun Valley Maple provides a backdrop for the Sun Valley Jazz & Music Festival October 16 through 19. Fall foliage can be an opening act or the main event for a seasonal road trip, and there are plenty of opportunities to catch fall in all its glory throughout Oregon and Idaho.
1. Black Butte Ranch
Sisters, Oregon
With an aspen grove right on the Ranch’s sprawling property, this Central Oregon escape glows in the shimmer of golden leaves mid-September through October.
2. Portland Japanese Garden
Portland, Oregon
Although Japanese maples reach peak fall in late October and early November, the wait is worth it when the tiny leaves swap green for vibrant oranges, yellows and reds.
3. Lithia Park
Ashland, Oregon
In October, ornamental gardens, meadows and lush forests become ablaze in bursts of yellow and red accented by the deep hues of evergreens, a stunning contrast.
4. McKenzie Pass
Central Oregon
Lining the sparkling blue waters of the McKenzie River are species of trees that turn into a kaleidoscope of colors beginning in late September. Big leaf maples, red alders and vine maples, with a backdrop of lava fields lining the McKenzie Highway, OR 126, continue to stun well into October
5. Cedar Creek Grist Mill
Woodland, Washington
History buffs will enjoy wandering around the preserved grain mill under a canopy of big leaf maples shimmering in deep shades of scarlet from late September into mid-October.
6. Wood River Valley
Sun Valley, Idaho
Autumn colors make their valley debut in September, peaking in October, and showing off throughout November, with aspens and cottonwoods bursting forth in shades of amber and gold.
7. Upper and Lower Mesa Falls
Mesa Falls Scenic Byway, Idaho
This stretch of road in eastern Idaho offers views of colorful foliage that extend for the entire season, but see the waterfalls in mid-October when they are surrounded by red and gold maple and aspen trees.
8. Salmon River Scenic Byway
Stanley, Idaho
Head to high elevation at the headwaters of the Salmon River in September and October, when thinner air creates the perfect recipe for intense tones of orange and sunshine-gold in cottonwoods and the western larch (also known as tamarack, a deciduous conifer native to forests in Idaho).
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