“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.”
– Lauren Destefano
photo credit: Carolyn Fox
photo credit: Carolyn Fox
Fall brings spectacular scenery to the West Yellowstone, Montana, area, as well as the annual elk mating season (rut),where huge bull elk battle, echoing bugles across wide valleys.
Cooler fall temperatures create photo opportunities in Yellowstone Park and West Yellowstone area. We suggest an evening drive into the Canyon area of the Park to experience the elk bugles.
Christmas Tree Rock, photo credit: Carolyn Fox
For fabulous fall colors, one of our favorite scenic drives, called “around the block,” takes you along the north shore of Hebgen Lake, then south along Henry’s Lake, and back into West Yellowstone along Hwy 20.
Miles of trails wind past aspen and pine, tranquil meadows, and impressive peaks. From town, you can hike into Yellowstone Park along the Riverside Trail, north on the Boundary Trail,or meander on the Rendezvous Trail System. North of town, the Witt’s Lake and Kirkwood Trails are very popular, and easily accessible.
Mountain biking and road cycling are also popular. West Yellowstone is very close to the Continental Divide Trail and the TransAmerica Trail goes directly through town. Oct 5th, we host the Annual Old Faithful Cycle Tour, a supported ride into the iconic geyser of the Park and back again.
Weather depending, hundreds of miles of ATV trails are open for enjoying the area. A couple of favorites include the Two Top Trail and Horse Butte Lookout. Trails start at the edge of town and become our snowmobile trails in the winter.
We do advise, when recreating during the fall, to be bear aware, as the wildlife are preparing for the upcoming winter and become more active at lower elevations. Also, plan for changing weather conditions by dressing in layers. Mornings can be in the 30s, but daytime temps can rise into the 60s and 70s.
For more information and trail maps, visit DestinationYellowstone.com
“Autumn, Your presence speaks to my soul and I cannot wait for our next adventure.”
– Heather Warren
The Big Spring Scenic Backway is a 68-mile route between Kemmerer and Cokeville in Wyoming’s southwestern Lincoln County. The Backway is crisscrossed by historic emigrant trails and the scenic Hams Fork River. It plunges deep into the TNP Mountain Range in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. 
The best way to travel the route is with a four-wheel drive vehicle and a picnic lunch.
There is a myriad of places to stop, step off the road and snap some photos of foliage. The road is seasonal and high clearance vehicles are highly recommended. For the best opportunities to see fall colors at their best, plan your trip for mid-September.
Following U.S. Highway 89 as it winds its way north through Star Valley always provides some opportunities for epic autumn colors. The roadway passes over the continental divide at the southern end of Star Valley, providing motorists a chance to pull off the road at the top of South Pass and see nothing but mountains and trees in all directions. If you happen to be in the area just after a fall rainstorm, the colors really pop. The best thing about this route is that any vehicle can get you there, as the road is a highway.
It will be busy, however, with other families looking to also take advantage of the photo opportunities. The designated scenic byway passes through the entire length of Star Valley and ends at the Teton County Line in the Snake River Canyon. 
For best colors, plan a trip for mid to late September.
At the Alpine Junction at the northern tip of Star Valley, you can elect to take the Snake River Canyon route to Jackson Hole, or continue onto U.S. Highway 26 around the Palisades Reservoir. In the fall, the choice is easy. Take Highway 26! 
The aspen trees along the route have already started to shift into their deep golden gowns and will only get more glorious in the coming weeks. With the scenic Palisades Reservoir on one side and impressive mountains all around you, this route is an unforgettable drive in September. Follow Highway 26 around the Palisades Reservoir and into Swan Valley, Idaho for some truly beautiful fall colors. The route is accessible to all vehicle types.
The Greys River Road is one of the most popular forest roads on the Bridger-Teton National Forest. The gravel road begins in Alpine, Wyoming and runs 60 miles south through Greys River Country to the Tri-Basin Divide. From there you can continue on to LaBarge or circle back to Star Valley via the Smiths Fork Road. The route provides access to the Wyoming and Salt River Mountain Ranges and opportunities to snap photos of fall color are literally endless. A four-wheel drive vehicle is highly recommended. Pack a picnic and plan to spend the day in the backcountry. The fall colors are on display beginning in mid-September.
Hunting season opens September 1 in Star Valley, so if you have planned a road trip, be sure to wear the appropriate colors of florescent orange or pink. It is also a good idea to bring some warm clothing along as Wyoming weather can be unpredictable at best. Pay attention to weather conditions. Backcountry roads that are drivable when dry can become impassable with a little rain or snow. Be sure to tell family and friends where you are going. It is big, wild country out there! Also, be mindful that wildlife is on the move and busy preparing for winter. Give animals the right-of-way and be bear aware.
Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.
– George Eliot
Log Canyon
Maple Canyon
“This strangely still pause between summer and autumn, greenery and gold, and the heat rising wind that is once again readying itself to rush it all away in a climatic symphony of color and scent is- in my opinion, one of the best parts about living on earth”
– Victoria Erickson
Georgetown Canyon is full of quaking aspen. Dirt roads wind through the canyon. Many different places for first come first serve camping and great roads for recreational activities. Dirt road access.
Paris Canyon is a wonderful place to explore. There are the Paris ice caves. Open for site seeing, you can go in and out anytime and it’s only a one minute hike into the caves. Paris Springs is wonderful as well. 
It’s a five minute hike into the Spring. Once you get in there, the water flows out of the ground and down the canyon. Also, plenty of first-come first-serve areas for camping are waiting for you! Dirt road access.
Bloomington Canyon has the beautiful Bloomington lake. It is a 1.1 mile hike up into the lake. On the way you see wildlflowers, wildlife, birds. Once you reach the lake, you can enjoy fishing and/or hiking around the lake and take pictures. It’s a wonderful place to enjoy the scenery. Dirt road access.
Fish Haven Canyon is also a great place for a drive. Fish Haven Creek and Sadducee Spring are both great to see and enjoy! Dirt road access.
Emigration Canyon is a wonderful canyon. It takes you to Preston Idaho but drops into Bear Lake Valley. Filled with Pine and wildflowers, it makes for a nice, relaxing ride. There are first-come first-serve campgrounds, plenty of places to picnic or just pull off the roads to see creeks and streams. Great road for travel, it’s paved all the way..
St Charles is home to the Minnetonka cave. If you can’t make it to the cave by Labor Day, don’t let that keep you from going up and enjoying the scenery. Blue Pond can be seen from the road or you can take the one minute hike to the pond where you can go fishing. Sometimes on a good day you can see a moose in the water. Great road for travel, it’s paved all the way.
Garden city boardwalk
Hodges Canyon is wonderful for a nice hike, dirtbike or ATV ride. This trail is for recreational use only and is perfect for families. The trail is 5.2 miles long and you can see the lake from up high! The further you go in, you will find some incredible streams and creeks. The trees keep you cool so bring a light jacket.
Richardson Canyon connects to hodges canyon! at 2000 feet of elevation you can get the perfect view of Bear Lake. Great for hiking and ATV use! Even horseback riding.
Temple Canyon Sinks almost 17 miles of hiking, biking. dirt bike/ATV riding; you will love this canyon filled with sagebrush, cedars and pine trees.
“Come, little leaves, ” said the wind one day, ” Come o’er the meadows with me and play;
Put on your dresses of red and gold, For summer is gone and the days grow cold.”
– George Cooper
Fall Conopy Parowan Canyon
As the weather starts to cool, the area around Cedar City prepares to put on a dramatic show. With a backdrop of striking red rocks and southern Utah’s national parks, Cedar City provides an unmatched destination for fall foliage viewing.
While mid September to mid October are the best times to view these spectacular colors, we keep a close eye on the changing colors so that you know exactly what to expect when visiting Cedar City! You can find the Fall Color Report here.
The Fall Color Loop is one of the best ways to see a vast amount of colors around Cedar City. Plan about 2 hours of travel time for viewpoints, lunch and/or hikes.
Beginning in Parowan, the Fall Color Loop will follow Highway 143 through Parowan Canyon to Brian Head Resort. The colors along Highway 143 are usually at their peak in mid October but the drive is phenomenal any time of year!
Known as the Patchwork Parkway, Highway 143 is like the blocks of a quilt; weaving through an astounding patchwork of historic towns, geological formations, vegetation, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities that appeal to all – from sightseers and leaf peepers to high adventure fanatics.
Sydney Valley turnoff
The byway descends through Sidney Valley (approximately 5 miles east after the junction), a spectacular sight in late September. Take in the immense stands of golden yellow aspens, one stand in particular crowned with blazing red before a backdrop of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. Pink cliffs glitter in the distance as an ancient lava field sprinkled with aspen trees lines the highway.
Cedar Breaks National Monument, Scenic Byway 148 – photo credit: Mike Saemisch
After taking in the sights at Sidney Valley, head back west toward Highway 148. Highway 148 runs along the red rock amphitheater of Cedar Breaks National Monument. The large, natural amphitheater is about three miles wide and 2,500 feet deep with walls of spires and dazzling rock formations, creating a supreme backdrop for fall leaves.
Continuing the journey, follow Highway 148 south through Cedar Breaks National Monument. To finish the loop, turn west back towards Cedar City at the junction of Highway 14. Add to the experience by stopping at the Zion Overlook or Woods Ranch for a picnic and then continue to Cedar City.
Parowan celebrates the fall season with two fun events – the first, the Scarecrow Fest lines Main Street from October 6th to October 28th. Find over fifty unique scarecrows designed and created by local businesses. The second, Parowan’s Fall Fest, features vendors, food, entertainment, costume parade and a wonderful day in the fall leaves in Parowan’s Library Park on October 13th.
The fall season of the Utah Shakespeare Festival features Hamlet, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”, Every Brilliant Thing and The Price. Catch them before the season wraps up on October 13th. Find more information and a schedule at www.bard.org.
The annual Cedar Livestock & Heritage Festival will celebrate Iron County’s unique livestock and agricultural heritage October 26 to 28th with a variety of authentic events including a very unique (and adorable) Sheep Parade: Cedar City’s tranquil Downtown gets a little wild and wooly each October when the Sheep Parade herds its way down Main Street.
Goodbye Summer. I’m ready for . . . fall leaves, cool nights, hay rides, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, caramel apples, comfy sweaters and hoodies
– Distressed Nest
photo credit: Carl Knight Photography
This drive starts on Utah’s Scenic Byway 24. Watch for Hwy 25; here the road climbs to where you can see almost all of the high mountain valley.
As you start your descent to Fish Lake, there are pull-outs where you can stop and take some jaw-dropping photos. Hwy 25 takes you past Fish Lake around Mytoge Mountain and Zedd’s Mountain. You’ll pass a couple of other smaller lakes before you get to Hwy 72. If you continue south on 72, you’ll hit Scenic Byway 24 again. If you’re looking for a loop, turn right/west. Or you could hang a left and take 24 into Capital Reef National Park.
Fish Lake’s famous Aspen Heart
Fish Lake is best known for its large Mackinaw lake trout. Some weigh 35 to 40 pounds. In addition to year-around fishing, there are plenty of trails to hike or mountain bike on. The lake shore is the post popular trail because of how convenient it is.
While in the area, pick up a map of trails and take a hike or a ride. You’ll surely find some amazing photo opportunities. In the Fish Lake Basin near the lake, ATV’s are permitted. However, don’t miss out on the miles of trails in the surrounding areas.
A large percentage of Hwy 89 in Utah is incredibly scenic. This section is the one our family has spent the most time in. You’ll follow the Sevier River as it winds its way though the canyon. The autumn leaves are contrasting beautifully against the rock canyon walls. If you continue South on Hwy 89 it will take you to Utah’s Scenic Byway 12.
We would recommend spending some extra time in the area riding the famous Paiute trail on an ATV. If you don’t own your own machines, you can rent them in the area. Besides some of the best fall foliage in the state, this area has a rich mining history. Take the time to stop at the open air mining museum. You don’t need an ATV to get there, it’s just more fun. In the same area you’ll find Bullion Falls; a magnificent 75 foot waterfall. You can’t quite get there on an ATV but the short walk/hike is worth it any time of year. Autumn happens to be a little better in my opinion.
For those with a bit of an adventurous soul, you’ll want to check out the Adventure Park at Big Rock Candy Mountain where you’ll find zip-lines, a giant swing, rappelling tours or you could rent an electric bike and ride on the Candy Mountain Express. This is a paved path running parallel with the Sevier River and Historic Highway 89.
“Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dancing on a windy day.”
– Shira Tamir
Scenic Byway-hwy U-153
The scenic byway is spectacular, it is 17 miles long and takes roughly 45 minutes. It is a series of twists and turns and climbs 4,000 feet through groves of mahogany, aspen and ponderosa pine trees. There are campsites, hiking trails, hunting and fishing in the many lakes and streams along the way. Two miles from the entrance is Little Cottonwood Campground. A few miles farther is the Ponderosa picnic site, which has a stream and a grove of trees that surround you with the forest’s canopy which turns a gorgeous pink and red in the fall. Just past Ponderosa is the turnoff on the right for FR 137. This is a well maintained dirt road that provides access to some attractive high mountain lakes and nice camping sites at Little Reservoir, Kents Lake, and Anderson Meadow Reservoir. 
Belknap Peak – photo credit: Jay Dash Photography
The climb starts to get steeper and about a mile past the FR 137 turnoff is Mahogany Cove Campground where the views of steep, forested hillsides above and below open up in spectacular fashion. Make sure to take a camera, it’s breathtaking. Three miles beyond Mahogany Cove you will reach Merchant Valley Dam, which has a pull out with a forest service restroom. Above the dam is a beautiful flat alpine meadowland with abundant ATV trails to take you further into the beauty of the Tushar Mountains.
Continue on past Merchant Valley and you will get to Eagle Point Resort. Eagle Point offers everything that you need for both summer and winter activities. Enjoy mountain biking and rock climbing in the summer to snow skiing, boarding in the winter.
Just past the resort you will find Puffer Lake on the north side of the road and this is where the pavement and byway ends. This is the perfect place to stop and get some fresh air, take in the shocking fall colors before turning around and heading back down. The descent through the mountains is equally impressive and breathtaking. Slow down and give yourself a chance to drink it all in.
This drive is perfect for motorcycles and cars, or get off the beaten path and experience the ATV trails which offers a up close view of all the colors.
“Notice that autumn is more the season of the soul than of nature.”
– Friedrich Nietzche
La Sal Aspens
The red rock desert landscape surrounding Moab takes on a new dimension with the arrival of fall.
Graceful cottonwood trees and gamble oaks, which thrive on waterways, turn varying shades of orange and yellow, and provide beautiful contrast against the red rock cliffs for stunning views at every turn.
Additionally, brilliant golden Aspen trees crown the mountain peaks that provide spectacular backdrops for most of Moab’s iconic views.
Courthouse Wash – Arches National Park
Because of Moab’s wide range of elevation (4,000’-13,000‘), foliage season extends from September through November. Colorful foliage and a return to cooler temperatures conspire to make for incredible conditions to hike and explore with your camera during this time of year.
Courthouse Towers – Arches National Park
In addition to enjoying the fall colors this is also a great time to enjoy Moab’s national and state parks, world famous mountain biking trails and great camping opportunities.
La Sal Mountains
The first trees to start changing in the Moab area are the Aspen trees in the La Sal Mountains, located approximately 20 miles southeast of town. Foliage there usually starts to change in mid-September and continues into early October. The La Sal Mountain Loop Road is the easiest way to view these colors.
The Loop Road is suitable for all passenger cars and RV’s and features a wide variety of canyon country scenery. The 60-mile route begins by following the Colorado River along Highway 128. It then approaches the La Sal Mountains via Castle Valley. The route through the Manti-La Sal National Forest offers great views of the nearly 13,000 foot plus peaks and the red rock canyons far below. Completion of the loop brings the motorist back to Moab via U. S. Highway 191.
Kane Springs
A month later, cottonwood trees in the desert are decorated with brilliant yellow leaves. In Arches National Park a brilliant line of Cottonwood trees follow Courthouse Wash. Kane Springs Canyon, located just west of Moab, is also filled with beautiful groves of Cottonwoods. To get to Kane Springs Canyon drive south on Main Street in Moab to Kane Creek Boulevard and turn right. Continue on Kane Creek Boulevard past the cattle guard, where the road turns from pavement to graded gravel road. The groves of Cottonwoods will become visible on the right side of the road approximately 4.75 miles from Main Street.
“Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.”
– Emily Bronte
Cascade SpringsThis short drive follows a dirt road from Midway over oak and maple covered hills into American Fork Canyon and Cascade Springs. The springs cascade down mountain slopes over a series of limestone terraces and pools.
Provo Canyon Scenic BywayThe Provo Canyon Scenic Byway follows U.S. Highway 189 southwest from Heber City past Deer Creek Reservoir into Provo Canyon. Steep limestone cliffs bank the deep, narrow canyon of the Provo River, where waterfalls descend over layers of strata before reaching the stream.
Wolf Creek HighwayThis scenic highway climbs to over 9,000 feet through thick spruce and fir forests. Groves of aspens accent the hillsides with brilliant gold during autumn, making this a pleasant fall drive.
Guardsman PassThis picturesque fall drive follows a dirt road from Midway through Wasatch Mountain State Park to the high ridgelines of the Wasatch Mountains. Red mountain maples and golden aspen amid dark evergreens highlight this road through Pine Creek Canyon.
Alpine Loop Scenic BackwayThe Alpine Loop Scenic Backway skirts Mount Timpanogos wilderness area through American Fork Canyon, climbs over a mountain pass, travels past Robert Redford’s Sundance Resort, and descends into picturesque Provo Canyon.
Mirror Lake Scenic BywayThe Mirror Lake Scenic Byway is a spectacular drive, ascending well over 10,000 feet through the heart of the rugged Uinta Mountains which boast Utah’s highest peaks. Countless lakes dot the landscape, nestled in trees against craggy mountain cliffs.
“Fall colors are so funny. They’re so bright and intense and beautiful. It’s like nature is trying to fill you up with color, to saturate you so you can stockpile before winter turns everything muted and dreary.”
– Siobhan Vivian
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