Fall Color Trail

Alabama is beautiful throughout the year, but especially in the fall. As the greens of summer surrender to glittering yellow poplars, scarlet dogwoods, orange maples and golden hickories, Alabama unfolds its patchwork quilt of color.

This blend of brilliant autumn foliage, coupled with cooler temperatures and an occasional gentle breeze, makes for an unforgettable experience.

Fall colors will begin showing in the mountains of North Alabama in early October and then sweep across the region. Colors will be at their peak from late October to early November.

Click here for a suggested circle tour including many of the following fall color spots.

Alabama Fall Color Spots

Oak Mountain State Park [details], Pelham, (205) 620-2520 — Recommended viewing: Peavine Overlook and Peavine Falls. Scenic drives: AL 119 to Oak Mountain State Park Rd., then to John Finley Ave., Terrace Dr., and Peavine Rd.

Oneonta/Blount County, (205) 274-2153 — Recommended viewing: Horton Mill, Old Easley or Swann covered bridges, Palisades Park. Scenic drives: I-59 up Whitney Mountain near Oneonta, proceed up US 231.

Cullman/Cullman County, (256) 734-0454 — Recommended viewing: Ave Maria Grotto and the 277-foot-long, 90-foot-high Clarkson Covered Bridge. Scenic drives: US 31 and 278.

Bankhead National Forest [details], Winston and Lawrence counties, (205) 489-5111 — Scenic drives: AL 195 to Double Springs, to AL 33, then Forest Service roads 249, 262, 245, 255, CO 63, and back to AL 33.

The Natchez Trace , Lauderdale and Colbert counties, (800) 344-0783 — Developed from a network of Indian trails between Natchez, MS, and Nashville, TN, the Trace cuts diagonally across the northwest corner of the state. Scenic drive: Entire 33 miles of the Trace through Alabama.

Joe Wheeler State Park [details], Rogersville, (256) 247-5466 — Recommended viewing: Joe Wheeler Dam near the cabin area on the Lawrence County side. Scenic drives: After leaving US 72, there is a four-mile scenic drive into the park's resort area on the Lauderdale County side.

Monte Sano State Park [details], Huntsville, (256) 534- 3757 — Recommended viewing: Warpath Ridge Trail and its overlooks. Scenic drives: US 72 out of Scottsboro and US 431 out of Guntersville.

Scottsboro/Jackson County, (800) 259-5508 — Recommended viewing: Russell Cave National Monument. Scenic drives: A L 79 across Skyline Mountain; AL 279; AL 65 through the Paint Rock River Valley; US 72.

Lake Guntersville State Park [details], Guntersville, (256) 571-5444 — Recommended viewing: See the park from the lodge atop the mountain. Scenic drives: AL 227 through the park and into Buck's Pocket State Park and nearby DeKalb and Etowah counties.

Gadsden/Etowah County, (256) 549-0351 — Recommended viewing: Noccalula Falls Park. Scenic drives: US 278, 11 and 411.

DeSoto State Park and Lodge/DeSoto Falls/Little River Canyon [details], Ft. Payne, (256) 845-0051 — Recommended viewing: Little River Canyon and DeSoto Falls. Scenic drives: Lookout Mountain Parkway, DeSoto Parkway and Old DeSoto Parkway. AL 176, part of Lookout Mountain Parkway, includes scenic overlooks of Little River Canyon.

Cheaha State Park [details], Lineville, (256) 488-5111 — Cheaha is the highest point in the state at 2,407 feet above sea level. Recommended viewing: Bald Rock and Pulpit Rock trails. Scenic drives: Talladega Scenic Drive, Skyline Drive, and Skyway Motorway.