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10 places to savor spectacular fall foliage

Fall colors enhance the already-beautiful view at historic Alley Mill in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. Photo courtesy VisitMo.com

The splendor of autumn’s symphony of changing colors that decorate oaks, maples, birches, and other trees crescendos in a spectacular show each year that starts in the north and moves southward to take its final bow.

Admire the spectacle on a leaf-peeping road trip to state and national parks and forests across the Midwest and South to follow nature’s migrating display. In northern climes, leaves will slowly start changing after fall begins on September 23, and their colors will peak at various times from north to south through early November. At this collection of sites, you can hike, drive, gallop, cycle, and paddle through the grandeur of fall’s changing foliage.

Jump to: Arkansas | Illinois | Indiana | Kansas | Louisiana | Mississippi | Missouri

1. Shawnee woodlands

Southern Illinois

Hiker standing on a rock overlooking the Shawnee National Forest in autumn.

Hikers are rewarded with spectacular fall vistas in the Shawnee National Forest's Garden of the Gods Recreation Area. Photo courtesy Illinois Office of Tourism

Oak and hickory trees grow alongside American beech, maple, and other species in the Shawnee National Forest, which sprawls over 289,000 acres between the Mississippi and Ohio rivers in southern Illinois. See them dressed in fall colors while hiking to the 90-foot span of Pomona Natural Bridge and the Little Grand Canyon, a box canyon with bluffs and river views.

Tucked in the forest, Giant City State Park is home to 75 tree varieties and maze-like passages below sandstone bluffs that pioneers likened to the streets of a giant city. To them, one of the park’s most remarkable rock formations, the Devil’s Standtable, resembled a pulpit the devil might use.

You may also like: 10 easy winter hikes with beautiful views, natural wonders, and history

2. Illinois River parks

Northern and Southern Illinois

Bikers crossing a bridge in Pere Marquette State Park.

Bikers savoring fall scenes on trails at Pere Marquette State Park. Photo courtesy Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Springfield, Illinois

Along the Illinois River just west of Chicago, the 18 canyons of Starved Rock State Park formed when glacial meltwater eroded sandstone. Today, you can access 8 of them. Kaskaskia Canyon Trail passes Council Overhang, a bandshell-shaped rock framing fiery foliage.

Starved Rock, a 125-foot bluff overlooking the river, is named for a Native American legend about a tribe that was seeking refuge there and perished when two other tribes surrounded it in a prolonged siege.

The river flows southwest through the state, and before it ends in the Mississippi River, it skirts Pere Marquette State Park near Grafton. Approximately 10 miles of trails delve into forests and navigate past bluffs in this 9,000-acre state park, the largest in Illinois. For a less-strenuous adventure, drives are popular along the park’s ravines and forest overlooks that explode in color during the fall.

You may also like: Snuggle into these cozy lodges for a warm winter getaway

3. Ozark Mountains

Southern Missouri

Aerial view of the Niagua Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks.

A view of the Niagua Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks from Ha Ha Tonka State Park. Photo courtesy VisitMo.com

Covering most of southern Missouri, the Ozark Mountains provide an abundance of opportunities for leaf-peeping. Ha Ha Tonka State Park on the Lake of the Ozarks has more than 17 miles of trails that showcase woodlands, sinkholes, a spring, and a natural bridge. Castle Trail leads to the ruins of a mansion destroyed by fire in the 1940s.

About 160 miles southeast of the park, the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, part of the National Park Service, protects the free-flowing Current and Jacks Fork rivers. You can canoe or kayak past fall colors unfolding on oaks and hickories lining the banks and bluffs. Alley Mill, one of the park’s many highlights, dates to 1894, and its red paint beautifully complements the vibrant foliage that surrounds it in autumn.

You may also like: 10 top state parks in the Midwest and South

4. Central Missouri parks

Columbia, Missouri

Trees with yellow, red, and orange leaves along the pathway encirling the lake at Stephens Lake Park.

Mature redbuds, oaks, and conifers that are ablaze in fall line a pathway that encircles the 11-acre lake at Stephens Lake Park. Photo courtesy VisitMo.com

Fans of fall foliage flock to a smorgasbord of parks in and around Columbia. Within the city limits, Stephens Lake Park has a tree-lined 1.7-mile greenway and an 11-acre lake that reflects brilliant autumn hues.

Two people walking along a path covered in and surrounded by yellow autumn leaves

The 240-mile Katy Trail State Park offers many opportunities for bicyclists, hikers, and walkers to enjoy autumn splendor. Photo courtesy VisitMo.com

On the nearby Katy Trail State Park rail-trail, built atop a former railroad corridor, pedal through a tunnel, pass a restored depot, and trek along the banks of the Missouri River against a backdrop of limestone bluffs.

Five miles south of the city, follow the Devil’s Icebox Trail at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park. Boardwalks wind through brilliant fall foliage and showcase impressive geological features in the park, including its namesake 63-foot stone bridge.

You may also like: 10 easy and scenic bike trails to enjoy this fall

5. Brown County State Park

Nashville, Indiana

Five people looking out toward the fall foliage at Brown County State Park.

A group pausing for a view of the hills and ridges painted with autumn hues at Brown County State Park. Photo courtesy Frank Oliver/Indiana DNR

Situated in an area nicknamed “Little Smokies” for its resemblance to the Great Smoky Mountains, Brown County State Park stretches over 15,815 acres.

Ice Age glaciers stopped short of the area, but their meltwaters helped create rugged hills, ridges, and fog-shrouded ravines. The Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps reforested eroding slopes with black locust, black walnut, pines, and spruces that create a mosaic of autumn colors.

Take in amazing views from a 90-foot fire tower and along a dozen hiking trails. Indeed, Indiana’s largest state park is a traditional fall color hot spot. Mountain bikers can explore 38 miles of trails, and horses are available for short trail rides that start at $16. Park admission is $7 per car for Indiana residents and $9 per car for everyone else.

You may also like: The top 5 things to do at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

6. Hoosier woodlands

Southern Indiana

A road runs through a canopy of trees with yellowing autumn leaves.

A canopy of fall foliage decorates a road through Indiana's Hoosier National Forest. Photo by Gary Robbins

With 204,000 acres for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking, Hoosier National Forest comprises almost half of Indiana’s public forestland. Among the most popular spots, especially in fall, the Hemlock Cliffs Trail meanders through a box canyon and passes hemlock trees, ravines, and sandstone cliffs.

An aerial view of historic buildings at Spring Mill State Park.

A palette of changing leaves surrounds a grist mill and more than 20 historic buildings at Spring Mill State Park. Photo courtesy Frank Oliver/Indiana DNR

Just outside the massive forest lies one of Indiana’s smallest state parks, 1,319-acre Spring Mill State Park. Autumn colors brighten its Pioneer Village, featuring a working gristmill and more than 20 historic buildings. Reflections of changing leaves shimmer in tree-lined Spring Mill Lake.

Don’t miss the Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom Memorial, which houses a space capsule and a space suit worn by the astronaut—a hometown hero of Mitchell, Indiana. Park admission is $7 per car for Indiana residents and $9 per car for everyone else.

7. Glacial Hills Scenic Byway

Northeast Kansas

A barn perched upon rolling hills in the Glacial Hills Scenic Byway.

Discover historic barns along the Glacial Hills Scenic Byway’s landscape of rolling hills that come alive in fall. Photo courtesy Kansas Tourism

When ancient glaciers receded from northeast Kansas, they left behind a landscape of rolling hills, rock-strewn valleys, and fertile farmland.

The Glacial Hills Scenic Byway showcases the diverse terrain, which is especially lovely in the fall. The 63-mile route traces the state’s northeastern corner, linking Leavenworth with White Cloud near the Nebraska border. It offers views of the Missouri River at several spots and historic barns near the route’s northern terminus.

The byway crosses paths with history at places like Fort Leavenworth, which was established in 1827 and welcomes visitors to tour wayside markers around the installation. The Lewis and Clark expedition stopped in Atchison, aviator Amelia Earhart’s birthplace. Visit her home and the new Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum, which celebrates her trailblazing life.

You may also like: 10 scenic byways you absolutely should drive

8. Buffalo National River

Northern Arkansas

A hiker perched on a Roark Bluff rock.

A popular haven for photographers, Roark Bluff offers a memorable spot to take in fall color along the Buffalo National River. Photo courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism

Part of the National Park Service and America’s first national river, the Buffalo National River flows through Arkansas’ Ozark Mountains. While the Upper Buffalo is often too shallow for fall canoeing, the park and nearby Ozark National Forest offer superb hiking and scenic drives.

From the Buffalo Outdoor Center on Arkansas Route 43 in Ponca, drive along Arkansas Routes 21, 74, and 7 to see elk grazing in Boxley Valley around dawn or dusk. Hikers find fiery fall foliage on the Lost Valley Trail to Eden Falls and on the Whitaker Point Trail leading to Hawksbill Crag—one of Arkansas’ most photographed spots.

You may also like: 10 ways to experience the Buffalo National River

9. Tishomingo State Park

Tishomingo, Mississippi

A wooden bridge along a trail in Tishomingo State Park.

Hike through lovely autumn scenes on Tishomingo State Park’s 13 miles of easy and moderate trails. Photo courtesy MDWFP

In the Appalachian Mountain foothills in northeast Mississippi, Tishomingo State Park’s immense moss-covered rock formations are unique to the state. Tishomingo takes its name from the Chickasaw chief who fished and hunted here. The Natchez Trace Parkway runs through the park’s woodlands of hickory, sweetgum, dogwood, and oak trees that enliven 13 miles of hiking trails in autumn.

Anglers can enjoy fall hues on Haynes Lake, which is stocked with bream, bass, and catfish. Savor similar views while paddling on scenic Bear Creek through a hardwood canopy. The park supplies canoes and gear for 6.25-mile float trips ($40). Park admission is $2 per person.

10. Webster Parish

Northwest Louisiana

Lake Bistineau glowing yellow at sunset.

Cool autumn temperatures and stunning views welcome anglers at Lake Bistineau State Park. Photo courtesy Visit Webster Parish

Known for its stands of cypress and tupelo trees, Lake Bistineau State Park features 10 miles of woodland trails winding through a mixed hardwood forest. Park boat launches close if the lake is drawn down in autumn, but the Webster Parish public launch and Port O’Bistineau remain open for fishermen going after black crappie, bass, and catfish. Park admission is $3 per person.

Not far away, in Louisiana’s only national forest, you’ll find the Caney Ranger District, where you can hike and bike around Caney Lake on the Sugar Cane National Recreation Trail, named for the crop once grown here. This district near the Arkansas state line is part of the 604,000-acre Kisatchie National Forest, a patchwork of public forestland with privately held land in between.

Katherine Rodeghier is a freelance writer from Chicago.

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