Hiking Season Worldwide: 20 Colorful Fall Hikes Across The Globe
Trails For Wandering Leaf Peepers
Autumn is a beloved season for many of us but is especially cherished by hikers. If you’re seeking journeys through jaw-dropping landscapes, you've landed on the right page. Strap on your hiking boots–– here are walks around the world bursting in colors of crimson and gold.
1. Catbells, England
Catbells is a gentle incline offering picturesque views of the lakes below. As one of the most popular walks in the Lake District, it’s a shorter hike along a ridge that suits adventurous families. Soak in the colors as they reflect in the lake waters from the rolling hills you walk across.
2. Seoraksan National Park, South Korea
This scenic park spans across the Gangwon province in the northeast. It’s a popular park for hiking year-round but its fall foliage is spectacular in mid-October. Numerous hiking trails expose colorful mountain ranges with sunrise and sunset views from the peaks.
3. Bavarian Alps, Germany
This alpine splendor bursts with color in the autumn season. Observe the contrast between the snow-capped mountains and the warm hues of tree leaves that grow in the valleys. Many trails for various skill levels wind through mountain ranges with views of the medieval Bavarian state.
4. Maroon Bells, USA
Colorado is a hiking haven littered with breathtaking trails and mountain climbing. One trail that particularly takes our breath away in the fall is Maroon Bells Scenic Loop Trail. The loop drips in gold as you take in the iconic mountain peaks reflecting in Maroon Lake’s clear water.
Calderon Francisco on Wikimedia
5. Charyn Canyon, Kazakhstan
The Charyn trails take you through dramatic rock formations made of red sandstone. The canyon ignites in more crimson hues as the changing leaves add to the warm colors in the fall. Charyn Canyon offers multi-day hikes that take you deep into the canyon.
6. Milford Sound, New Zealand
If you like cascading waterfalls, tranquil lakes, and rugged cliffs–– visit New Zealand. In the fall, Milford Sound is a spectacle of rich colors offering numerous rainforest trails surrounding the fiord. Hikes take you along an ever-changing landscape with mountain ranges in the distance.
Bernard Spragg. NZ on Wikimedia
7. Jiuzhaigou Valley, China
The lakes of this valley are known for their saturated hues of turquoise and emerald. The kaleidoscope of colorful leaves during autumn creates a dreamy backdrop behind the bright lakes. Stretching across 72,000 hectares, the valley region offers hikers many surreal trails.
8. Three Castles Route, Latvia
The six mile hike along the Gauga River is a well-maintained path that connects you to ancient castle grounds and ruins. The woodland trail is striking in crisp golden leaves offering hikers of all skill levels a chance to witness a colorful wilderness.
9. Brechfa Forest, Wales
Come autumn, the coniferous tree-filled forest in Carmarthenshire is not short of hiking trails of various lengths. The enchanting forest puts on a tantalizing display of burgundy and orange that attracts walkers from the nearby villages.
Vitaliy Shevchenko on Unsplash
10. Vidden Hike, Norway
The hike takes you on a journey across a plateau between two mountains. As you gain elevation, the path opens up to captivating views of the fiords and waterfalls surrounding the region. Watch the colors change as the leaves drench the valleys during this quieter, less crowded season.
Ximonic (Simo Räsänen) on Wikimedia
11. Piatra Craiului National Park, Romania
Witness the Carpathian Mountains draped in warm tones of fall foliage. Hikes throughout the park offer colorful views of its rugged landscape. The park includes the longest and highest limestone ridge in the nation offering epic views non-stop.
12. Nauders High Trail, Austria
The hills are alive with bright fall colors! If you want panoramic views of Austria, Italy, and Switzerland all at once, take the climb on the High Trail. In October, the forests provide trails bursting with warm-tinted leaves that take you up to the peaks.
13. Algonquin Park, Canada
The provincial park is a densely wooded area treating your eyes to a fairytale landscape of colorful trees. Take one of the many trails that wind through the fall spectacle past rivers littered with fallen leaves. Breathe in the crisp air as your hiking boots crunch the crispy leaf-lined paths during Ontario’s favorite short season.
14. Acadia National Park, USA
The wild park is a national gem situated on Mount Desert Island in Maine. Every fall the wooded region turns aglow in striking orange hues. Offering a diverse landscape of coastal walks and mountainous trails, your eyes are in for a treat on this wilderness journey.
Victoria Stauffenberg on Wikimedia
15. Douro Valley, Portugal
This wine region in Portugal invites you to a unique fall experience where you can sip wine after a long day of hiking. Rather than tall trees, the valley offers views of endless grapevines that ignite in fiery tints. Take long strolls past vineyards that look like colorful staircases across the rolling hills.
16. Tatra Mountains, Slovakia
This biosphere reserve is covered in forests that radiate in fall foliage that stand out amongst the deep blue glaciers. There are several hiking trails for hikers seeking leaves popping in vibrant colors that take you through the alpine meadows or up the mountains.
17. Agawa Canyon, Canada
All aboard the Agawa Canyon Train!–– Hikers seeking breathtaking landscapes drenched in saturated hues can view the leaves by train and foot. The train makes scenic stops deep in the canyon where you’ll be surrounded by colorful nature at its finest.
18. Nara, Japan
Japan is sought after for its cherry blossoms in springtime but in the fall, the country boasts spectacular forests of color-changing leaves. The ancient region of Nara hosts parks and trails blanketed in vibrant leaves that are easily accessible to avid walkers.
19. Dandenong Ranges, Australia
March is the peak of the southern hemisphere’s fall season. Despite the country’s fame for white sand beaches, parts of the country host trees with leaves that burst in beautiful hues this time of year. The Dandenong Ranges near Melbourne deserves an honorable mention for trails that take you on a colorful journey.
20. Loire Valley, France
Another wine region to visit in autumn is Loire Valley where the gentle hills turn to gold this time of year. It’s harvest season which means you can watch the grape pickers work in the yellow vineyards as you wander across the valley.
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