Time to Plan RV Fall Color Tour

Nights are getting cooler and the leaves are starting to turn. Fall is here and leaf peepers will soon be crowding states from the Northeast to the Rocky Mountain foothills to marvel at nature’s yearly fireworks display. For many RVers, the fall foliage tour is a highly anticipated annual delight. Traveling by RV gives you a picture window view as you drive over scenic routes through colorful hardwood forests. Each turn in the road brings breathtaking, panoramic displays of undulating hills painted with bright splotches of red, orange and yellow.

RVers who regularly travel the country will tell you that fall in the Northeast is one of America’s most spectacular scenic wonders — and RV travelers have a ringside seat. During the day, follow country roads to drink in the beauty on leisurely drives. At night, settle in amidst the turning trees at comfortable RV campgrounds along your travel route. Compare notes with other RVers to pinpoint observation points that offer particularly stunning views.

Foliage color peaks from the end of September through mid-October, peak viewing times arriving earlier the farther north you travel. Shorter days and colder nights trigger the break down of chlorophyll, which gives tree leaves their green color, and an increase in the production of anthocyanin, the pigment that turns leaves red. Chemistry aside, predicting peak color is a multi-million dollar business. To determine the best time to plan your fall foliage tour, check state websites for updated foliage maps.