America is a fantastic destination for nature lovers, but this often gets overlooked by the iconic cities and the culture that attract visitors from all over the world. From the dry, arid desert at Joshua Trees national park to the rich forest covered granite cliff faces of Yosemite, even just California is home to such diverse nature and some truly remarkable natural spots.
Every year, there is a certain romance when the leaves turn from green to a more auburn palette, and people travel around the country to watch the colours change in some spectacular locations. Here is a quick breakdown of some fantastic locations to wave goodbye to summer.
Aspen - world renowned as a fantastic skiing resort and village, most visitors come to this corner of Colorado to hit the slopes every winter, however in autumn this is one of the most spectacular places to experience. The town itself is named after a species of tree which is abundant in the area and changes drastically as summer fades, sometimes appearing to shimmer their rich tones in the gentle breeze. Against the dramatic rock faces and the evergreen trees, this is a natural phenomenon which is guaranteed to make all of your instagram followers very jealous.
New York State - the area known as the Catskills is 6000 square miles, home to six river systems and a large number of mountains peaking well above 3500 feet. This area is very famous for hosting the Woodstock Festival, but during fall they become rich in iridescent tones. Small towns and villages in the area make the most of the influx of tourists to see the colours change and set up craft fairs and markets to really enrich the whole experience.
Columbia Gorge - the Columbia river carves it's way through the Cascade Mountains which forms the border between Washington and Oregon. This is an impressive river to visit and to view all year around, but against the fiery reds and yellows of the maple, ash and cottonwoods in fall, it is even more impressive and dramatic in September and October. There are a number of hiking trails, or visitors can kayak and boat down the river, or just simply drive one of the winding roads through the area to admire the nature.
Blue Ridge Parkway - this is a five hundred mile long route that begins in Roanoke in Virginia offers a plethora of stops such as Asheville in North Carolina, a number of small mountain towns hiding in the thick forest, Price Lake and the Blue Ridge Music Centre. The drive will take you through a cultural slice of America that is often considered untouched and very natural.
Denver - For those who don't want to stray too far from the safety of the city, Denver is an excellent location to watch the leaves turn. This is best around October, and you can witness it from several biking and hiking trails (such as the Cherry Creek Trail), and the city hosts a number of different beer festivals around this time for those who want to look at the trees through the bottom of a craft beer glass.