For your fall foliage RV trip, choose Idaho’s Teton and Mesa Falls byways, Colorado’s Grand Mesa, Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, Michigan’s Porcupine Mountains, the Talimena, the Cherohala, or Indiana’s Brown County for scenic drives beyond the usual headline routes.
You get everything from golden aspen groves to red maple forests across these seven routes. You’ll also face different driving demands: a broad valley road feels very different from a ridge road with long descents.
For a departure around October 25, 2026, give southern routes and lower elevations your first look. Treat the northern and high-elevation picks as earlier-season planning ideas unless fresh local reports show worthwhile color.
Quick picks:
- For late-season departures: Talimena National Scenic Byway, with hardwood color across the Ouachita Mountains.
- For golden aspens: Grand Mesa Scenic Byway, with high-country lakes and forest views.
- For rolling-hill drives: Routes 135 and 46 through Brown County, Indiana.
1) Teton and Mesa Falls Scenic Byways, Idaho
You get mountain views and waterfall stops by combining eastern Idaho’s Teton Scenic Byway with the nearby Mesa Falls Scenic Byway. Give yourself two days so you have time to explore beyond the windshield.
Along the Teton route, you travel through the Swan Valley and Teton Valley areas, with aspen color against the mountains. Around Ashton, you reach the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway on Idaho 47. These are separate byways, so map the connecting roads before setting out.
Make Upper Mesa Falls your main walking stop. You’ll find boardwalk viewpoints above the Henrys Fork, while the surrounding forest adds autumn color. Check parking arrangements before taking a long trailer into the recreation area.
Aim for late September into early October, with elevation shaping the color window. For camping, look around Ashton or the Teton Valley and confirm the campground’s closing date. Keep mountain crossings outside these byways, especially Teton Pass, out of any automatic routing decision until you review their grades and restrictions.
2) Grand Mesa Scenic Byway, Colorado
For golden aspens and lake stops, you have about 63 miles to explore on the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway along Colorado 65. Your drive connects the Grand Valley side with Cedaredge across a high plateau.
Plan your foliage visit for roughly mid-September through early October. At elevations above 10,000 feet, you need to account for freezing nights and early snow even during the fall travel season.
You’ll find lake scenery around the mesa’s recreation areas, including Island Lake. Treat Lands End Road as a separate excursion: review its surface and current conditions before adding it to your plans.
With a heavy motorhome or trailer, pay close attention to the climb and descent. Select the appropriate lower gear before heading downhill, following your vehicle manufacturer’s guidance.
You can stage from a lower-elevation campground near Cedaredge or the Grand Junction area. That gives you access to services while leaving the highest overnight temperatures out of your camping plans.
3) Routes 114 and 105 Through Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom
You’ll find classic New England leaf-peeping along Routes 114 and 105, with wooded hills and small towns across Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. Plan your trip as a flexible regional drive, choosing segments around your campground.
Follow Route 114 north from Lyndonville toward Island Pond and Norton. Use Route 105 to explore west toward Newport, checking your map carefully where the roads connect. You’ll pass maple and birch forests, with wetland views breaking up the wooded stretches.
Your strongest planning window falls around late September through early October. By late October, you should expect much of the northern forest to have moved past peak color.
Base near Island Pond or Newport if you find an open campground with suitable sites. Leave time for daylight arrivals, since rural campground entrances are easier to judge before dark.
Keep covered-bridge detours separate from your RV driving route. Before following any scenic shortcut, check posted clearances and weight limits, especially when your navigation app leaves the numbered highways.
4) Lake Superior’s M-64 and M-107 to the Porcupine Mountains, Michigan
You get a rewarding mix of Lake Superior shoreline and hardwood forest by following M-64 toward Ontonagon, then M-107 west into Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Make Lake of the Clouds your main viewpoint stop.
From the overlook, you look across a forested valley surrounding the lake. Time your visit for late September through early or mid-October, using local reports to narrow that broad window.