Take the Scenic Route
Hit the road this fall and enjoy some of America’s most memorable drives
By Carrie Dunlea
There is something about fall that makes the open road especially inviting.
Summer crowds begin to thin, temperatures become more comfortable and, across much of the country, forests trade their summer greens for brilliant shades of red, orange and gold. Even in places where autumn doesn’t arrive with a blaze of color, September and the months that follow can be an ideal time to roll down the windows, slow the pace and make the journey part of the vacation.
From mountain roads close enough for a long weekend to iconic highways worthy of a bucket list, America’s scenic byways offer plenty of reasons to get behind the wheel this fall.
And in 2026, one legendary highway has an extra reason to celebrate.
Few American roads are as deeply embedded in popular culture as Route 66, and this year the Mother Road is marking its 100th anniversary.
Established in 1926, the highway originally stretched from Chicago to Southern California, crossing Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona before reaching its western terminus in California.
Although Route 66 was officially removed from the U.S. Highway System in 1985, much of the historic route remains drivable, taking travelers past neon signs, vintage motels, roadside diners and quirky attractions that recall the golden age of the American road trip.
Centennial celebrations are taking place throughout 2026, making this fall an especially good time to explore a section of the historic highway.
Texans don’t have to travel far to join the celebration. Route 66 crosses the Panhandle through communities including Shamrock, McLean, Amarillo, Vega and Adrian.
Along the way, travelers can see Shamrock’s restored Tower Station and U-Drop Inn, stop at Amarillo’s Cadillac Ranch or head to Adrian, considered the midpoint of the historic route between Chicago and Los Angeles.
Those with more time can keep going. After all, Route 66 was never really about getting somewhere quickly. The roadside attractions, small towns and pieces of Americana encountered along the way are the point.
For a road trip that doesn’t require crossing several states, head northeast toward the Ouachita Mountains.
The 54-mile Talimena Scenic Drive stretches between Talihina, Oklahoma, and Mena, Arkansas, winding along the crest of Rich and Winding Stair mountains through the Ouachita National Forest.
The two-lane road was designed with scenery in mind, and numerous overlooks give travelers an excuse to pull over and take it all in. In fall, the heavily forested mountainsides erupt in color, typically reaching their most vivid display from mid-October into early November.
Make time for stops rather than treating the drive as a shortcut. Hiking trails and recreation areas are scattered along the route, and Queen Wilhelmina State Park near Mena provides sweeping views from atop Rich Mountain.
For North Texans, Talimena has another advantage: It’s close enough to turn a spectacular fall drive into a long-weekend getaway.
New Mexico may be known for high desert and red-rock landscapes, but autumn brings a different color to the state’s northern mountains.
The Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway makes an approximately 84-mile loop through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, connecting Taos, Questa, Red River, Eagle Nest and Angel Fire while circling Wheeler Peak, New Mexico’s highest mountain.
Here, aspens provide the show, their leaves turning brilliant gold against dark evergreens and blue mountain skies. The exact timing varies with elevation and weather, and the display can be fleeting, making fall-color forecasts worth checking before departure.
Allow plenty of time for stops. Red River offers a mountain-town break along the route, while Eagle Nest Lake, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial near Angel Fire and the Rio Grande Gorge area near Taos provide reasons to stretch the trip beyond a single afternoon.
Southern Utah’s Scenic Byway 12 is only 123 miles long but rushing it would miss the point.
Running between Panguitch and Torrey, the All-American Road travels through some of the Southwest’s most distinctive terrain, linking the landscapes surrounding Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef national parks and passing through portions of Dixie National Forest and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
Stops can include Kodachrome Basin State Park, Escalante Petrified Forest State Park and Anasazi State Park Museum. One of the road’s most memorable sections, the Hogsback, follows a narrow ridge with the terrain falling steeply away on either side.
Fall adds another dimension as cottonwoods turn yellow and higher elevations begin to show autumn color. Give this drive days, rather than hours, if possible. There is simply too much along the way to see from the car window.
For classic Appalachian fall scenery, West Virginia’s Highland Scenic Highway delivers plenty in just 43 miles.
The National Scenic Byway travels through an undeveloped portion of Monongahela National Forest, climbing into the Allegheny Highlands and passing hardwood forests, mountain streams and sweeping overlooks.
Cranberry Glades Botanical Area, Summit Lake and Falls of Hills Creek offer opportunities to get out of the car and explore. The highway reaches elevations above 4,500 feet, creating broad views across the surrounding mountains and forests.
Allow at least a couple of hours for the drive — considerably longer if hiking boots are coming along.
Travelers with more time can think much bigger.
The Great River Road follows the Mississippi River for roughly 3,000 miles through 10 states, from northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. Rather than one continuous highway, it is a collection of roads identified by distinctive green-and-white pilot’s wheel signs.
Few travelers will tackle the entire route at once, and they don’t need to. Choose a section and explore river towns, historic sites, farmland, bluffs and regional food along the way.
For fall color, the northern stretches through Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa are especially appealing, while travelers heading south will watch the landscape — and culture — gradually change along with the river.
Few roads deliver a sense of drama quite like California’s Highway 1.
The Pacific Coast Highway hugs portions of the California coastline, and the stretch through Big Sur is legendary for its cliffs, ocean vistas and hairpin turns. After an extended closure caused by landslide damage, Highway 1 through Big Sur fully reopened in January, once again allowing travelers to make the continuous coastal journey between Carmel and Cambria.
Rather than racing from one major city to another, slow down for Big Sur, coastal overlooks and towns such as Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo. Continue south and Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Diego can turn the drive into a full California vacation.
Road conditions along the coast can change, however, so checking with Caltrans before setting out is always wise.
Whether the destination is a mountain overlook, a Pacific sunset, a small-town diner or a century-old stretch of Route 66, a road trip offers something air travel rarely does: permission to wander.
This fall, leave a little room in the itinerary for wrong turns, roadside attractions and unexpected stops.
Sometimes the best part of getting away is everything you discover between here and there.