Post by WVsnowflake on Sept 13, 2009 8:14:30 GMT -6
Prettiest Fall Foliage Drives
Color-drenched road trips abound in every corner
of the country during autumn
By Joe Yogerst
Fall foliage road trips are almost a national rite of passage — a quintessentially American combination of the outdoors and the automobile. For many, losing oneself in a landscape of riotous reds, profound purples, and outrageous oranges can be a quasi-religious experience.
Timing is the key ingredient in plotting your autumn road trip, but it’s far from being an exact science. The annual turning of the leaves is triggered by a combination of day length and temperature. The ideal conditions for color change are warm sunny days followed by cool nights, with overnight temperatures between 32-45°F. Snow, rain, cloud cover and below-freezing temperatures actually decrease the color intensity. But scientists still don’t understand the entire process, which remains one of nature’s most compelling mysteries.
Road Trip USA author Jamie Jensen offers more advice. “Get out of the car!” he urges. “Keep a lookout for ‘scenic viewpoints’ and trailheads and soak it up with all of your senses. Smell the pines, listen to the winds and the water flowing past, feel and hear the crackling of leaves as you tread over them.”
Central Arizona
Climbing 4,000 feet in less than 80 miles, US Highway 89 offers a dramatic transition from Arizona desert to high mountain and mesa country where the trees run riot each fall. From Prescott’s biker bars and Jerome’s art galleries to Sedona’s celebrated red-rock cliffs and New Wave vibe, there are plenty of distractions along the way. Among the best places to catch fall foliage are Oak Creek Canyon and Red Rock Crossing near Sedona.
Upper Hudson and Lake Champlain, N.Y.
NY State Highway 9N between Saratoga Springs and Plattsburgh is a match for anything in New England, a rambling road that zigzags through the eastern Adirondacks and along the shore of Lake George and Lake Champlain. There’s plenty of history along the way, including the Saratoga battlefield and Fort Ticonderoga, as well as the swish social scene in Saratoga.
Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Fall foliage reflected in lakes and rivers is the forte of Michigan’s wild and rugged Upper Peninsula. US Highway 41 meanders across the U.P. from Menominee on Lake Michigan to the Keweenaw Peninsula on Lake Superior. Autumn icons along the zigzag route include Hiawatha National Forest and the golden Tunnel of Trees.
The Ozarks, Ark.
One of several great autumn drives in the region, Arkansas State Highway No. 7 meanders from Lead Hill to Hot Springs through the color splashed Ozark National Forest and secluded Ouachita Range. The mountain town of Jasper is a hub for fall hiking, biking and horseback riding in the region, as well as kayak, raft and johnboat trips down the Buffalo National River.
West Elk Loop, Colo.
Many of the state’s 25 scenic highways and byways offer superb fall foliage, especially those that follow rivers and streams through the Rockies. One of the best is West Elk Loop, a noose-shaped route that takes in Carbondale, Crested Butte, Gunnison and other historic Wild West towns. Starting out from Aspen or Glenwood Springs, the 205-mile drive takes at six-eight hours.
Black Hills, S.D.
Highest point between the Rocky Mountains and Western Europe, the Black Hills have all the ingredients for the perfect autumn drive — plentiful trees, endless views and rich local history. The hills are best explored on two scenic byways — the 68-mile Peter Norbeck and the 20-mile Spearfish Canyon — on either side of Mt. Rushmore. Spruce, aspen, birch and oak are among the local trees that transform come fall, although the ubiquitous Ponderosa pine (dark when seen from the surrounding prairie) is what gives the hills their name. Base your stay in the town of Custer for the Peter Norbeck drive and Deadwood for the Spearfish Canyon journey.
Green Mountains, Vt.
“For the quintessential New England experience,” says Jamie Jensen, “head for Route 100, which runs north-south along the spine of the beautiful Green Mountains.” Here you’ll find “classic combinations of rolling pastures, rustic red barns, white clapboard churches, quaint villages and covered bridges.” Jaimie Hall-Bruzenak adds, “Vermont has the most brilliant display of fall colors I've ever seen. Cutting through the Green Mountains on Highway 89 is spectacular.” The authors of "The Most Scenic Drives in America" add another endorsement for this Northeast route; Bob Dolezal (who is also the author of the guidebook "Where the Birds Are") explains that it’s prime avian territory, and says the Green Mountain Audubon Center in Richmond is worth a visit.
Pictures here :
travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-29634433
www.forbestraveler.com/luxury/best-fall-drives-2009-slide-2.html?partner=playlist&thisSpeed=25000
Color-drenched road trips abound in every corner
of the country during autumn
By Joe Yogerst
Fall foliage road trips are almost a national rite of passage — a quintessentially American combination of the outdoors and the automobile. For many, losing oneself in a landscape of riotous reds, profound purples, and outrageous oranges can be a quasi-religious experience.
Timing is the key ingredient in plotting your autumn road trip, but it’s far from being an exact science. The annual turning of the leaves is triggered by a combination of day length and temperature. The ideal conditions for color change are warm sunny days followed by cool nights, with overnight temperatures between 32-45°F. Snow, rain, cloud cover and below-freezing temperatures actually decrease the color intensity. But scientists still don’t understand the entire process, which remains one of nature’s most compelling mysteries.
Road Trip USA author Jamie Jensen offers more advice. “Get out of the car!” he urges. “Keep a lookout for ‘scenic viewpoints’ and trailheads and soak it up with all of your senses. Smell the pines, listen to the winds and the water flowing past, feel and hear the crackling of leaves as you tread over them.”
Central Arizona
Climbing 4,000 feet in less than 80 miles, US Highway 89 offers a dramatic transition from Arizona desert to high mountain and mesa country where the trees run riot each fall. From Prescott’s biker bars and Jerome’s art galleries to Sedona’s celebrated red-rock cliffs and New Wave vibe, there are plenty of distractions along the way. Among the best places to catch fall foliage are Oak Creek Canyon and Red Rock Crossing near Sedona.
Upper Hudson and Lake Champlain, N.Y.
NY State Highway 9N between Saratoga Springs and Plattsburgh is a match for anything in New England, a rambling road that zigzags through the eastern Adirondacks and along the shore of Lake George and Lake Champlain. There’s plenty of history along the way, including the Saratoga battlefield and Fort Ticonderoga, as well as the swish social scene in Saratoga.
Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Fall foliage reflected in lakes and rivers is the forte of Michigan’s wild and rugged Upper Peninsula. US Highway 41 meanders across the U.P. from Menominee on Lake Michigan to the Keweenaw Peninsula on Lake Superior. Autumn icons along the zigzag route include Hiawatha National Forest and the golden Tunnel of Trees.
The Ozarks, Ark.
One of several great autumn drives in the region, Arkansas State Highway No. 7 meanders from Lead Hill to Hot Springs through the color splashed Ozark National Forest and secluded Ouachita Range. The mountain town of Jasper is a hub for fall hiking, biking and horseback riding in the region, as well as kayak, raft and johnboat trips down the Buffalo National River.
West Elk Loop, Colo.
Many of the state’s 25 scenic highways and byways offer superb fall foliage, especially those that follow rivers and streams through the Rockies. One of the best is West Elk Loop, a noose-shaped route that takes in Carbondale, Crested Butte, Gunnison and other historic Wild West towns. Starting out from Aspen or Glenwood Springs, the 205-mile drive takes at six-eight hours.
Black Hills, S.D.
Highest point between the Rocky Mountains and Western Europe, the Black Hills have all the ingredients for the perfect autumn drive — plentiful trees, endless views and rich local history. The hills are best explored on two scenic byways — the 68-mile Peter Norbeck and the 20-mile Spearfish Canyon — on either side of Mt. Rushmore. Spruce, aspen, birch and oak are among the local trees that transform come fall, although the ubiquitous Ponderosa pine (dark when seen from the surrounding prairie) is what gives the hills their name. Base your stay in the town of Custer for the Peter Norbeck drive and Deadwood for the Spearfish Canyon journey.
Green Mountains, Vt.
“For the quintessential New England experience,” says Jamie Jensen, “head for Route 100, which runs north-south along the spine of the beautiful Green Mountains.” Here you’ll find “classic combinations of rolling pastures, rustic red barns, white clapboard churches, quaint villages and covered bridges.” Jaimie Hall-Bruzenak adds, “Vermont has the most brilliant display of fall colors I've ever seen. Cutting through the Green Mountains on Highway 89 is spectacular.” The authors of "The Most Scenic Drives in America" add another endorsement for this Northeast route; Bob Dolezal (who is also the author of the guidebook "Where the Birds Are") explains that it’s prime avian territory, and says the Green Mountain Audubon Center in Richmond is worth a visit.
Pictures here :
travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-29634433
www.forbestraveler.com/luxury/best-fall-drives-2009-slide-2.html?partner=playlist&thisSpeed=25000
