![]() ![]() ![]() Once you get to Belfry, you'll turn left onto State Highway 308, which takes you to Red Lodge. Instead, you'll take State Highway 296 south through the Shoshone National Forest to Wyoming Highway 120 West, which turns into Montana Highway 72 at the state border. 212 West from Cooke City, you'll need to turn off Beartooth Highway about 18 miles into your trip after the snow starts to fall, as most of the road will be inaccessible to vehicle traffic. Keep in mind that about 50 miles of this scenic route will close for the winter season around mid-October. Although most of Beartooth Highway is located in northern Wyoming, it connects the cities of Cooke City-Silver Gate and Red Lodge in southern Montana. You can also explore a variety of historic attractions along the loop, including the museums in Sandpoint and the famous downtown area of Priest River.Ĭonsidered one of America's best scenic drives, Beartooth Highway (United States Highway 212) is a 68-mile byway that passes through the Custer, Shoshone, and Gallatin national forests. ![]() To get an up-close view of fall foliage, stop along the way for a hike and wildlife viewing at The Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge. The Panhandle byway starts at the Washington state line in Oldtown and follows the Pend Oreille River to Sandpoint, and the Wild Horse Trail starts on the northwestern shore of Pend Oreille Lake in Sandpoint and continues north through Bonners Ferry up to Porthill on the Canadian border. The Idaho portion of the Selkirk Loop includes both the Panhandle Historic Rivers Passage and the Wild Horse Trail scenic byways. The International Selkirk Loop is an acclaimed 280-mile scenic byway that passes through British Columbia in Canada and Washington and Idaho in the United States, but the stretch that runs through northern Idaho offers some of the best views on the loop. ![]() If you're looking for some specific scenic spots to check out, read on. As a result, some days are better for viewing fall foliage than others you should check local weather reports for up-to-date information on visibility. If it's been a rainy fall, expect to see a little less color in Western Washington, but the mountains and much of the Columbia River Gorge are generally less effected by rain.Ĭhanging daily weather conditions can drastically affect the visibility of fall foliage and even how bright the leaves appear - especially closer to the Oregon and Washington coasts, where thick fog lingers well into the day for much of the season. Washington: Best viewed in the Columbia River Gorge and the Cascade Mountains from mid-September through mid-October.You can call the free Oregon Fall Foliage Hotline for daily updates on the status of the foliage. Oregon: Best viewed while driving along scenic highways from mid-September through mid-October however, color conditions vary daily based on humidity and fog density.The colors vary depending on elevation, and you'll need to have a car equipped with four-wheel drive to access some roads. Montana: Best viewed while driving through national parks and forests from late September through mid-October.Consult the Intermountain Region Forest Service for more exact dates of fall foliage this year. Idaho: Best viewed while driving down scenic byways from late September through October.However, you can generally expect to see bright yellows, reds, and oranges from mid-September through at least mid-October in all four states. The Best Times to See Fall Foliage by Stateĭue to the ever-changing nature of the weather in the Pacific Northwest, the exact dates that leaves are expected to start changing colors and falling are hard to predict. Since these trees are often intermingled with evergreens, the fall foliage display is both rich and varied. The vine maple, which often lines Pacific Northwest hiking trails, turns to hues of yellow, orange, and red the larch and aspen leaves transform to gorgeous shades of yellow and gold. The types of trees and shrubs across the region that provide color include vine maples (and just about any other type of maple), larch, and aspen. The United States Forest Service fall color information guide is your best resource to consult before planning your leaf peeping trip. Warm, dry falls - which often occur in the Pacific Northwest - produce breathtaking hillside panoramas, but the occasional rainy autumn can cut the foliage season short. The best time for fall colors in the Pacific Northwest states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington may vary from year to year depending on weather conditions, but you're always in for a vibrant view on your autumn trip to the region. ![]()
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