Fall is upon us! Finally, after a dry, scorching summer, even we in the southern U.S. are beginning to feel a slight crispness in the air that indicates autumn has arrived.
Our talented poster artists are fully in the autumn mood, inspired by the season and putting their skills to use every day as they create new seasonal designs.
We collected our ten favorite travel destinations for fall color this year, including a few that we’d never been to or even heard of before. Enjoy the designs, each now available as a print, framed poster, canvas, metal sign, or as a set of notecards or postcards.
Hot Springs National Park
People travel to Hot Springs National Park for the hot springs, not the colors, right? Well, visit this park at the right time of year, and the hardwood forests of the Ouachita Mountains will burst into color, as depicted in this original illustration by Arden von Haeger.
Information about Hot Springs: No two national parks are the same, and Hot Springs National Park, located in a small town in Arkansas, is a great example. It is one of the smallest parks on the roster, and it is located IN a town! It is also one of the oldest plots of government-protected parkland in the world. In fact, the park had existed long before the town was established. In 1832, Congress created the Hot Springs Reservation to protect the springs. Following that act, a town sprang up around the springs, a city of recreation, gambling, baseball, horse races, speakeasies, and, of course, bathhouses and hot springs! In 1921, the protected area officially became a national park.
The best time for fall colors in Hot Springs: Late October through Early November, per Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas.
Chicago
The Windy City is more than windy! If you travel there during the right time of year, the maples, oaks, and beech trees of the city’s parks will burst with a color that contrasts beautifully against the grays, blacks, and browns of the city’s Art Deco skyline, as depicted in this original vintage poster art by Kai Carpenter.
Information about Chicago: When we think of Chicago, our thoughts always come back to that magnificent lakeshore. As Chicago rests at the southern end of Lake Michigan, the lake swoops down into the heart of the region, with the arms of Chicago wrapping up the western side of the lake on one side and down to the southernmost end of the lake on the other.
The best time for fall colors in Chicago: Mid-to-late October, per Enjoy Illinois.
Townsend, Tennessee
We typically think of covered bridges as a staple of the Northeast, but there’s at least one in Tennessee, in the town of Townsend. And yes, the setting is even more beautiful in autumn, as shown in our original poster art and travel art featuring the bridge.
Information about Townsend: The Townsend/Sunshine Covered Bridge, as it’s called, has a rustic tin roof and curving arches, and it stands on a structure that has been around for nearly 100 years. The bridge is one of just four surviving covered bridges in Tennessee, and it is a popular tourist attraction because of its proximity to other points of interest in the Great Smoky Mountains.
The best time for fall colors in Townsend: Given the town’s lower elevation (compared to other parts of the Smokies), the best time to see fall color in Townsend is late October through early November, according to a local resort.
Ontario
Ontario is a big province in Canada, but if you view it from above, as depicted in our original illustration of fall colors in Ontario, you can quickly get to places where the colors are at their best.
Information about Ontario: One of Canada’s best attractions is less a place than a season. When summer ends, temperatures drop, days get a little shorter, and autumn leaves turn color, dazzling our eyes with some of the most beautiful fall scenes. And what better way to enjoy such colors than from a bird’s-eye view, high up in the air in a seaplane? Ontario from above has some of the best autumn views.
The best time for fall colors in Ontario: Mid-September through early October, per a travel guide.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
The rolling forested hills of Ohio, separated from the rest of the world by seemingly endless miles of farmland, are an undiscovered gem. Few people know it exists because you have to drive across all that farmland to get there. But those landscapes are out there, and they’re worth the visit. Collaborating artist Arden von Haeger created another covered bridge during autumn design, this one located in Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Information about Cuyahoga Valley National Park: Tucked into the Cuyahoga River Valley between Cleveland, Ohio, and Akron, Ohio, Cuyahoga Valley National Park was designated to preserve not just a beautiful natural area, but also a special piece of American history. Visitors appreciate lush forests, rivers, waterfalls, a historic covered bridge, and hiking and picnic areas.
The best time for fall color in Cuyahoga: The third week of October, per the National Park Service.
Grand Island, Michigan
When most people think about scheduling a trip to go leaf-peeping, they automatically think of the Northeast or the southern Appalachian mountains, and for good reasons. However, the Midwest and the Great Lakes region is the silent underdog of fall colors. You have to see it to believe it, but those who have will tell you the autumn foliage around the Great Lakes, as depicted in this original poster design, is as good as, if not better than, along the Atlantic seaboard.
Information about Grand Island: Grand Island, Michigan, is a beautiful, scenic island in Lake Superior just a short ferry ride from the town of Munising. Visitors can ride bicycles along groomed trails, camp, or walk along the island’s pristine beaches. Visitors should plan ahead, though! Because of the island’s popularity and efforts to conserve and preserve this gift of nature, the Forest Service allows only 10,000 visitors each year, which also helps protect the historic, 1850s-era lighthouse that still stands on its shores.
The best time for fall colors on Grand Island: The last week of September through mid-October, per UP Travel.
New River Gorge National Park
An Appalachian dream, New River Gorge National Park is the newest national park and West Virginia’s only flagship national park. Depicted here in a vintage-styled travel painting by collaborating artist David Owens, New River Gorge National Park features and preserves historic buildings surrounded by hardwood trees.
Information about New River Gorge National Park: As of December 2020, New River Gorge National River became New River Gorge National Park, the 63rd park added to the National Park roster! This region has been a nature preserve since 1977, but Congress recently upgraded it to provide further protection.
The best time for fall colors in New River Gorge National Park: Mid-to-Late October and early November, according to a local vacation rental company.
Chickasaw National Recreation Area
For fall colors and fewer visitors than one might expect at one of the 63 "flagship" national parks, consider a national historic site or recreation area, like Chickasaw National Recreation Area, depicted here in classic retro poster art and travel-print style by ADG’s studio artists.
Information about Chickasaw National Recreation Area: Chickasaw National Recreation Area is a national recreation area in the foothills of the Arbuckle Mountains in south-central Oklahoma near Sulfur in Murray County. It includes the former Platt National Park and Arbuckle Recreation Area. Springs, streams, lakes – whatever its form, water is the attraction at Chickasaw.
The best time for fall colors in Chickasaw National Recreation Area: Late October through mid-November per the state’s visitor and travel bureau.
The Maroon Bells of Colorado
The West's mountain valleys are most popular during summer, making them a hidden wonder in their own right during the autumn off-season (after summer tourists leave but before winter sports enthusiasts arrive). Also, if you know where to look, you may find yourself all but alone in a mountain valley decked out in fall color. Places like the Maroon Bells, depicted here as an original poster design by our studio artists, are not as well known and are less likely to experience a rush of visitors during peak color season as, say, Rocky Mountain National Park.
Information about the Maroon Bells: What could be better than a trip to the Maroon Bells? Colorado has endless opportunities for the avid outdoor enthusiast, but few rival the Maroon Bells. Both peaks reach above 14,000 feet, earning them the special designation of “14ers” (Colorado has about 55 of these, depending on how they are counted). The Maroon Bells are protected by the Wilderness Act of 1964, so visitors to this region often see abundant wildlife in its natural habitat.
The best time for fall colors at the Maroon Bells: Late September through early October, according to the Aspen Chamber of Commerce.
Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park
Remember how we said sometimes the best places for amazing fall colors and smaller crowds are the lesser-known parks and nature/history preserves? Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park in Virginia is one such park, shown here as national park art rendered by our award-winning artists.
Information about Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park: Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park commemorates four major battles in the American Civil War: Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, The Wilderness, and Spotsylvania. This is America’s battleground, where the Civil War roared to its bloody climax. No place reflects the War’s tragic cost more vividly. A town bombarded and looted. Farms large and small ruined—refugees by the thousands forced into the countryside. More than 85,000 men wounded; 15,000 killed, most of whom are now in graves unknown.
The best time for fall colors at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park: Mid-to-Late October, according to the Virginia Department of Forestry.
Happy Autumn from All of Us at Anderson Design Group!
We love autumn so much that we even had collaborating artist Annie E. Cauffman create a modern art-style greeting card for the season. We hope you and your family have a wonderful fall color tour season, and take lots of great landscape photos and selfies.
And if you’re holding off and trying to decide the perfect time to see fall foliage at peak color, our advice is to go sooner rather than later. Better to travel a bit early and see the foliage before peak color than risk missing the colors altogether by arriving too late.
Enjoy the season, both outdoors in the woods and indoors with our fall-inspired home decor!
-Ren Brabenec
Anderson Design Group Staff Writer