AAA Offers 10 Scenic Routes for Picture-Perfect Fall Drives
22 September 1997
AAA Offers 10 Scenic Routes for Picture-Perfect Fall DrivesORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 22 -- As fall approaches, you may be wondering which drives provide some of the most memorable views of fall foliage. AAA's fall drives are based on input from AAA road reporters who drive more than 200,000 miles a year, information from local AAA clubs and the expertise of professionals in the association's Highway Information Department. The information is not intended to be an all-inclusive or ranked listing, but a selection of memorable autumn drives that mother nature provides...weather permitting. Here's a sampling from AAA's Scenic Byways program: CALIFORNIA Route: SR 299 Length: 135 miles Terminals: Shasta to US 101 Classification: Natural Beauty, Culturally Interesting Road Type: State Road Best Viewing Time: Mid-October SR 299 travels through heavily forested mountains, allowing access to very scenic recreational areas around Whiskeytown and Trinity lakes. Historical markers in a few small towns commemorate the gold-mining days. The road winds along the Trinity River gorge and provides some great views of the slopes as it cuts across the coastal mountain range. Redwood trees are visible near the coastal region. CONNECTICUT Route: SR 77 Length: 15 miles Terminals: Guilford to Durham Classification: Natural Beauty, Quintessential, Culturally Interesting Road Type: State Road Best Viewing Time: Mid-October This picturesque drive has many pullouts which offer great views. Historic Guilford offers the state's oldest home and first museum, the Henry Whitfield State Museum. Pretty old homes, forests, parks and farms can be spotted along this 15-mile drive. Many pullouts along beautiful Lake Quonnipaug offer great picnic spots. The hills look like they are on fire with pretty orange, gold and red foliage. KENTUCKY Route: Mountain Parkway Length: 32.00 miles Terminals: 6 miles so. of I-64 Classification: Natural Beauty to south of Slade Road Type: Other, local roads Best Viewing Time: Through October The Mountain Parkway rolls through the Appalachian ranges of eastern Kentucky. Traveling eastbound, the first view of the distant, densely wooded mountains occurs shortly after leaving I-64. Forestation becomes heavier as the route approaches Daniel Boone National Forest, primarily a hardwood forest with occasional stands of pines. The Forest's oaks, maples and sycamores put on a colorful display during fall foliage season. MAINE Route: I-95 Length: 154 miles Terminals: Augusta to Sherman Name: Interstate 95 Road Type: Interstate Classification: Quintessential Best Viewing Time: Early October I-95 offers a view of inland Maine from an interstate perspective as it glides past a variety of landscapes. The southern half of the byway begins in Augusta, the state's capital and home to several historical museums. Generally, the byway follows the Sebasticook River valley through heavily wooded farmland. Mid-route offers access to the picturesque college and resort towns of Waterville, Bangor and Orono. From Bangor, the road parallels the Penobscot River into the backwoods country. An abundance of streams and wildlife are common in this beautiful countryside framed by wooded mountains. MICHIGAN Route: SR 26 Length: 24 miles Terminals: Phoenix to Copper Harbor Classification: Natural Beauty, Quintessential Road Type: State Road Best Viewing Time: Late September-mid- October From Phoenix on US 41, SR 26 turns toward Lake Superior, providing an alternative route to Copper Harbor, Michigan's northernmost community, and the remote tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Lakeshore and forest flank the road and are equally impressive in natural beauty. Copper Harbor is noted as a popular summer vacation spot. Boats link the mainland to the dense wilderness of Isle Royale National Park on Isle Royale, the largest island in Lake Superior. The Estivant Pines, a grove of 100 foot tall white pines, some over 500 years old, grow along the Montreal River near Copper Harbor. NEW HAMPSHIRE Route: US 302 Length: 41 miles Terminals: Bethlehem/I-93 to Glen/SR 16 Road Type: US Highway Classification: Natural Beauty, Culturally Interesting Best Viewing Time: Late September-late October US 302 offers a beautiful and historic trip through the White Mountains and majestic Crawford Notch. Beginning at I-93, the route travels hilly, rural countryside and enters the Ammonoosuc River Valley at Pierce Bridge. Along the route is Bretton Woods with its lavish Mount Washington Hotel, a famous resort spa for wealthy families at the turn of the century, and the Mount Washington Cog Railroad, which makes a scenic round-trip ride to the top of the mountain. The route continues through the boulder-strewn Crawford Notch (el. 1,773 ft.) past several ski and golf resorts. The byway parallels the Saco River downstream, passing other towering peaks of the White Mountains (Bear Mountain, Mount Parker and Mount Carrigan) on the way to the eastern terminus. The road also passes a covered bridge over the Saco River just west of Glen. NORTH CAROLINA Route: US 321 Length: 17 miles Terminals: Boone to Tennessee border Classification: Natural Beauty Road Type: US Highway Best Viewing Time: Late September- mid-October The route's eastern terminus is in Boone, which sits high atop the Blue Ridge Mountains. This area, rich in American history and Appalachian heritage, offers the Appalachian Cultural Museum and Hickory Ridge Homestead Museum. The type of scenery ranges from rolling, wooded hills with farms to densely wooded mountains, all seen from winding roads that offer very good mountain views in some places. Several ski areas, including Beech Mountain Resort, are located off the byway. TENNESSEE Route: US 129/SR 115 Length: 22 miles Terminals: Pumpkin Center/US 129 to Classification: Natural North Carolina border Beauty Road Type: US Highway Best Viewing Time: Late October-early November This byway follows the Little Tennessee River and skirts the fringes of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The western section offers very good views of the river and lakes, especially scenic Lake Chilhowee and the surrounding mountains. The eastern section of the byway winds winds on "hairpin turns" through dense woods toward the North Carolina border. TEXAS Route: McKittrick Canyon Road Length: 2 miles Terminals: US 62/US 180 to McKittrick Canyon Classification: Natural Beauty Road Type: Other, local roads Best Viewing Time: Late October A spur road off the main route through Guadalupe Mountain National Park, McKittrick Canyon Road offers access to surprising McKittrick Canyon. Located within the arid, rocky Guadalupe Mountain, this canyon contains a mixture of desert canyon woodlands and highland forest. In late October, the red, yellow and orange color of the deciduous trees are reminiscent of northern woods. This transition zone between the desert and mountain highlands also contains prickly pear, ferns and wildflowers fed by spring water. The McKittrick Canyon Visitor Center at the end of the road has exhibits about the canyon; it is the starting point for a trail into the canyon's upper regions. VERMONT Route: SR 9 (Molly Stark Trail) Length: 39 miles Terminals: Bennington to Brattleboro Classification: Natural Beauty Road Type: State Road Best Viewing Time: Early November The Molly Stark Trail traverses scenic, hilly to mountainous terrain and offers pleasant views of lakes, forests and mountains. The byway continues east across the densely wooded mountains which is gorgeous during the fall color season and follows a mountain stream to the shores of Harriman Reservoir. From Bennington, the route quickly ascends to the top of the Green Mountain range through the oak, maple and pine woods of Green Mountain National Forest. Spectacular views of the Hogback Mountains are seen west of Brattleboro. The Brattleboro Museum and Art Center and the Brooks Memorial Library are of interest. This route passes old rustic taverns, houses and churches and offers recreational and historic points of interest. SOURCE American Automobile Association