There are two key challenges when trying to combine a love of camping with following the fall colors as they move south. First, it's difficult to determine peak viewing times as leaves change colors. What's more, it can be equally difficult to decide where to camp.
To help leaf peepers solve both of those problems, Spacious Skies Campgrounds, which owns and operates 13 RV campgrounds with 1,200 RV, tent, cabin, and glamping sites stretching from Maine to Tennessee, has created a campground-to-campground route it calls the "Fall Color Trail." As you would expect, the trail puts a spotlight on places to camp but also notes when campers should plan to move on if they want to follow the progression of fall colors as it moves south.
"RV travelers, campers, and glampers with time and flexibility can experience the longest autumn of their lives as they follow the slow transition from fall to winter in some of the prettiest places in the East," Ali Rasmussen, CEO and creative director of Spacious Skies Campgrounds said in a statement.
"Even if travelers can't take two months to follow the Spacious Skies Campgrounds fall color trail, there are many multi-stop options for leaf-peepers," Rasmussen said. "Some of the richest, deepest colors can be found in the southeast as the fall colors have started to wane elsewhere. For instance, at deeply forested places like Spacious Skies Belle Ridge in north central Tennessee and Spacious Skies Hidden Creek in western North Carolina, fall color can sometimes last until Halloween and beyond."
Spacious Skies Campgrounds' fall color trail has already begun at its Spacious Skies Balsam Woods campground in north central Maine. For the next two months, the local hardwood forests of maple, birch, oak, ash, hickory, beech, and other trees are expected to turn shades of red, purple, orange, and yellow.
The fall color trail ends in north central Tennessee at Spacious Skies Belle Ridge. The area's dogwood, oak, maple, and birch trees typically turn yellow, orange, and red - and the colors last through late October in most years.
Interestingly, Rasmussen explains that each of the 13 campgrounds along the Spacious Skies fall color trail "offers a different experience and distinctive vibe that celebrates its geography and nearby attractions."
For example, at Spacious Skies Minute Man, which is just 33 miles from downtown Boston, travelers can participate in traditional harvest-season activities at rural attractions, such as Carlson Orchards Apple Picking and Taproom. At the same time, however, because they are so close to Boston, travelers can also drive into the city to see its attractions.
If you don't have an RV, Spacious Skies also has a partnership with RVShare so you can rent RVs in each location or even rent an RV and travel from campground to campground.
Finally, the campgrounds aren't just for those with RVs. Many of the campgrounds also feature cabins, yurts, and for some, even retro trailers.
You can learn more about each of the 13 campgrounds along Spacious Skies Campgrounds fall color trail here.
If you're interested in camping while you follow the fall colors, Spacious Skies Campgrounds has a special promotion for multi-stop stays between September 15 and November 15. Multi-stop reservations during that time are eligible for a 13 percent discount.
You can learn more about the discount details or book stays by calling Spacious Skies Campgrounds headquarters at (862) 777-0319 and asking about promo code "FALL13." Alternatively, you can email Spacious Skies Campgrounds at contact@spaciousskiescampgrounds.com for more information or book a stay.
For more about how you can plan to see peak autumn colors this year, be sure to read all of our fall travel content, including: