Swap your East Coast Fall adventures for apple picking, cideries, and larch trees in the Pacific Northwest.
Somehow summer seems to come and go in the blink of an eye. I was shocked to see a brushing of yellow and orange among the deep shades of green on a recent hike. While I’m always sorry to bid farewell to the sacred summer season, I love the transitory weeks as sun-soaked summer days melt into the crisp days of early autumn. Temperatures have mellowed out, meaning outdoor activities are at their prime in many places—and are that much more alluring as fall announces its presence with golden and amber hues and the slow falling of crunchy leaves on the ground.
While the East Coast of the United States may steal most of the spotlight for fall fun, I always associate autumn adventures with the opposite coast. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I have memories of piling in the car and driving east from Seattle into the mountains for a day of picking apples and cozying up in a cabin for the weekend. As I have fallen in love with hiking and the mountains as a young adult, I love seeking out new trails that reflect the rhythm of autumn: orange-gold trees, the sweet smell of fallen pine needles, and the freshness of the mountain air. From mountain, coastal, and forest hikes brushed with the fiery shades of autumn, to apple picking, glamping, and cider festivals, the West Coast of the United States and Canada are filled with stunning spots beckoning outdoor enthusiasts, soft adventurers, and foodies alike to experience the best of fall on the opposite coast.
Recommended Fodor’s Video
Golden Larches
Many of the trees in the Pacific Northwest are coniferous trees—pine and evergreen trees— meaning their needles don’t change color like the deciduous trees that are so abundant in the Northeastern United States. However, for a few spectacular weeks from late September until mid-October, western and subalpine larches turn forests gold. Larches are considered to be “deciduous coniferous” trees. While they still have pine needles, unlike other pine trees, larches turn vivid shades of gold before falling off branches. Stretching from Oregon to British Columbia, Washington State across to Idaho and Montana, larches are the Northwest’s coveted fall spectacle.
One of the best places to experience “larch madness” as the phenomena has been nicknamed, is in North Cascades National Park, about three-hours’ drive each way from Seattle along the North Cascades Scenic Byway. The trails climb through forests filled with golden larches and along ridgelines with glacial views and alpine lakes. Heather-Maple Pass Loop, Lake Ingalls, Blue Lake, and Cutthroat Pass are phenomenal trails that will keep you working along the hike and reward you with a spectacular golden larch display. The Enchantments and Colchuck Lake are two other spectacular trails in the Central Cascades that are prime spots for larch hiking.
Fall Foliage Hiking and Mountain Biking
Larches aren’t the only trees to change color in the PNW. Trails in Mount Rainier National Park wind through fiery fields of huckleberry bushes, aspen, elderberry, and vine maples. Naches Peak Loop, Summerland, Reflections Lake, and Skyline Trail are among the most colorful hikes in Rainier during September and October. The meadows that were once blossoming with violet and yellow wildflowers are now fall spectacles with the snow-covered peak of Rainier in the backdrop.
While the West Coast is famed for its wilderness, even the urban centers make for fun autumn destinations. The Japanese Garden in Victoria’s Butchart Gardens is at its most spectacular and East Sooke Regional Park and Jocelyn Hill both have extensive trail systems with views of the Pacific Ocean and vivid hues of autumn. And in Seattle, take a stroll through Seattle Japanese Garden, where the samidare, a Japanese maple tree, erupts in fiery red and orange hues.
Prefer to adventure on two wheels? Fall is the perfect season for mountain biking on the West Coast. Trails such as Flume and Stanford Rock around Lake Tahoe through the Sierra Nevada mountains offer glimpses of the changing colors of the environment. Or, you may choose to conquer part, if not all, of the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway, which winds for over 130 miles through the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Cycle through the valleys and small towns, alongside vineyards and breweries in this scenic region brushed with hints of fall colors. The Willamette Valley also is filled with spectacular walking trails and wineries.
Aquatic Adventures
Beyond traversing colorful mountain trails, fall is a magical time to explore the coastal regions of the West Coast and get your feet wet with some outdoor thrills. Although Lake Tahoe is renowned as a summer destination, it might be even more alluring during the fall season. Paddling and kayaking on the lake now come with the reward of the orange and gold hues of aspen and cottonwoods reflecting against the blue water of the lake. Local outfitters can help you plan your paddling routes safely and with respect to the local ecosystems.
Take a ferry to the San Juan Islands off of mainland Washington. Although peak whale watching season is drawing to a close, you still might have some luck in spotting the magnificent orca whales. The summer crowds have thinned out on San Juan, Orcas, and Lopez Islands, but days remain sunny. Throughout the fall seasons, the islands host regular events like farm tours and festivals, showcasing the best of the islands’ art, agriculture, nature, and culinary creations.
Apple Picking, Cider Tasting, and Fall Festivities
The Pacific Northwest is prime apple country, and few things scream autumn more than apples. Mountain towns like Wenatchee, Washington and Mt. Hood, Oregon have dozens of orchards where you can pick bushes full of local varieties, such as the cosmic crisp. Port Townsend is a fall favorite as well, with its numerous cideries like Finn River Farm and Alpenfire Cider, and its Olympic Peninsula Apple and Cider Festival that takes place over the weekend of October 13th-15th. Vancouver Island, British Columbia also has a stronghold on apple-themed fun. Spend a weekend at Merridale Cidery picking apples, tasting house ciders, and glamping in a yurt. Sea Cider Farm and Ciderhouse is an expansive organic orchard that invites guests to pick apples as well as sample their ciders.
If you’re more of a beer drinker than a cider person, head to the mountain town of Leavenworth in central Washington for the lively Oktoberfest celebrations. Over the last weekend of September and the first two weekends in October, Leavenworth embraces its Bavarian-themed roots. The tiny town is as lively as ever with beer gardens, pretzels, brauts, and visitors donning lederhosen and dirndls, celebrating the iconic Bavarian fall festivity.