Cycle To See The Best Fall Colors
There is nothing like cycling past a landscape bursting with glittering displays of red, yellow & orange during the fall foliage season. Against the green and brown Red Spruce trees, the brilliant colors shout out to be seen.
What better way to experience this natural spectacle than from your bike?
We’ve broken down some of our fall cycling tours for a sure-fire way to get into an autumn state of mind.
The Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal Towpath
The Great Allegheny Passage winds 150 miles through the mountains of Southwest Pennsylvania and connects Cumberland Maryland to Pittsburgh. Most of the Great Allegheny Passage trail is converted from abandoned rail beds, which makes for a nearly level riding surface with an average grade of less than 1%. The crushed limestone surface of the Great Allegheny Passage holds up well under traffic and generally provides a smooth ride. While the limestone surface makes for an excellent riding surface, it becomes a bit softer when it’s wet. A highlight of the trail is that it mostly follows major rivers. Following rivers means that the route is more like a huge snake writhing across the landscape.
The Passage has been a huge success as a bike trail. Writer Joe Sills says that “to cycle along the Great Allegheny Passage is to ride through the pages of Pittsburgh history” in an article published in the June 2022 edition of National Geographic Traveller, UK Edition. “America’s steel city is forging a new name for itself as an incubator for cutting-edge tech, offbeat arts, and innovative places to eat, drink, and dance,” writes Sills, and the GAP “streaks 150 miles through rural Appalachia, past the remnants of mines, mansions, and railway stations that marked America’s expansion westward.”
There is no perfect time to visit, in the early season, views are wonderful from “up top” looking down into the color-spackled valleys. Once the higher elevations change the panoramic views will be stunning.
East Coast Greenway – 1 (Canada/Maine to Manhattan, NY)
The East Coast Greenway is a 3,000-mile pedestrian and bicycle route between Maine and Florida. This fall, we’ll be treated to the spectacular beauty this is the fall foliage season in the State of Maine from Calais which is on the Canadian border through Portland. We’ll continue through New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and finally into upstate NY where we complete our cycling adventure in the heart of Manhattan. Fall is the perfect time to ride past the many coastal fishing villages. Watch as the lobstermen haul their pots in for the season. We’ll sample some of the local fares of lobster rolls and clam chowder. Along the way, you’ll pass through farmland, idyllic seaside towns & historic country towns. Read more about this tour from Gary Feldstein’s blog. Gary completed the entire length of the East Coast Greenway in 2021 with Timberline Adventures.
The Heart of the Adirondacks Cycling
Grab your cameras! Adirondack fall foliage is one of the country’s most brilliant and breathtaking displays. Vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges transform the Adirondack Mountains into a stunning canvas of color. The area is steeped in history, from the hunting escapades of the native American tribes to the first explorers. Fall in the Adirondacks is more than a season, it’s an experience of all five senses.
Book your Fall Foliage Cycling Vacation Today!
Find our full Timberline Adventures Calendar Here
