Stand of Aspen in Tumwater Canyon, near Leavenworth, WA. (Image courtesy of USDA Forest Service, Cle-Elum Ranger District)

Those of you who live here in Western Washington know that those clear and crisp autumn days are rarer around here than most of us would like them to be - and this makes getting out and enjoying the fall foliage problematic, at best. Hereabouts, you pretty much have to wake up on the sunny morning of one work-free day in October, throw your clothes on, swing by Starbucks, and then hit the open road seeking autumn colors. Even then there are no guarantees, and in the end it really depends on how far you want to drive.

While I’m no expert on where to go for autumn leaves in Washington State, I can tell you that the grandest display I ever experienced in this state was when I attended Oktoberfest some years ago, in the Bavarian-styled village of Leavenworth [map].The forests of the Washington Central Cascades are typically ablaze with color in October, so if you plan to journey to Oktoberfest this year, be sure to travel Highway 2 [map] in the daylight hours, or you’ll miss the show.  As one descends the Eastern slope of the range towards Leavenworth, great stands of Aspen come into view. Also stunning are the yellow larches and maples populating Tumwater Canyon [map] west of Leavenworth.

For other ideas on where to seek fall colors, the U.S. Forest Service offers an automated, toll-free fall-color hotline (800-354-4595) where you may select from various menu choices to learn about the color situation around the country. If you’re looking for autumn leaves in the Pacific Northwest, you’ll want to choose menu option 6.