With fall officially here, it's time for Arizona to exit hibernation and begin enjoying the fall weather across the state.
Whether you're looking for a fun day trip, weekend getaway or fall break destination, Arizona is a great place to see the vibrant reds, oranges and yellows of autumn leaves.
But where in the Grand Canyon State has the best leaf peeping? The consensus is that there are five major spots to see fall colors in Arizona: Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, Payson, Sedona and the White Mountains.
Where is your go-to spot? Cast your vote in the poll below to help us crown a winner this autumn.
Grand Canyon
Early October is when fall foliage typically peaks at Grand Canyon National Park's North Rim as the aspen trees in the surrounding forests change color.
Park staff describe the aspen colors as "fire red, gold and yellow, providing quite a visual show."
While the Canyon's South Rim isn't as well known for fall colors, FamilyVacationist.com included the Grand Canyon Railway that travels between Williams and the South Rim on its list of the nation's best fall foliage train rides.
Flagstaff
Flagstaff's fall colors, including trees in the Coconino National Forest's northern areas, tend to peak in early to mid-October.
If you're heading that way, there are a few ways to take in the colors:
- Hike trails like the Kachina Trail and the strenuous Abineau-Bear Jaw Loop, both cited by Coconino National Forest officials among the best places to see fall colors.
- Drive the Around The Peaks Loop on Forest Road 418, which winds through pine forests and aspen groves around the peaks.
- A scenic gondola at a ski resort is another one of the best ways to see the colors.
- A few miles south of Snowbowl is Aspen Corner, an easy-to-moderate trail that's densely packed with aspens and has sprawling mountain views. It's a highly popular spot in the fall.
Flagstaff offers an online resource called the Leaf-ometer that shows where to find the most colorful leaves at a given time. It tracks the fall colors in popular locations in and around Flagstaff, such as Snowbowl, The Arboretum at Flagstaff, Oak Creek, Northern Arizona University and Arizona Nordic Village.
Payson
Coconino National Forest staff cited three spots along Payson and the Mogollon Rim as highlights on its "Yellow Leaf Road" list of fall color destinations: Forest Road 139 along Dick Hart Ridge, Forest Road 321 along Dane Ridge and the Cabin Loop Trail, and Forest Road 300, also known as the Rim Road. The best time to see fall colors along the Mogollon Rim is mid-to-late October, according to Payson's tourism bureau, Adventure Payson.
Sedona
All of Sedona, plus nearby Oak Creek Canyon along State Route 89A, offer outstanding fall views, according to Flagstaff's Leaf-ometer. It highlights how Oak Creek Canyon bursts with "radiant oranges, glowing yellows and alluring reds" when fall colors peak.
One of the highlights cited by Coconino National Forest staff is West Fork Trail, where "the canyon is ablaze with color, with red and gold leaves floating in clear reflecting pools under a canopy of solid color" during the fall months. Arizona Republic contributor Roger Naylor once wrote that West Fork is the closest thing Arizona has to New England-style fall foliage displays.
West Fork is the No. 1 place in Sedona to see fall colors, said Victoria Latunski, director of visitor services with the Sedona Chamber of Commerce. Colors glow from the cottonwood, sycamore, walnut and aspen trees along Oak Creek.
Other popular fall color spots in Sedona include Crescent Moon Ranch and Red Rock State Park, Latunski said.
White Mountains
The White Mountains are another key spot for fall colors in Arizona. The Arizona Office of Tourism suggests driving along State Highway 260 to find the best fall foliage views, describing it as a "sure-fire roadway for fall color." Fall colors usually peak in mid-to-late October, though the timing depends on the weather, according to GoWhiteMountains.com.
Other good places to look for foliage in the White Mountains include the Big Lake Recreation Area in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests and the back roads of the Fort Apache Reservation in the vicinity of Sunrise Park Resort. You will need a recreation permit from the White Mountain Apache Tribe.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Where is the best Arizona spot to see fall colors? Tell us your pick
