Top Ten Fall Forests

To the true insiders—people who live and work in one corner or another of the great North American forest—it's pretty much a given that autumn's the best time of year to be out in the woods.

The summer heat relents, and with the first light frost you can say good-bye to bugs for the year. Hardwood trees burst into their variegated fall color. Raptors and geese migrate overhead; elk bugle; huckleberries ripen. And though leaf-peepers may crowd the roadways, B and Bs, and standard tourist attractions, humanity is much less present on the trails, in the campgrounds, anywhere out there beyond the reach of heating oil, down comforters, and other civilized signs that the season is changing.

This story is about seeing the change of seasons play out on nature's grandest stages. We've picked out our ten favorite national forests to celebrate autumn's coming, and included a few specific hikes, trail rides, and crowd-free scenic drives with each. And now the ball's in your court; don't let the deep freeze creep up on you—seize this best of seasons, and get out there!