Where to go on a road trip to see fall foliage in Arizona

Autumn can sometimes feel more like a state of mind than a season in parts of Arizona, but there are places where you can catch colorful scenes that really make it feel like fall.

According to Visit Arizona, October is the best time to find fall colors in the high country and they migrate to lower elevations as November progresses and turns into December.

Many roads may offer scenic views, but to officially be recognized as a “scenic road,” it must offer a memorable visual impression, be free of visual encroachment and form a harmonious composite of visual patterns.

There are currently 26 designated scenic roads in Arizona, many of which offer beautiful autumnal views, like Red Rock All-American Road on State Route 179 near Sedona, which includes points of interest such as Cathedral Rock and Chapel of the Holy Cross.

Discover Flagstaff’s website offers a “LEAF-ometer” that shows how colorful the leaves currently are in areas like the Arboretum at Flagstaff off Historic Route 66 and Arizona Snowbowl off US Highway 180 (San Francisco Peaks Scenic Road) so you can know what level of fall foliage to expect before you go.

There are also multiple scenic roads along State Route 89A between Prescott and north of Sedona, including Mingus Mountain Scenic Road, Jerome-Clarkdale-Cottonwood Historic Road, Dry Creek Scenic Road and Sedona-Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Road.

Arizona Highways Magazine’s Fall Color Guide lists State Route 67 between the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and Jacob Lake and US 191 between Springerville and Alpine as some of the best drives to see fall leaves in the state, especially for aspen trees.

While State Route 260 isn’t technically a scenic road, there are many areas along the highway that offer picturesque views of fall foliage, including the towns of Payson, Heber-Overgaard, Show Low and Pinetop-Lakeside.

As always, don’t forget to prepare an emergency travel kit before you head out on the road and use az511.gov or the AZ511 app to map out your route and check travel conditions.

This is by no means an exhaustive list! Do you have a favorite road trip route to see fall foliage in Arizona? Let us know on social media.