Step Into Autumn: 5 National Park Trails For Fall

Trails are the lifelines of our national parks. Whether it’s a rugged mountain ascent, a gentle riverside stroll, or a boardwalk through a forest older than the founding of the park, trails invite you to experience our public lands up close. In autumn, these paths take on an extra layer of magic. The air turns crisp, wildlife becomes more active, and landscapes transform with gold, crimson, and orange. This season is an open invitation to lace up your boots and wander. Supporting Trails The National Park Foundation is proud to continue supporting trail work through grants that build, maintain, preserve, and support trails from coast to coast. Between 2016 and 2024, NPF funding helped NPS to construct and maintain over 5,000 miles of trails. NPF support is also helping futureproof trails by increasing connectivity, enhancing stewardship, expanding accessibility, boosting park partner trail work, and improving the visitor experience. Trails Perfect For Fall Adventures 1. Big Spring Branch Trail Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Missouri Follow this gentle roughly 1-mile loop circling Big Spring, one of the largest springs in the country. The first national park area to protect a river system, this hike is all about the water. And in early fall, mist drifts across the water surrounded by the turning leaves. 2. River Styx Spring Trail Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky Once you finish spelunking on an underground tour, come back into the daylight to explore a surface trails. This short walk winds through autumn forest to the River Styx Spring. Over seven miles of trails easily accessible from the park visitor center feature ridgetops, river views, sinkholes, cave-fed springs, cemeteries, a historic train engine, and views of the historic entrances to Mammoth Cave and Dixon Cave. Ready for more? The park has 18 miles of trails for you to explore. 3. Musconetcong Gorge Loop Musconetcong National Wild & Scenic River, New Jersey Located in a remote part of New Jersey, but just over an hour from New York City, this may be your perfect fall weekend hike. The trail itself is a moderately challenging 2.8 mile loop with waterfalls and cascades at the start of the hike. 4. 1,000+ Miles of Trails at Ice Age National Scenic Trail Ice Age National Scenic Trail, Wisconsin Ice Age National Scenic Trail winds through 1,000+ miles of Wisconsin, tracing the ancient glacial landscapes that shaped the region. Hikers can explore rolling hills, lakes, and unique geological features while experiencing the beauty and history of the last Ice Age. These trails offer both day hikes and adventurous multi-day treks for nature lovers of all kinds. Learn more about trail conditions and specific hikes and follow this planning tool from the Ice Age Trail Alliance. 5. Long Logs Trail Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona Trade fall leaves for a different kind of seasonal magic: rainbow-hued petrified wood. Long Logs is one of the largest concentrations of colorful petrified wood in the park, including some of the longest logs. The first half-mile of this trail is paved and suitable for mobility equipment and strollers.