The air is crisp and smells of pumpkin spice, which can only mean one thing ...
Fall colours are here!
Those gorgeous yellow, orange and red hues tend to peak in late September and October. As they days get colder and shorter, trees start shutting down for winter, according to the Weather Network. This stops water and nutrients from coming into the leaves, and voila: FOLIAGE.
Photo gallery: Where to see Canada’s fall colours. Story continues below.
Where To Watch Canada's Leaves Change Colour
Did you know there are a bunch of leaf reports you can follow to figure out the prime leafing locations? The Weather Network’s provincial guide, Ontario Parks Fall Colour Report, Quebec fall foliage map, Nova Scotia leaf watch at #nsleafwatch, and this Banff fall foliage guide are all good places to check.
Maybe you have a fall family photoshoot planned. Maybe you want to take your kids to see Canada’s beautiful bounty so they can appreciate all the wonders of nature. Maybe you just want to see the leaves yourself and the kids have to come either way.
Whatever your reason, here are some of the best places in Canada to check out those leaves:
The Annapolis Valley, N.S.
Sure, you knew about Nova Scotia’s Cabot Trail, but did you know Annapolis Valley is another gorgeous spot to check out those leaves? Oh, and they also have a pumpkin festival. Just saying.
Algonquin Provincial Park, Ont.
Leaves are already in their prime in Ontario’s Algonquin Park! According to their fall colour report, a visit from mid-September to mid-October is best.
Stanley Park, B.C.
You don’t even have to leave downtown Vancouver to see some of the best foliage B.C. has to offer. Stanley Park is one of the best (and most convenient) places on the West Coast to check out those leaves.
Elk Island National Park, Alta.
About an hour from Edmonton, Elk Island National Park is one of the top places to check out fall colours in Alberta, according to Alberta Arborists. Check out those gorgeous yellows.
Mont-Sainte-Anne, Que.
These gorgeous views can be found about 30 minutes outside Quebec City. Mont-Saint-Anne offers panoramic gondola rides, too.
The Fundy Trail, N.B.
Yes, it’s famous for those tides, but the Fundy Trail in St. Martins, N.B., is also famous for its fall colours. The colours peak around Thanksgiving weekend.
Tombstone Territorial Park, Yukon
It peaks a little early thanks to being further north, but Tombstone Territorial Park (which is about 90 minutes from Dawson City) offers some breathtaking views.
Gros Morne National Park, N.L.
In Western Newfoundland, Gros Morne National Park is another breathtaking location to take in those fall colours. Fall is the best time to visit the park, when “the blazing red, yellow and orange hues that are painted throughout the park illuminate the already majestic landscape,” according to the Newfoundland and Labrador website.
Confederation Trail, P.E.I.
Prince Edward Island’s Confederation Trail is 435 kilometres long and stretches from one end of the island to the other. It’s a gorgeous way to take in all the fall colours P.E.I. has to offer.
Prince Albert National Park, Sask.
Prince Albert National Park in Saskatchewan is one of the best places in the province to catch that foliage. Park interpreter Bradley Muir told National Geographic that the Spruce River Highlands Trail is a particular good spot for leafers.
“It’s one of the only places where you can get above the trees to see the crowns of the hills and surrounding panoramas, which play best in the fall. Golden aspen leaves on the crowns, orange and gold tamaracks in the lowlands — it really reflects one of the core messages of the park, which is the transition from south to north.”
Also on HuffPost: