10 Hot-Air Balloon Rides That Show Off America’s Best Fall Landscapes

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The Green Mountains are, in fact, green for much of the year. Once summer starts to fade away, however, they take on leaf-peeping season’s fiery color scheme. Highlights of a hot-air balloon ride over the range, which belongs to the greater Appalachian Mountain range system, include gliding over Lake Champlain and trying to spot wildlife like moose, deer, and bears while letting the wind carry you overhead. If you can, organize a trip to the Green Mountains and a balloon ride with Above Reality Hot Air Balloon Rides of Vermont this October. Trust us.

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Albemarle County might not ring a bell, but its claim to fame and Thomas Jefferson’s former home, Monticello, probably does. Monticello Country Ballooning launches from various sites in and around Charlottesville, where the fall foliage is spectacular, especially in mid-October. While both sunrise and sunset flights are possible year-round, leaf-peeping hopefuls should opt for a sunrise ride to see the foliage ablaze in the first light of morning.

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Nicknamed the “Grand Canyon of the East,” Letchworth State Park seduces visitors year-round with its waterfalls, rock walls, and dramatic Genesee River Gorge. Surrounding it all are ancient trees that absolutely stun when dressed in their fall best. The only balloon company licensed to take off from within the park, Balloons Over Letchworth launches its riders a stone’s throw from Middle Falls. As a bonus, riders will catch a glimpse of the Genesee Arch Bridge, a 235-foot railroad trestle, as they fly over Upper Falls. The weather can be fickle in October when the foliage is at its peak, so be sure to consult your weather app before booking.

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Albuquerque takes its ballooning seriously with an annual International Balloon Fiesta, but if leaf peeping is your priority, it’s hard to top Taos. Better known for its ski resort and historic pueblo, Taos also has a wealth of fall foliage and its own ballooning culture. Pueblo Balloon Company operates throughout the year, thrilling riders with aerial views of the Rio Grande and panoramas of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. If you catch the ballooning bug after your ride, plan to come back October 31 to November 2 for the Taos Mountain Balloon Rally, where you can enjoy more leaf peeping from the ground — when you aren’t transfixed by the colorful hot-air balloons floating overhead.

Photo: Black Hills Balloons/Facebook

Mount Rushmore may have made the Black Hills famous, but come fall, America’s most impressive presidential bust has some competition in the surrounding scenery. The region’s ponderosa pines turn bright yellow and light orange like they’ve been dipped in sunlight. Thanks to Black Hills Balloons, you can get a bird’s-eye view of the mountains, valleys, and lakes of the Black Hills, Badlands, and Wind Cave National Park, as well as the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mount Rushmore. Champagne, light snacks, and a souvenir certificate are included.

Photo: The United States Hot Air Balloon Team/Facebook

Just 25 miles outside Philly, Bucks County feels worlds away from the big city, trading its skyscrapers for tall trees that make for a much nicer view, particularly come autumn. There are several ways to take in the foliage here, from walks to train rides to scenic drives, but soaking in the landscape from above is easily the most exciting. Book a ride with the The United States Hot Air Balloon Team to soar over rolling hills, farms, and vineyards dotting the tree-studded landscape. Stare out into the distance, and you might even be able to see the outline of Manhattan.

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Even amid mammoth landmarks like the red rock formations at the Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak, the highest summit of the Front Range, it’s the humble aspens that steal your attention during fall in Colorado Springs when they turn a brilliant gold. Fortunately, you can see it all on a balloon ride. Adventures Out West hosts sunrise excursions that put riders eye-to-eye with the Southern Rockies and offer a whole new perspective on the trees below.

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Asheville is already famous for its fiery fall colors, but seeing the Blue Ridge Mountains from above in a balloon is a whole different kind of magic. Book a sunrise flight with Asheville Balloon Company and you’ll drift between 500 and 2,000 feet above Pisgah National Forest, downtown Asheville, and the rolling ridgelines that glow in autumn’s richest reds and golds. Peak fall color here stretches from early October into November, and rides fill quickly — so plan ahead if you want to see the mountains lit up in peak foliage.

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For a quintessential fall-in-America experience, take off above the Hudson Valley, where vineyards, orchards, and the river wind through a sea of blazing maples and oaks. Each year the Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival fills the sky with color, but you can also book a private ride for a quieter escape into the clouds. Evening flights are especially magical, when the light softens over the Catskills and the valley below seems to shimmer in shades of gold and crimson.

Photo: Lake Geneva Balloon Company

Fall comes later to southern Wisconsin than in New England, but by the third week of October the hills around Geneva Lake are bright with maples and oaks. From above, riders see the 20-mile Shore Path that circles the water, dotted with historic estates built during the Gilded Age, as well as farms and open countryside stretching west. Lake Geneva Balloon Company is the only operator in the region, launching sunrise and sunset flights that last about an hour and travel wherever the wind takes you. On clear days, you can spot both Milwaukee and Chicago on the horizon before drifting back toward the lake.