16 Scenic Train Rides to See the Best Fall Foliage in the US

Northeast | Appalachians and South | Rockies and West | Alaska

Adirondack Railroad — New York

When to go: Late September to mid-October.

This trip with Adirondack Railroad rumbles through New York’s High Peaks region, into Central New York, and on to Utica, past some of the most colorful leaves in the Empire State. The railroad is also partnered with rafting companies, hiking guides, and bike rentals so you can experience the colors up close once you disembark. Look out for Adirondack Railroad’s offers of fall beer- and wine-tasting rides during which you can taste some of the best drinks from the region as you watch the changing trees speed by.

Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway — Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

When to go: Late September through early November.

In the historic town of Jim Thorpe, the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway is one of Pennsylvania’s most beloved fall traditions. The railway’s Autumn Leaf Train departs from a Victorian-era station and rolls deep into Lehigh Gorge State Park, where passengers can watch the surrounding Pocono Mountains ignite in shades of red, orange, and gold. The 16-mile round trip follows the Lehigh River, crossing bridges and hugging forested cliffs, making it one of the region’s most accessible and family-friendly ways to experience peak foliage.

Mount Washington Cog Railway — Mount Washington, New Hampshire

When to go: Late September through mid-October.

This old cog railroad has been going through the mountains of New Hampshire for more than 150 years, taking visitors to the treacherous summit of Mt. Washington via one of the most scenic fall foliage train rides in the country. The charming wood cars of the Mount Washington Cog Railway chug up to the highest point in the northeast, a three-hour round trip that spends an hour at the top to take in the views over seemingly all of New England. The tableau of oranges, yellows, and deep reds below might be the most impressive sight of any ride on this list.

Strasburg Railroad — Ronks, Pennsylvania

When to go: Early to mid-October.

While the kids would surely rather journey on the Strasburg Railroad’s Thomas the Tank Engine replica, adults may be more interested in the first-class cars of the historic locomotive, instead. This brief trip through Pennsylvania’s Amish country offers rides done up in Gilded Age extravagance.

Delaware Ulster Railroad — Arkville, New York

When to go: Early to mid-October.

This calming trip through the Catskills seems to traverse a storybook setting over rustic bridges, bubbling streams, and through colorful valleys — which makes sense as the Delaware Ulster Railroad‘s trademark ride is the Rip Van Winkle Flyer, which features a glass-domed dining car and meanders through the haunts of the most famous sleeper in history. Events with this railroad include the Taste of New York trains, where you can sample a whole ride’s worth of local food and beverages, and train-robbery rides set against some of the most spectacular fall backdrops in the US.

Green Mountain Railroad — Chester, Vermont

When to go: Late September through mid-October.

The most scenic five weeks in Vermont are during leaf-peeping season, and the Green Mountain Railroad operates five days a week, so you can see it all by train no matter when you go. The most popular ride is the three-hour fall foliage excursion, chugging to the top of Ludlow Mountain for the best perspective on the scenery. Weekend rides from Burlington to Middlebury often feature live music and seasonal cocktails. Saturday and Sunday nights, you can also enjoy a three-course gourmet meal on Green Mountain’s dinner train.

Essex Steam Train — Essex, Connecticut

When to go: Early to mid-October.

Wanna take your transportation throwback game to a whole other level? Head out to the Connecticut River Valley and take this 19th-century steam strain through the bright rolling hills, then combine it with a ride on a riverboat down the Connecticut River. If that kinda time warp is just a little too much for you, the Essex Steam Train also offers pumpkin patch trips and Haddam Swing Bridge specials all autumn long.

Amtrak Cardinal — New River Gorge, West Virginia

When to go: Mid-October for peak color in the gorge.

Running between New York City and Chicago three times a week, the Amtrak Cardinal is best known in fall for the stretch through West Virginia’s New River Gorge. Designated a national park in 2020, the gorge transforms each October into a corridor of blazing color, with scarlet maples and golden hickories lining the cliffs above the river. The train winds across soaring bridges and through remote valleys, offering views you can’t see from the highway. It’s one of the most dramatic long-distance rides in the East — and a chance to experience America’s newest national park from the comfort of a window seat.

Blue Ridge Scenic Railway — Blue Ridge, Georgia

When to go: Mid-October to early November.

The Blue Mountains are grossly misnamed during the fall as the normally dark hills turn bright colors in September and October. This 26-mile train ride from Blue Ridge to the Georgia-Tennessee border is the best way to enjoy it, with a few hours to stop in the towns of McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee. Enjoy the crisp fall air from an outdoor car, as you pass through the Chattahoochee National Forest along the Toccoa River.

Arcade and Attica Railroad — Arcade, New York

When to go: Early to mid-October.

A two-and-a-half-hour journey with Arcade and Attica Railroad take passengers through the rolling hills of Wyoming County, starting and ending on Main Street in charming downtown Arcade. Special fall foliage train rides will depart on weekends throughout October. World War II-era diesel locomotives offer theme rides too, like Great Train Robbers or a haunted Halloween train.

Durbin and Greenbrier Railroad — Elkins, West Virginia

When to go: Early to mid-October at higher elevations; mid- to late October in valleys.

The sheer size of the mountains in West Virginia makes fall the most impressive time to visit, with steep curtains of orange, red, and yellow throughout the state. The Durbin and Greenbrier Railroad offers the best variety of ways to see it, from a 4.5-hour venture to the third-highest peak in the state on the Bald Knob trip to the two-hour Whittaker trip on the coal-powered Durbin Rocket.

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad — Bryson City, North Carolina

When to go: Mid-October through early November.

This quintessential southern leaf-peeping train ride goes through the colorful hills of western North Carolina. Go in October and you can catch the Nantahala Gorge Excursion, a 4.5-hour trip along the Tennessee and Nantahala Rivers, across the historic Fontana Trestle bridge, and to the vibrant reflections off Fontana Lake. You can also take trips that include beer tasting at a station along the way or take your kids on the Peanuts Pumpkin Patch Express.

Tennessee Valley Railroad — Chattanooga, Tennessee

When to go: Mid- to late October.

The most popular ride in the town famous for its choo-choo is the Missionary Ridge Local, a 65-minute ride over four bridges and through a mid-19th-century tunnel. But to really get the most of the fall colors in this area, opt for the Hiwassee River Rail Adventure (AKA Hiwassee Loop), which takes you on a longer ride through the Cherokee National Forest, surrounding you with brilliant leaves and thick foliage.

Western Maryland Scenic Railroad — Cumberland, Maryland

When to go: Mid-October.

Maryland screams all-you-can-eat crab cakes, not all-you-can-peep foliage. But come fall, the Allegheny Mountains will leave you speechless, same as any other range belonging to the East Coast’s expansive Appalachians. Take a spin on Western Maryland Scenic Railroad’s Frostburg Flyer to see iconic sites like Helmstetter’s Curve and the 914-foot Brush Tunnel look even more dramatic against the changing leaves. In all, the Cumberland-Frostburg loop takes 4.5 hours. Splurge on the club car if you want to travel forward on the tracks but back in time: the deluxe service is 1950s-themed, complete with a carful of servers dressed to match.

Rockies to the Red Rocks — Denver to Moab

When to go: Late September through mid-October.

On one of the newest luxury train journeys in the US, the two-day trip on the Rocky Mountaineer between Denver and Moab climbs through high alpine passes lined with golden aspens before descending into Utah’s deep red sandstone canyons. The sharp contrast — snow-dusted Rockies glowing yellow above the tree line and fiery cliffs below — makes fall one of the most visually dramatic times to ride.

Combres and Toltec — Antonito, Colorado

When to go: Mid-September to early October for the aspens.

The American West doesn’t get a lot of credit for its fantastic fall foliage, what with the abundance of evergreen trees and sprawling desert. But this ride with Combres and Toltec through the Rockies in New Mexico and Colorado is one of the most stunning rides in the United States any time of year. You’ll see plenty of colors in the desert foreground through the Toltec Gorge and across Combres Pass — the highest pass reachable by rail in the US. The train speeds past little Western towns and towering mountains, across a sheer rock face and into tight loops. The ride is so picturesque it was actually featured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway — Colorado

When to go: Late September to early October.

Normally, it’s near-impossible to say which of Colorado’s seasons is most spectacular. Spend a couple of hours hugging high-altitude passes in San Juan National Forest in September or October, however, and you’ll be sure that season is fall. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway tours the best of Colorado’s southwest, much of it inaccessible to other vehicles. Hop on the Canyon Express at Rockwood Station just north of Durango, cozy into a restored 19th-century coach or open-air gondola, and try not to blink until you reach Cascade Canyon.

Mount Hood Railroad — Hood River, Oregon

When to go: Mid- to late October.

The Columbia River Gorge is one of the nation’s scenic highlights any time of year, but the blue waters of the river shine especially bright when set against the oranges, yellows, and purples of autumn. Mount Hood Railroad is among the most Instagram-friendly on the list, too, with scheduled photo stops along the way. Plus you’ll get to sample a collection of local craft beers — one of the other biggest draws to this region.

Coast Starlight — San Francisco, California, to Seattle, Washington

When to go: Mid-October through early November.

If you’re looking to make an entire vacation out of looking at leaves from a rumbling train, hop aboard Amtrak’s Coast Starlight. The eight-day trip gives you ample time to discover the fall colors of Muir Woods near San Francisco, then venture up the West Coast to Portland, where you’ll have a day to cruise the Willamette Valley and see the colors there. Then it’s up through the towering trees of Washington to Seattle, where the changing colors at the Washington Park Arboretum make you forget you’re in a place called the Evergreen State.

Denali Star — Anchorage, Alaska

When to go: Late August to mid-September.

If you want to get a jump on the fall colors and don’t feel like waiting until it interferes with college football, head to Alaska where this train runs through the fall colors of Denali National Park starting in summer. The 12-hour trip on the Denali Star to Fairbanks stops in Wasilla, Talkeetna, and Denali National Park. And on clear days, you’ll see all those fantastic leaves fronting the snow-capped peak of the tallest mountain in the US at Denali.