By Jessie Swider, Reservations
Experience Leavenworth in the Autumn
Leavenworth is truly a four seasons town. As the mood switches from the carefree abandon of summer to the festive mode of fall, mother nature puts on a show of her own where changing leaves turn every little valley into a pocket of stunning colors. For foliage enthusiasts and lovers of all things fall there is a short window to catch this stunning display of Leavenworth fall colors.
September
Leavenworth tends to experience warm, summery days well into September, but by the end of the month dedicated leaf hounds can start to find those first splashes of color in the higher elevations. In downtown, Leavenworth kicks off the fall season with the annual Washington State Autumn Leaf Festival – the oldest festival in Leavenworth! On lucky years, the highway will be lined by bright red leaves for the Grand Parade, but other times, this festive weekend is a celebration of color to come at the start of October.
October
October’s colder days bring a symphony of fall colors to Washington state and Leavenworth is at the heart of the splendor. As the leaves reach their peak you don’t have to travel to remote trails to admire the reds and golds. Check out easy-to-reach spots like the Leavenworth Fish Hatchery, or Waterfront Park. Just outside of town headed west on Highway 2, you’ll pass through Tumwater Canyon. Here you’ll really want to gaze at the brilliant reds and oranges along the splashing, blue waters of the Wenatchee River, but keep your eyes on the road! Pull over at The Alps or The Pipeline Bridge Trail to take some gorgeous photos. Colors peak by Mid-October, but you can usually still see some good foliage later in the month up to Halloween. Visit in November you’ll have to wait until next year for the leaves to return.
A Note About Larches
Washington may be the Evergreen State because of its vast, lush forests of pines and firs which stay green all year long, but there’s one tree that defies the norm. For hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, the prize sighting of fall is the larch. To the untrained eye, larches look like a fairly normal fir tree. But instead of staying green all year long, come October they turn a vibrant yellow and then lose their needles for the winter. Larches thrive in the higher elevations, so hiking to an alpine lake or fire lookout will give you the best chance at experiencing this unique fall tree.
Start Planning Now
There’s nothing better than a spontaneous fall road trip, but with all the fun of the Autumn Leaf Festival and Oktoberfest, lodging can fill up a little further in advance. Love Leavenworth is ready to help you find the perfect forest retreat or downtown hangout for your Leavenworth autumn adventure! For those spur-of-the-moment travelers check out local webcams or call our office to get real-time updates of the fall colors and book your trip with Love Leavenworth!