Fall Foliage Smackdown: Eastern Reds Versus Western Golds

When it comes to autumn color, New England's reputation is five-star. So are Westerners blowing it out their cowboy hats when they claim their golden aspens and cottonwoods can go head-to-head with Northeastern maples and oaks in October?

"I have never heard any New Englander say, ever, 'I must go to the Rockies to see fall color.' No. We wait until winter to see the powder snow for that trip," said Yankee magazine editor Mel Allen.

Allen added that he loves the West's "mountains, the deserts, the incredible wind-carved rock formations. But no matter how much it wants to sell aspen as the defining color fall, it just doesn't fly."

Lisa Taggart, contributor to Sunset magazine, which covers the Western states, grudgingly acknowledged, "Yeah, the East has pretty trees. But going to see fall foliage out West is like finally putting it together: the forest and the trees, with mountains and wildlife and the long light. The whole shebang adds up to WOW."

Here's a fall foliage smackdown, with recommendations for places to go leaf-peeping in both regions, from the Northeast's king crimsons to the West's golden underdogs.

Fall foliage picks for New England

Connecticut: Route 169 is described by Yankee senior editor Polly Bannister as "one of New England's prettiest country roads" as it runs through 32 miles of Connecticut farms and fields. "In autumn, this national scenic byway is at its best: a gentle landscape of trees and stone walls glides its way through historic towns from Woodstock to Lisbon, all with a backdrop of brilliant foliage in a palette of red, orange, gold, yellow and russet," Bannister said.

Maine: "Begin in Rangeley, Maine, forcing yourself to leave the lake-studded town, and head north on Route 16, then follow Route 27 through Kingfield, then along the Carrabassett River to Sugarloaf Mountain," suggested Allen, the Yankee editor. "In this 45-mile or so drive, your mouth will drop at least a dozen times, and no more so as you wind around what locals call 'Oh My Gosh Corner' and the mountain appears as if dropped from the sky."

Massachusetts: Yankee assistant editor Justin Shatwell said Massachusetts' northwest region sometimes gets overlooked, "but in fall it's the place to visit. The Mohawk Trail passes by a lot of state forests, but you don't even have to get off the road to see some striking foliage. The view coming down from West Summit into North Adams is about as good as it gets." The trail is part of Route 2 and runs through the Berkshire Mountains.

New Hampshire: The Kancamagus Highway, which runs between Lincoln and Conway, N.H., on State Route 112, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. "With no houses, no restaurants, not even gas stations, the Kancamagus Highway is all about breathtaking panoramic views of the White Mountain National Forest, particularly from the height of land at Kancamagus Pass," said YankeeMagazine.com editor Barbara Hall. "Named the first national scenic byway in the entire Northeast, what the 34-mile stretch of road does have is waterfalls, hiking trails, numerous scenic overlooks and hundreds of thousands of visitors every autumn."

Vermont: Route 100 "has been called the most scenic in New England," according to Yankee magazine writer Michael Blanding. "In some circles, it's known as the 'Skier's Highway,' since it connects Vermont's giants — Mount Snow, Killington, Sugarbush and Stowe — like knots on a whip. But the road really comes into its own in autumn, hitting the peak of fall foliage not once but many times as it traces an up-and-down course along the unspoiled edge of Green Mountain State Forest."

Blog: Where's the Best Fall Foliage?