If there’s any time of year people tend to look forward to more than summer, it’s fall. From the kids going back to school to football season to the holidays, fall is a wonderful season and, frankly, our favorite here at OIYS. One of the most magical aspects of autumn is witnessing the leaves change from earthy greens to vibrant hues of red, yellow, and orange. This fall color road trip might be one of the best day trips in Nevada near you, so hop in the car and get ready to go!
From Las Vegas to Lake Tahoe, this truly scenic road trip will take you to all of the best places to see stunning fall foliage.
Natalie Faulk/OIYS Gas up the car, grab a jacket, family, and friends, and let’s go!
- Lake Tahoe Scenic Byway
Lisa Oullette/Flickr Start in South Lake Tahoe and take Highway 28 north for gorgeous views of the Sierra Nevada peaks, Lake Tahoe, the Tahoe Basin, and nonstop fall foliage. Once you reach Incline Village, take Highway 431, the Mount Rose Scenic Drive. If you’d like to stretch your legs, you can take a short hike to Marlette and Spooner Lakes. Read more about this amazing byway here. Nevada 28, NV-28, Incline Village, NV, USA
- Mount Rose, Reno
<>/Flickr The Mount Rose Scenic Drive stretches between Lake Tahoe and Reno. This 25-mile paved road provides spectacular views of the Washoe Valley and Washoe Lake, the Sierras, and the Tahoe Basin. Autumn isn’t the only amazing time of year for this delightful drive. Scenic overlook, Mt Rose Hwy, Incline Village, NV 89451, USA
- Reno Riverwalk District
Ken Lund/Flickr Beautiful color-changing fall foliage is apparent all along the Truckee River. You can also enjoy the spectacular views on the Truckee Riverwalk. Learn more about the Truckee Riverwalk here. Riverwalk District, Reno, NV, USA
- Bowers Mansion Regional Park, Washoe County
Aubrey P./Yelp Located between Reno and Carson City, this historic park is full of tall shade trees which are truly gorgeous in the autumn. Read more in-depth about the mansion here! Bowers Mansion Regional Park, 4005 Bowers Mansion Rd, New Washoe City, NV 89704, USA
- Dayton
Madralynn/Flickr The small town of Dayton sits beside the Carson River. This river-named for explorer Kit Carson-spans five counties and is surrounded by stunning fall foliage. You’ll find more in-depth info about Dayton during the fall here. Dayton, NV, USA
- Lamoille Canyon, Elko County
Travel Nevada/Flickr Situated at the base of the Ruby Mountains near Elko, Lamoille Canyon is known as Nevada’s Grand Canyon. The 12-mile Lamoille Canyon Scenic Drive is widely heralded as the best in the entire state, especially during the autumn when the leaves are in full color. Lamoille Canyon, Nevada 89828, USA
- Great Basin National Park, White Pine County
Travel Nevada/Flickr Great Basin National Park is a definite bucket list item. Giant bristlecone pines (including the Prometheus stump) and stunning fall foliage abound. You can also visit the mysterious Lehman Caves. Be sure to take the Mount Wheeler Scenic Drive. National Forest Development Road 448, NF-448, Nevada 89311, USA
- Floyd Lamb Park, Las Vegas
Terri R./Yelp Located in the Las Vegas city limits, Floyd Lamb State Park is over 2,000 acres of stunning views, wildlife, lush vegetation, and several small lakes. The Tule Springs Ranch is a must-see. In the autumn, however, when the leaves change, this park becomes even more magical. Floyd Lamb Park, 9200 Tule Springs Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89131, USA
- Spring Mountain National Recreation Area, Las Vegas
Daniel S./Yelp Approximately 40 miles west of Las Vegas, the Spring Mountains are home to numerous hiking and biking trails, gorgeous photography spots, and several scenic drives. Take in the lush fall foliage driving up Mount Charleston for a hot chocolate or coffee break at the lodge. Learn more about the park here. Spring Mountain Road, Spring Mountain Rd, Las Vegas, NV, USA
There you have it: a stunning road trip throughout Nevada to see the best fall foliage in the entire state. Have you been to any of these gorgeous places in the autumn? Did we leave your favorite best fall foliage place off this list? Please comment below!
Natalie Faulk/OIYS
Gas up the car, grab a jacket, family, and friends, and let’s go!
Lisa Oullette/Flickr
Start in South Lake Tahoe and take Highway 28 north for gorgeous views of the Sierra Nevada peaks, Lake Tahoe, the Tahoe Basin, and nonstop fall foliage. Once you reach Incline Village, take Highway 431, the Mount Rose Scenic Drive. If you’d like to stretch your legs, you can take a short hike to Marlette and Spooner Lakes. Read more about this amazing byway here.
Nevada 28, NV-28, Incline Village, NV, USA
<>/Flickr
The Mount Rose Scenic Drive stretches between Lake Tahoe and Reno. This 25-mile paved road provides spectacular views of the Washoe Valley and Washoe Lake, the Sierras, and the Tahoe Basin. Autumn isn’t the only amazing time of year for this delightful drive.
Scenic overlook, Mt Rose Hwy, Incline Village, NV 89451, USA
Ken Lund/Flickr
Beautiful color-changing fall foliage is apparent all along the Truckee River. You can also enjoy the spectacular views on the Truckee Riverwalk. Learn more about the Truckee Riverwalk here.
Riverwalk District, Reno, NV, USA
Aubrey P./Yelp
Located between Reno and Carson City, this historic park is full of tall shade trees which are truly gorgeous in the autumn. Read more in-depth about the mansion here!
Bowers Mansion Regional Park, 4005 Bowers Mansion Rd, New Washoe City, NV 89704, USA
Madralynn/Flickr
The small town of Dayton sits beside the Carson River. This river-named for explorer Kit Carson-spans five counties and is surrounded by stunning fall foliage. You’ll find more in-depth info about Dayton during the fall here.
Dayton, NV, USA
Travel Nevada/Flickr
Situated at the base of the Ruby Mountains near Elko, Lamoille Canyon is known as Nevada’s Grand Canyon. The 12-mile Lamoille Canyon Scenic Drive is widely heralded as the best in the entire state, especially during the autumn when the leaves are in full color.
Lamoille Canyon, Nevada 89828, USA
Great Basin National Park is a definite bucket list item. Giant bristlecone pines (including the Prometheus stump) and stunning fall foliage abound. You can also visit the mysterious Lehman Caves. Be sure to take the Mount Wheeler Scenic Drive.
National Forest Development Road 448, NF-448, Nevada 89311, USA
Terri R./Yelp
Located in the Las Vegas city limits, Floyd Lamb State Park is over 2,000 acres of stunning views, wildlife, lush vegetation, and several small lakes. The Tule Springs Ranch is a must-see. In the autumn, however, when the leaves change, this park becomes even more magical.
Floyd Lamb Park, 9200 Tule Springs Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89131, USA
Daniel S./Yelp
Approximately 40 miles west of Las Vegas, the Spring Mountains are home to numerous hiking and biking trails, gorgeous photography spots, and several scenic drives. Take in the lush fall foliage driving up Mount Charleston for a hot chocolate or coffee break at the lodge. Learn more about the park here.
Spring Mountain Road, Spring Mountain Rd, Las Vegas, NV, USA
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Day Trips In Nevada Near Me August 30, 2021 Tori Jane What are some of the best day trips in Nevada? Nevada is an interesting place with plenty of interesting ideas available for day trips. Who says Las Vegas, for example, needs to be an all-weekend thing? You could just spend the day there, visiting the various museums and curio spots, instead of the entire night at a casino (though that’s fun too). Alternatively, you could spend the day at any of the wonderful state and/or National Parks around Nevada. Nevada is home to 23 state parks and two National Parks, so there’s no shortage of things to see! Another fun idea is a day in which you try and make it to as many creepy old ghost towns as you can – those kind of road trips are always the best, especially in a state like this one, where the history of the wild, wild west runs deep. What is fall in Nevada like? Sometimes, it can feel a little…brief. Locals often joke that many places like Las Vegas only have two seasons: summer and kind of-winter. Usually, though, in between the two, there’s a few decent weeks of autumn weather, and we are totally here for it. You can expect average temperatures to be warm and pleasant, with chilly nights. It doesn’t snow terribly often in these parts, so it’s not likely you’ll end up with a snowy Halloween, but sometimes it can get a bit cold. You’ll find plenty of traditional fall festivities like pumpkin patches and corn mazes situated throughout the state, and there’s no shortage of scary haunted attractions for the thrill-seekers among us, too. When it comes to fall fun, don’t count Nevada out: it’s a lot nicer than you’d probably expect! Where are the most scenic places in Nevada? Contrary to popular belief, Nevada isn’t all hot, desert wasteland. There are plenty of places around the state that are incredibly scenic – especially in the fall at peak color. The Ruby Mountains are a perfect example of this; that’s one place where you might just forget you’re in Nevada and not Colorado! If the desert vibe is more your thing, you’ll love Cathedral Gorge State Park, and Great Basin National Park is certainly one to write home about, too. Of course, there’s always Lake Tahoe, too, which is world-renowned for its beauty and interesting landscape. For more of our favorite scenic places in Nevada, take a look at this list!
The OIYS Visitor Center
Day Trips In Nevada Near Me
August 30, 2021
Tori Jane
What are some of the best day trips in Nevada? Nevada is an interesting place with plenty of interesting ideas available for day trips. Who says Las Vegas, for example, needs to be an all-weekend thing? You could just spend the day there, visiting the various museums and curio spots, instead of the entire night at a casino (though that’s fun too). Alternatively, you could spend the day at any of the wonderful state and/or National Parks around Nevada. Nevada is home to 23 state parks and two National Parks, so there’s no shortage of things to see! Another fun idea is a day in which you try and make it to as many creepy old ghost towns as you can – those kind of road trips are always the best, especially in a state like this one, where the history of the wild, wild west runs deep. What is fall in Nevada like? Sometimes, it can feel a little…brief. Locals often joke that many places like Las Vegas only have two seasons: summer and kind of-winter. Usually, though, in between the two, there’s a few decent weeks of autumn weather, and we are totally here for it. You can expect average temperatures to be warm and pleasant, with chilly nights. It doesn’t snow terribly often in these parts, so it’s not likely you’ll end up with a snowy Halloween, but sometimes it can get a bit cold. You’ll find plenty of traditional fall festivities like pumpkin patches and corn mazes situated throughout the state, and there’s no shortage of scary haunted attractions for the thrill-seekers among us, too. When it comes to fall fun, don’t count Nevada out: it’s a lot nicer than you’d probably expect! Where are the most scenic places in Nevada? Contrary to popular belief, Nevada isn’t all hot, desert wasteland. There are plenty of places around the state that are incredibly scenic – especially in the fall at peak color. The Ruby Mountains are a perfect example of this; that’s one place where you might just forget you’re in Nevada and not Colorado! If the desert vibe is more your thing, you’ll love Cathedral Gorge State Park, and Great Basin National Park is certainly one to write home about, too. Of course, there’s always Lake Tahoe, too, which is world-renowned for its beauty and interesting landscape. For more of our favorite scenic places in Nevada, take a look at this list!
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Nevada is an interesting place with plenty of interesting ideas available for day trips. Who says Las Vegas, for example, needs to be an all-weekend thing? You could just spend the day there, visiting the various museums and curio spots, instead of the entire night at a casino (though that’s fun too). Alternatively, you could spend the day at any of the wonderful state and/or National Parks around Nevada. Nevada is home to 23 state parks and two National Parks, so there’s no shortage of things to see! Another fun idea is a day in which you try and make it to as many creepy old ghost towns as you can – those kind of road trips are always the best, especially in a state like this one, where the history of the wild, wild west runs deep.
What is fall in Nevada like?
Sometimes, it can feel a little…brief. Locals often joke that many places like Las Vegas only have two seasons: summer and kind of-winter. Usually, though, in between the two, there’s a few decent weeks of autumn weather, and we are totally here for it. You can expect average temperatures to be warm and pleasant, with chilly nights. It doesn’t snow terribly often in these parts, so it’s not likely you’ll end up with a snowy Halloween, but sometimes it can get a bit cold. You’ll find plenty of traditional fall festivities like pumpkin patches and corn mazes situated throughout the state, and there’s no shortage of scary haunted attractions for the thrill-seekers among us, too. When it comes to fall fun, don’t count Nevada out: it’s a lot nicer than you’d probably expect!
Where are the most scenic places in Nevada?
Contrary to popular belief, Nevada isn’t all hot, desert wasteland. There are plenty of places around the state that are incredibly scenic – especially in the fall at peak color. The Ruby Mountains are a perfect example of this; that’s one place where you might just forget you’re in Nevada and not Colorado! If the desert vibe is more your thing, you’ll love Cathedral Gorge State Park, and Great Basin National Park is certainly one to write home about, too. Of course, there’s always Lake Tahoe, too, which is world-renowned for its beauty and interesting landscape. For more of our favorite scenic places in Nevada, take a look at this list!
