At the beginning of September we extolled the virtues of a passeggiata— an after-dinner stroll around the neighborhood. Good for digestion, good for winding down after a stressful day, good for getting to know your immediate surroundings. Besides, with daylight becoming more scarce it was a sensible option for getting out.
6 Hikes for Early Fall Color
Perhaps you’ve noticed we seem to have gotten a jump on fall this year. Especially along lakes and streams and where woods meet meadow, the colors of fall are starting to percolate. So why wait until October to indulge some fall color?
True, the color change is yet to be pervasive. But there are a handful of places where you can get a feel for fall hiking right now. Today, we share some of our favorites. Most make the list because they’re along water, where fall color tends to first become evident. Some make the list because they have plenty of edge forest, where color also tends to pop early. All but one is in the piedmont — and the one that isn’t is pretty darn close.
10 of our Favorite Fall Mountain Hikes
We’ve run this post before. It’s what we call an “evergreen,” meaning, with a tweak or two, it stands the test of time: What held true when it first rain — the hikes we thought were classic fall hikes then — we feel remain the classics.
This year, though, we run it with added enthusiasm because one of the trails mentioned has just reopened after being closed for nearly a year: the Mount Mitchell Trail at Mount Mitchell State Park. A couple quick caveats:
Fall is Nigh! Time to Ramp up your Hiking
The following first appeared at the start of Fall 2019. It appears again today, updated and tweaked, but relevant as ever as we head into the Fall 2025 hiking season.
From an astronomical standpoint, fall doesn’t begin until around 2:19 p.m. on September 22. That would be the autumnal equinox, that magical day when we have as many hours of daylight as dark.
Explore Your Neighborhood with a Passeggiata
Passeggiata. It’s an Italian custom of taking a stroll, especially after the evening meal, usually in the neighborhood. Among other things, it aids digestion. But really, it’s just a swell way to end the day. Though not necessarily a sweltering summer’s day, especially if you live in the South.