Best Days to See Fall Leaves Across the U.S

It happened three years in a row. We made plans to drive west to see the gorgeous autumn foliage along Virginia's Skyline Drive. We missed it every time. We were too late the first two years. The third year, rain pulled off all the leaves while we were on the road.

If you're a lover of the beautiful red and golden leaves that herald Fall in many parts of the country, here is a handy guide for peak foliage dates, courtesy of the 2008 Farmers' Almanac. There's still plenty of time left for this year's excursion.

If you have a choice of days for your trip, a cool, clear one is always best for viewing. As the days gets shorter and the temperatures drop in autumn, the process of making food within each leaf stops. While the leaves use the food stored during the summer, their green pigment becomes less dominant, giving reds, oranges and yellows the chance to show themselves.

Weather has an effect on both the intensity of the color and how long it lasts. The ideal conditions for the boldest colors are a warm, dry summer, then a rainy Fall. Warm, sunny autumn days coupled with cool nights result in brilliant colors. A number of rainy or even overcast days will intensify the brilliancy of each color. Here's a guide for peak viewing:

September 28 - October 8: This is absolutely the best time to see leaves in northern Vermont.

September 28 - October 29: Head for parts of New York. The ideal area depends on its elevation and distance from the coast. The higher and farther away from water, the sooner the display will reach its maximum level of color.

October 5 - October 15: Pack up your gear and head for inland Maine, northern Michigan, northern Minnesota or central Montana. Other good bets include inland New Hampshire, New Mexico, southern Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

October 12 - October 22: This is prime time for Arizona, Idaho, northern Illinois, northern Indiana and Iowa. It's a great opportunity to see leaves in eastern Kentucky, coastal Maine, inland Massachusetts and southern Michigan. Leaves are also at their peak in northern Missouri, western Montana, coastal New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah and West Virginia.

October 19 - October 29: Check out the Ozarks in Arkansas, northern California, Connecticut, southern Illinois or southern Indiana. You should see beautiful leaves in western Kentucky, inland Maryland, coastal Massachusetts, southern Missouri and inland New Jersey. The displays will also be at their peak in inland North Caroline, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, inland Virginia and Washington state.

October 26 - November 5: This is the time to visit Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware and northern Georgia. You'll also find gorgeous displays in coastal Maryland, northern Mississippi, coastal New Jersey, coastal North Carolina, South Carolina and coastal Virginia.

Always make the assumption that the higher the elevation of the area, the earlier the leaves will peak.