Right in town and easy to reach, the paths leading around the Washington Park Arboretum are some of the best in Washington State. Not only will you find miles of walking along well maintained trails, you’ll see plants from around the world with dazzling autumn hues. Start at the Graham Visitors Center and head west toward town along the Arboretum Loop Trail—you’ll encounter over a dozen plants showing off their fall colors. The display is so great that the University of Washington has put together tour maps for both October and November, ensuring visitors see the best colors of the season.

Rainier Beach’s Kubota Garden has been a local favorite for fall colors for decades. Originally planted in 1927 as the personal garden of legendary landscape artist Fujitaro Kubota, this 20-acre plot of land has been a city park since 1987 and is another must-see spot in town. During the last two weekends of October, the park hosts a free “Fall Color” public tour, showing off every beautiful tree in the park and giving those in attendance a chance to learn about the unique plants and their history. You can also take a self-guided tour at any time by picking up a detailed map near the kiosk.

For those hoping to get out of town a bit, the Cedar River Trail is a fun place to bike or stroll along a flat, mostly paved surface. Running for 17 miles one way from the southern end of Lake Washington in Renton to Maple Valley, this family-friendly biking and hiking trail will give a good dose of local fall colors. If you love large orange leaves dangling off increasing bare branches, this is the trail for you.

Every Seattle resident should travel to Tacoma and see the autumn leaves at Point Defiance Park. With 15 miles of hiking trails to choose from, you can spend an entire day down in Pierce County. Around the park, the fall colors are highlighted by the trees at the Japanese Garden, and are spread out with the huge maples all around the forest park. You can even join a guided tour during the weekends. With duck ponds, as well as pull-offs to see whales, the Olympic Mountains, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, and even a chance to explore the zoo and aquarium, this park is well worth the 30-mile trip south.

If city parks aren’t your favorite way to see fall colors, heading east on I-90 will give you a few great options. One classic hike for fall colors is the Ira Spring Trail to Mason Lake. It’s roughly 6.5 miles round trip and gains more than 2,000 feet in elevation, making this a moderate hike for those used to trekking in the Cascade Mountains. What makes this trail so great is that you not only get to see the local plants show off their fall colors, but on a clear day you get a stunning view of Mount Rainier and the region’s ridge lines. Before you head out, keep an eye on where the snow is, as this trail reaches 4,300 feet above sea level. 

Also along I-90, the Gold Creek Pond Trail is a classic trek leading to stunning views of the mountains around Snoqualmie Pass. The short, one-mile trail to reach the pond and back is both ADA-accessible and stroller-friendly, making it a great trip for anyone who wants to make it. Along the trail and around the pond, there are enough deciduous shrubs and trees to really enjoy some brilliant colors. This is also a great hike when the snow level is hovering around Snoqualmie, as the mountain views are even more impressive with a fresh layer of powder. 

If you’re up for a bit longer of a drive, consider an autumn trip to Mount Rainier National Park. Offering stunning drives and awesome hikes showcasing the iconic mountain’s beauty, a trip to Rainier will give you the best of fall in the high alpine. A great and mostly easy hike to show off the region’s fall colors is the trail to Bench and Snow Lakes. At roughly 2.6 miles round trip, this trek shows off fall colors and even rewards you with some tasty huckleberries. Hoping for something a bit more well-known in the park? Head to Paradise and take in the fall colors from Panorama Point and the Skyline Trail.

The Quinault Rainforest is even farther from town, but completely worth the trip if you have the time. Here, you’ll find a 31-mile loop drive through some of the most stunning rainforest sections in America, dozens of miles of trails through towering timbers, and the colors of big leaf maples—accented by elk roaming through huge ferns and a even salmon-filled river lined with bald eagles. Your best bet is to stop at the Lake Quinault Lodge, then make your way down to the Graves Creek Campground and trailhead. After hiking to Pony Bridge and back, get back in the car and take the family-friendly trail around Maple Glade and the Kestner Homestead. Both trails will reward you with everything you expect from the Olympic Rainforest.