Mountain towns are the classic fall guys trip: the aspens and maples turn, the elk bugle, the trout get aggressive before winter and the lodges drop to shoulder-season rates. These ten mountain destinations lead the list, from the Tetons and the Canadian Rockies to the Catskills and the North Georgia mountains, followed by 26 more mountain towns, hill country stops and lodges, from the big ranges to smaller hills.
- Sort out licenses before the trip - every fly-fishing day here needs a state or provincial license, and hunters at Darwin Ranch bring their own tags and licensing.
- Check which operators close for the season - Greenhorn Ranch's season runs through October and Ohiopyle's rafting outfitters stop at the end of the month, so late trips need confirmed bookings.
- Book a place with a hot tub or sauna - the Wyoming Inn's fireside hot tub, Firelight's creek cold plunge and the Kananaskis Nordic Spa make the next morning on the trail easier.
- Respect the altitude - Canmore sits at 4,290 feet, and high-gravity IPAs and cask-strength whiskies hit faster after a day of hiking, so drink water between rounds.
- Pack for a big temperature swing - mountain mornings can start near freezing and end in a T-shirt, so pack layers instead of one heavy coat.
Our friends in travel PR and our readers sent plenty of ideas for where to head into the mountains this fall, and these are the trips we would book first. Jackson Hole also made our favorite fall guys trips, alongside picks from the coast, smaller cities and Europe.
Jackson Hole, Wyoming - The Elk Rut Below The Tetons
Jackson Hole in September and October brings golden aspens and cottonwoods, thinner shoulder-season crowds and the elk rut, when bull elk bugle and spar across Grand Teton National Park. Book a sunrise wildlife safari with EcoTours for the best look, then spend the rest of the day at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort on its via ferrata, a cliff route where you clip into fixed steel cables and climb iron rungs, or on a mountain bike, or fly fish the Snake River instead. Yellowstone is within reach for a day trip.
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Finish at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar for Wyoming whiskey, pool, live music and a line-dancing lesson. Three places in town make a good base. The Wyoming Inn runs a free shuttle into town and serves Rocky Mountain elk tenderloin at its Whistling Grizzly restaurant. The Rusty Parrot Lodge & Spa, steps from Town Square, lets guests rent a belt buckle from the general manager's collection. Adults-only Hotel Yellowstone keeps its spa, cold plunge and 36 suites for guests only.
For a harder-edged trip, Darwin Ranch sits 22 rugged miles off the main road in the Gros Ventre Wilderness. The off-grid ranch takes up to 18 guests and runs guided hunts for elk and deer from September through October, plus a hunting school for guys who have never hunted, one of the more unusual trips on this list.
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Canmore And Kananaskis, Alberta - Golden Larches And Bow River Brown Trout
Canmore gives a group the Canadian Rockies without Banff's gridlock or national park fees, an hour from Calgary. From mid-September through October the larches turn neon yellow and shoulder-season rates kick in. Book a drift boat with Canmore Fly Fishing for pre-winter brown trout on the Bow River, hike Ha Ling Peak or Chester Lake, and go underground in Rat's Nest Cave with Canmore Cave Tours.
After the trail, Canmore's brewpubs and saloons take walk-ins: flights at Canmore Brewing Company, dry-aged steaks at Tank310 inside the Grizzly Paw's production brewery, and small-batch whiskies at Where the Buffalo Roam Saloon. Next door, the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge is the base for Mount Yamnuska and Tent Ridge, a drive over Highwood Pass, Canada's highest paved road, and a round at Kananaskis Country Golf Course, which hosted the G7 Summit. Its Nordic Spa and Woody's Pub, with 50 local craft beers, handle recovery.
White Mountains, New Hampshire - Mount Washington And Three Oktoberfests
New Hampshire's Mt. Washington Valley is the heart of the White Mountains, home to Mount Washington, the tallest peak in the Northeast. Late September through mid-October brings peak foliage, with about a dozen golf courses, hundreds of hiking trails, hunting and fly fishing on the Androscoggin River.
Hike Mount Washington or ride the Cog Railway to the summit, then take a gondola ride or canopy tour at Bretton Woods. The valley calls itself Oktoberfest Central: Ledge Brewing's Ledgetoberfest brings a Beer Mile, a one-mile run with a beer before each lap, plus a keg toss and a stein hoist, Attitash Mountain Resort adds chairlift rides and its own stein-holding contest, and Purity Spring Resort hosts a lakeside Oktoberfest dinner. For a group, a large vacation rental from Bretton Woods Vacations with a fire pit beats a row of hotel rooms.
Laurel Highlands, Pennsylvania - Rafting, Singletrack And Rye
Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands, just outside Pittsburgh, combines late-season whitewater rafting through Class III and IV rapids, the moderate-to-hard end of the scale, on the Lower Youghiogheny, 40 miles of singletrack mountain bike trail on the Quemahoning Trails, a 15-station sporting clays course and award-winning rye at Ponfeigh Distillery.
Aim for mid-October, when color moves from the higher elevations around Seven Springs down into the Ohiopyle gorge and Seven Springs Mountain Resort hosts Autumnfest. Our Laurel Highlands guys trip guide has the full plan.
White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia - Allegheny Golf And A Cold War Bunker
The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs puts two championship courses, a gun club, off-road Jeeps, a casino and tours of a once-secret Cold War bunker on one property in the Allegheny Mountains, where leaf color typically peaks around mid-October.
Off the property, Smooth Ambler Spirits and Greenbrier Valley Brewing Company are close by, and The Greenbrier Tip-Off brings college basketball in November.
Black Mountain, North Carolina - Trout, Whiskey And Steak Near Asheville
Black Mountain, about 15 miles east of Asheville, is a three-day trip for groups who would rather fish, hike and eat steak than sit at a resort. Fall color moves down the mountains by elevation, hitting Pisgah and Montreat around mid-October and Black Mountain's lower elevations later in the month.
Base the group at Firelight at Shope Creek, modern cabins with woodstoves, private hot tubs, a sauna and a creek cold plunge. Spend a morning fly fishing or hiking Graybeard or Lookout, then tour Oak & Grist Distilling, one of the state's few grain-to-glass distilleries, for single malts made from barley grown within about 60 miles. Dinner is Bev's Steak, the chef-owned steakhouse tucked downstairs on Cherry Street, with live music and beers at Pisgah Brewing Company to close the night. Black Mountain also makes an easy add-on to a bigger Asheville guys trip.
The Catskills, Delaware County, New York - Fire Towers And Trout Water
Delaware County hits peak color in early October, with crisp days in the 60s and clear nights for stargazing. Hike the four-mile Bramley Mountain Trail to its restored fire tower for a 360-degree view of the Catskill High Peaks, or take on the Rock Rift Fire Tower, a seven-mile round trip with more than 1,000 feet of climbing.
The West Branch of the Delaware River is known for rainbow trout in the fall, and Hackett Fly Fishing has full-time local guides. Ride the 26-mile Catskill Scenic Trail, play Stamford Golf Club, then fill the evenings at Chappie's in Roxbury, Union Grove Distillery and its Catskill Mountain Rye, and Calico Outlaw Brewing next door.
Dahlonega, Georgia - Off-Road Trails And Gold-Flake Moonshine
Dahlonega, about an hour north of Atlanta, goes well beyond its reputation as Georgia wine country. Spend a day on the 150-plus miles of ATV and UTV trails at the 4,300-acre Iron Mountain Resort, then paddle the Etowah or Chestatee Rivers, fish stocked trout streams or hike Springer Mountain, the southern end of the Appalachian Trail. October through early November brings the color.
Big Creek Distilling pours Georgia bourbon and a Gold Mine Moonshine with 24K gold flakes, 52 West Brewing handles the beer, and the Smith House serves family-style Southern food with a side of gold-rush history. Groups can rent White Oaks Lodge, with nine bedrooms and two kitchens, or go rugged in the Iron Mountain bunkhouse.
Bozeman, Philipsburg And Big Sky, Montana - Guided Trout Fishing And A Ranch Stay
In Bozeman, Field & Stream Lodge is a mile from downtown, with a Gone Fishing package that pairs a stay with guided days on the Gallatin, Madison or Yellowstone Rivers as fall conditions peak. The Honey Hole bar inside has a pool table, darts and 14 game machines, and the Dry Fly Saloon serves a smokehouse bison cheeseburger.
Near Philipsburg, The Meadows on Rock Creek is an all-inclusive guest ranch on more than 2,000 acres with 1.8 miles of private water on Rock Creek, a designated Blue Ribbon trout stream, one of Montana's top-rated fishing waters, plus archery, shooting sports and UTV tours for no more than 32 guests. In Big Sky, The Wilson Hotel puts 129 full-kitchen suites in Town Center, a base for guided fly fishing and, on a longer stay, a road trip into Yellowstone.
Cody, Wyoming - Buffalo Bill's Town Outside Yellowstone
Cody is 52 miles from Yellowstone's East Entrance, the Wild West town Buffalo Bill founded in 1896 with the Shoshone River running through downtown. Mid-September through mid-October is the window, when archery elk season opens, the cottonwoods turn and rates drop before winter.
Fly fish the North or South Fork for browns and rainbows, drive the Wapiti Valley to hear elk bugling, spend a morning at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West and an afternoon on clay targets or rafting the Shoshone. For dinner, go to Cassie's Supper Club, a former bordello turned steakhouse and dance hall, then finish at the Silver Saddle Saloon inside the historic Irma Hotel.
More Mountain Getaways For Fall, Region By Region
These mountain towns, ranches and lodges round out the list, grouped by region.
Colorado
Breckenridge pairs aspen hikes with Breckenridge Distillery, apres drinks at RMU Breckenridge, a bar from ski maker Rocky Mountain Underground where you can watch skis being made, and the town's 27-hole Jack Nicklaus course. In Vail, The Sonnenalp is a walkable base for the Vail Pass Recreation Trail and Vail Brewing Company. Snowmass has lift-served mountain biking and Gold Medal trout water, Colorado's top rating for a fishery, six miles from the Aspen airport. Frisco, 90 minutes from Denver, has Blue River fishing and Outer Range Brewing. In Boulder, St Julien Hotel & Spa looks at the Flatirons climbs and sits blocks from CU Buffs football.
Utah
Park City shows off what it calls "snowliage" in October, when light snow dusts the fall color, with Blue Ribbon fly fishing and High West Saloon. Red Cliffs Lodge Zion sits less than a mile from the park entrance for Angel's Landing and The Narrows. The Aquarius Trail Hut System runs a three-day mountain bike route from Brian Head to Pine Lake, sleeping in solar-powered huts stocked with steaks and local craft beer.
Lake Tahoe And The Sierra
South Lake Tahoe's Camp Richardson Resort hosts a lakeside Oktoberfest in early October. Reno Tahoe adds the National Automobile Museum to Lake Tahoe paddling and the World Long Drive Championship. In the Lost Sierra, Greenhorn Ranch near Quincy offers horseback rides, fly fishing, skeet and line dancing in the Saloon.
Western North Carolina
Bryson City, the Fly Fishing Capital of the South, pairs the Tuckasegee and Nantahala Rivers with Tsali singletrack and Mountain Layers Brewing's rooftop. Beech Mountain, the highest town in the Eastern U.S. at 5,506 feet, gets color early, and Beech Mountain Brewing is one of the only breweries owned and run by a ski resort. Asheville, 15 miles west of Black Mountain, adds the Blue Ridge Parkway and a bigger brewery and restaurant scene to a Black Mountain or Bryson City weekend.
The Poconos And The Pennsylvania Wilds
Skytop Lodge spreads golf, sporting clays and zip lines across 5,500 acres in the Poconos. Gateway Lodge in Cook Forest sends groups to watch the elk rut in Benezette.
Alaska
Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, 40 miles south of Anchorage, runs a tram up Mount Alyeska to Seven Glaciers, its fine-dining restaurant on the mountain, and has its own Nordic Spa and early aurora sightings. In Anchorage, the Wildbirch Hotel sits on the Iditarod's ceremonial starting line, with salmon fishing on Ship Creek downtown and the moose rut in Chugach State Park.
Smaller Hills And Mountain Destinations For A Guys Trip
These smaller ranges, island summits and hill country towns finish the list, running west to east from the San Juan Islands to Ontario.
Orcas Island And The San Juan Islands, Washington
On Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands, Moran State Park's trails lead to Cascade Falls, the largest waterfall in the islands, and up Mount Constitution, whose stone tower looks out from British Columbia to Mount Rainier. Afterward, Island Hoppin' Brewery pours flights in Eastsound and New Leaf Cafe looks out over Fishing Bay. I spent many summers visiting my grandparents on Mayne Island, just across the border in Canada's Gulf Islands, and this corner of the Pacific Northwest is still one of my favorite parts of the world, with clams, whales, fishing, hiking and a laid-back mix of Seattle, Vancouver and Victoria.
Bend, Oregon
In Bend, Tetherow borders Deschutes National Forest and pairs a David McLay Kidd course with 30-plus beers at The Row. Spend the days off the course mountain biking, hiking or fly fishing around Central Oregon, then work through Bend's craft breweries at night.
Santa Fe, New Mexico
In Santa Fe, La Fonda on the Plaza puts the group on the historic plaza, with golden aspens and hiking trails outside town in the fall. Eat New Mexican classics at The Shed and finish with cocktails at the Bell Tower Rooftop Bar.
Spearfish And The Black Hills, South Dakota
Spearfish has Spearfish Canyon's waterfalls and three breweries within two miles. Drive the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway past Bridal Veil, Spearfish and Roughlock Falls, then book a guided trip for brown, rainbow and brook trout on Spearfish Creek.
Northwest Arkansas And The Ozarks
Northwest Arkansas brings chairlift-served riding at OZ Trails Bike Park and bass fishing on Beaver Lake in Rogers. Hobbs State Park adds more than 30 miles of trails, and Fayetteville is close enough for a Razorbacks game.
Galena, Illinois
Galena brings hill country to a state known for flat prairie. The town sits in the Driftless Area, the corner of the Upper Midwest the last glaciers missed, so northwest Illinois rolls into wooded hills and river bluffs while most of the state stays flat farmland. It is about 150 miles west of Chicago and an easy drive from Milwaukee, Madison and the Quad Cities, and late September through October brings the color. About 11 miles northeast of town, Charles Mound tops out at 1,235 feet as the highest natural point in Illinois, a gentle hill on private farmland.
Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa is the base, with 63 holes on four courses across the 6,800-acre Galena Territory. Book a multi-bedroom villa or a private rental home and end the first night around the bonfire, then play The General, the resort's signature course, and recover at Stonedrift Spa with a golf-focused massage. Lounge 289 overlooks the 10th and 18th holes, and the resort shuttle runs into downtown Galena for dinner, bars and distillery tours.
Pine Mountain, Georgia
Callaway Resort & Gardens in Pine Mountain, about an hour southwest of Atlanta, has two golf courses, 13 fishing lakes and treetop ziplines. Pink Jeep tours run through the 2,500-acre property, and two-bedroom cottages and villas work well for a group.
The Blue Mountains, Ontario
Ontario's Blue Mountains has a mountain coaster and a 50 mph twin zip line two hours from Toronto. Stay at Blue Mountain Resort, eat brisket at The Smoke in Collingwood and taste IPAs at Side Launch Brewing Company.
Early Rockies Or Late Appalachians: Picking Your Mountain Weekend
The mountain trips on this list split by how early the group can go and what it wants to do once it gets there.
Book The West Early And The East Late
Jackson Hole, Canmore, Cody and Montana are at their best from mid-September into mid-October. The White Mountains and the Catskills follow in early and mid-October, and Black Mountain and Dahlonega carry the color into early November.
Pick A Main Event
Choose the trip by its anchor activity: fly fishing in Montana, the Catskills or Canmore, the elk rut in Jackson Hole or Cody, Oktoberfests in the White Mountains, or off-road trails in Dahlonega.
Rent The Big House
Mountain towns are built for group rentals, from Bretton Woods vacation homes with fire pits to White Oaks Lodge in Dahlonega and full-kitchen suites in Big Sky. One house with a kitchen and a fire pit keeps the group together after dark and cuts down on restaurant bills.
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