Fall, that lofty season when Eastern hardwood forests don foliages red, gold, and orange, lures us like motorized lemmings into national parks to admire nature’s wizardry. We inch along, practically bumper to bumper at times, to be dazzled in a final seasonal hurrah before the paint-by-number leaves are shed and winter’s first squalls convince us that being inside really isn’t such a bad thing.

Fall hiking in the East conjures immediate thoughts of Acadia National Park in Maine, Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, or Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. All three are justly famous for fall color, have hundreds of miles of hiking trails…and lots of traffic on the roads, especially on autumn weekends.

Sure, it's still August, but that doesn't mean it's too early to start penciling some fall events and activities in the National Park System onto your calendar. Here's a start, and we'll keep adding to it as we hear of events.

Fall is a perfect season to explore and enjoy the national parks, with cooler temperatures, vibrant colors, and wildlife on the move. Traveler's Essential Park Guide for this autumn helps you plan your getaway.