Best Fall Road Trips to Take in Canada (Plus Where to Camp Along the Way)

As crisp autumn air settles in across the country, now’s the perfect time for a fall foliage road trip in Canada.

From mid-September to mid-October, the Canadian landscape turns red, orange, and gold, making for unmatched leaf-peeping opportunities. The best way to soak in the country’s natural beauty during this special time of year? From a tent, RV, or rustic Hipcamp cabin on one of the Canadian road trip routes below that’ll take you through stunning national parks and scenic byways.

4 favorite fall road trips in Canada

1. Vancouver to Tofino, BC
2. Calgary to Jasper National Park, Alberta
3. Toronto to Québec City, Ontario/Québec
4. The Bay of Fundy to the Cabot Trail, Atlantic Canada
5. Plan your own route

Vancouver to Tofino (British Columbia)

Distance/# of days: 500 kilometers (310 miles) // 6 days

The westernmost province in Canada is known as Beautiful British Columbia for good reason. For BC’s best leaf-peeping, head out on biking and hiking trails through fall foliage-filled forests of color near Vancouver or Whistler. Over on Vancouver Island, you can also catch a glimpse of green as you gaze up at towering Douglas firs in MacMillan Provincial Park’s Cathedral Grove. Then, finish up on a whale-watching tour to spot orcas, humpbacks, and minkes on their annual migration, framed by wide-angle autumn landscapes.

Suggested itinerary: 

• Start in Vancouver anytime from mid-October to early November for the most vibrant foliage. Before heading to the Strait of Georgia and Vancouver Island, drive north on Highway 99 (Sea-to-Sky Highway), stopping at Shannon Falls and Brandywine Falls provincial parks for hikes among fall colors and amazing waterfalls.
• Stop in Whistler and ride the gondola up Whistler Mountain, ziplining through the colorful forest canopy. Take an evening stroll around Lost Lake.
• Head back south down the Sea-to-Sky Highway to Horseshoe Bay to catch the ferry to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. Ferry reservations are recommended. Once there, explore Mount Benson Regional Park and Bowen Park.
• Take Highway 19 north out of Nanaimo, turning west onto Highway 4 toward Port Alberni, stopping in Cathedral Grove at MacMillan Provincial Park. Stamp River Provincial Park is also just north of Port Alberni.
• Continue along Highway 4 east through Clayoquot Plateau and Kennedy Lake provincial parks. Take a break at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
• Arrive in Tofino for whale-watching tours, fall foliage hikes on the Wild Pacific Trail, Clayoquot Sound sea kayaking, and Cox Bay surf lessons.

Best places to see the leaves: 

• Sea-to-Sky Highway (Highway 99)
• Whistler Mountain
• Mount Benson Regional Park
• MacMillan Provincial Park
• Stamp River Provincial Park
• Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
• Wild Pacific Trail

Top Hipcamps along the route:

• Large Private Deck for Your Tent (30 minutes from Whistler)
• Mount Benson View Site (10 minutes from Nanaimo) 
• Portal Retreat (13 minutes from Port Alberni)
• JX Campground (Tofino-Ucluelet JCT) (30 minutes from Tofino)

Calgary to Jasper National Park (Alberta)

The Rocky Mountains come alive with some of the best fall colors in Canada. A Banff autumn getaway serves as an excellent day trip for most Calgarians (the mountain town is only a little more than an hour’s drive west of city limits), but a multi-day road trip through the mountain vistas is even more special.

Kananaskis Country is especially well-known for its stunning golden larches, especially at higher elevations from mid-September to early October. After a stop, take on one of the most scenic drives in the world with the Icefields Parkway, passing golden aspens and Athabasca Glacier in the Columbia Icefield en route to Jasper. 

Distance/# of days: 750 km (466 miles) // 7 days

Suggested itinerary: 

• Start in Calgary, heading west on the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) toward Kananaskis and Heart Mountain.  
• Next, drive south into the wilderness along Highway 40 (Kananaskis Trail) toward Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park. Go horseback riding near Kananaskis Village or hike Ptarmigan Cirque Trail. Then, head to Troll Falls for alpine larch viewing.
• Return to Highway 1 to arrive at Banff National Park. Ride the gondola to the top of Banff Mountain and stroll along Vermilion Lakes Drive for more fall colors.
• Continue west on Highway 1, taking the junction for Highway 93 south toward Radium Hot Springs in BC. Explore Kootenay National Park before relaxing in the hot springs at Radium.
• Circle back around north on Highway 95 to Golden to rejoin Highway 1 east toward Lake Louise. Take a photo at one of the most iconic viewpoints in Canada.
• Drive north along Icefields Parkway (Highway 93), stopping to check out the fall foliage at Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, and Columbia Icefield. 
• End your journey at Jasper National Park, surrounded by mountain goats, bighorn sheep, caribou, moose, marmots, and pikas. Fall is one of the best times of the year to spot wildlife here.

Best places to see the leaves: 

• Kananaskis Country
• Banff National Park
• Radium Hot Springs
• Lake Louise
• Icefields Parkway
• Jasper National Park

Top Hipcamps along the route: 

• Cattle Ranch in the Foothills (30 minutes from Kananaskis)
• Back 40 Outdoor Events (17 minutes from Radium Hot Springs)
• Canadian Rockies Retreat (60 minutes from Lake Louise)

Toronto to Québec City (Ontario/Québec)

The peak time of year for fall colors in Central Canada tends to land around the first week of October. Head to the corridor between Toronto and Montreal at this time for great leaf-peeping opportunities, including those in Algonquin Provincial Park. Then, continue your fall road trip north past Montreal to see amazing Québec fall foliage and adorable townships full of historic French charm near Québec City.

Along the way, enjoy wine tasting at the many vineyards in Ontario and Québec, getting a taste of European life as you drive through the Laurentian Mountains. Take in the autumn colors along the iconic Rideau Canal, a National Historic Site that travels over 200 kilometers (125 miles) between Ottawa and Lake Ontario.

Distance/# of days: 1,300 km (807 miles) // 10 days

Suggested itinerary: 

• Start in Toronto, heading north on Highway 400 and turning onto Highway 11 in Barrie. Stop in Muskoka for scenic lake views framed by brilliant autumn colors before continuing to Algonquin Provincial Park for sugar and red maple forests along the Centennial Ridges Trail.
• Drive south along Highway 60, spotting fall colors and local wildlife on your way to Prince Edward County, Sandbanks Provincial Park, and local vineyards and wineries.
• Take County Road 49 North to connect with Highway 401 East and Highway 416 North toward Ottawa. Explore Rideau Canal, Gatineau Park, and the Champlain Lookout for fall colors.
• Drive to Montreal via Highway 417 and the Trans-Canada Highway, visiting Oka National Park and hiking Mount Royal for views of Montreal’s fall foliage. 
• Head north along Highway 20 out of Montreal toward Québec City, stopping in the Laurentians before continuing to explore Montmorency Falls, Île d’Orléans, and Old Québec.

Best places to see the leaves: 

• Algonquin Provincial Park
• Prince Edward County
• Gatineau Park
• Mount Royal Park
• Mont-Orford National Park
• Laurentian Mountains
• Jacques-Cartier National Park
• Île d’Orléans
• Montmorency Falls Park

Top Hipcamps along the route: 

• Red Cedar Plains (25 minutes from Sandbanks Provincial Park)
• Lake Front Camping (34 minutes from Ottawa)
• Inukshuk Zen Garden Campsite (25 minutes from Trois Rivières)

The Bay of Fundy to the Cabot Trail (Atlantic Canada)

The Maritimes are home to some of the most charming small towns in all of Canada. Here, search for leaf-peeping around the iconic Bay of Fundy, which features mixed forests of maples, birches, and beeches full of color from late September to the mid-October.

This scenic route through the heart of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island also dazzles with a kaleidoscope of reds, oranges, and yellows adorning the forested hills. Remember to dress in layers and pack hiking boots for muddy trails, as the autumn weather shifts quickly in Atlantic Canada. 

Distance/# of days: 710 kilometers (440 miles) // 8 days

Suggested itinerary: 

• Start at Bay of Fundy National Park in New Brunswick, taking in the sights along Dickson Falls Trail and at Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park.
• Follow the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) toward Truro, passing through to the Fundy Tidal Interpretive Centre. 
• Take Highway 311 North to Tatamagouche Provincial Park, taking in the fall colors along the shores of Northumberland Strait.
• Drive east out of Truro along Sunrise Trail (Highway 6), turning onto Highway 106 and Highway 104 toward Baddeck on Cape Breton Island. 
• Follow the Cabot Trail counterclockwise around Cape Breton Highlands National Park for its renowned autumn scenery. Highlights include the Skyline Trail in Cheticamp, whale watching in Pleasant Bay, and the Middle Head Hiking Trail in Ingonish.

Best places to see the leaves: 

• Bay of Fundy National Park
• Wentworth Valley
• Victoria Park in Truro
• Tatamagouche Provincial Park
• Cape Breton Island
• Cape Breton Highlands National Park
• Cabot Trail

Top Hipcamps along the route: 

• Cedar Camp Ridge (30 minutes from the Bay of Fundy, NB)
• Unique Cabot Trail Campground (30 minutes from Cheticamp, NS)
• Smokey View (2 minutes from Ingonish Beach, NS)

The best leaf-peeping fall road trips in North America

An all-Canadian road trip is a great opportunity to surround yourself with must-see fall foliage, from la belle province (Québec) to Vancouver Island. But don’t miss the equally excellent opportunities to enjoy brilliant fall colors across the United States. While the exact timing depends on geographic and seasonal differences, the perfect time for a North American fall foliage road trip usually centers around mid-September. Check out our comprehensive fall foliage map to see where to go in the US, when exactly the changing of the leaves will peak, and the best campsites along the way.

Want to plan your own route?

Start planning your own trip with Roadtrip search, the easiest way to find magical sites along any road trip route—however you camp. Simply plug in your starting and ending points, and the map will connect the two points and show options for Hipcamps within 30 minutes of your custom search route. Now you can find unique places to stay on the road, no matter how planned or spontaneous the journey.