8 national parks in Canada that are even more stunning in the fall
Don't miss the fall colours at these parks! 🍂🧡
A person walks through a national park in Quebec. Right: A person views fall colours in a national park in Canada.
Canada's national parks are already pretty hard to beat, but come autumn, they get a whole new kind of magic.
As the leaves turn fiery shades of red, orange, and gold, mountain peaks, sparkling lakes and forest trails get even more spectacular as they become draped in fall colours.
If you're craving a fall adventure with jaw-dropping scenery, look no further than these national parks that put on a spectacular show in autumn.
Featuring golden larches in the Rocky Mountains and colourful forests stretching along scenic coastlines, here are eight national parks that are even more stunning in fall.
La Mauricie National Park
Price: $10 per adult
Address: Chemin de Saint-Jean-des-Piles, Shawinigan, QC
Why You Need To Go: Set in Quebec's Laurentian Mountains, La Mauricie National Park is a wild yet accessible park home to more than 150 lakes, cascading waterfalls, and forests of conifers and hardwoods that transform in autumn.
The Rivière à la Pêche (Saint-Jean-des-Piles entrance) and Saint-Gérard sectors of the park are open year-round.
During the fall, which is low season in the park, visitors have access to a network of over 97 kilometres of hiking trails in these sectors, with limited services, including outhouses and shelters. A map of the park's fall hiking trails can be found online.
Visiting in this season is absolutely worth it —come autumn, the park explodes into a symphony of colours, painted in red, orange and gold.
Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Price: $10 per adult
Address: Ingonish Beach, NS
Why You Need To Go: Home to the world-famous Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Highlands National Park is a gorgeous spot known for ocean views, deep river canyons, and forested lands.
Beautiful any time of year, fall brings the park to life as the valleys and hills explode into shades of red, orange, and yellow.
The park offers 26 spectacular hiking trails of varying difficulty where you can get beautiful views of the fall colours.
The Skyline Trail is an especially great spot to take in the views. A dramatic cliff overlooks the rugged coast from the end of the trail, giving you a bird's-eye view of the Cabot Trail as it winds its way down the mountain.
Visitors should note, however, that the park has a new parking reservation system in place for the trail until October 25, 2026.
Gros Morne National Park
Price: $12.25 per adult
Address: Gros Morne National Park, NL
Why You Need To Go: Set on the west coast of Newfoundland, Gros Morne National Park is an iconic destination that's beautiful to visit at any time of year — that said, an autumn visit is a must to truly experience the park in all its glory.
Fall is spectacular in the park as the red, yellow, and gold of the surrounding forest come alive. Many trails and viewpoints in the park provide the perfect opportunity for admiring the fall colours.
And as the park quiets down after the summer, the local wildlife also begin to reclaim their territory. Depending on where you are in the park, you may be able to see hares, moose or even seals, which can often be seen playing just offshore.
While you're here, don't miss the Tablelands, a unique area where you can walk on a part of the Earth's mantle that was pushed skyward half a billion years ago.
Rouge National Urban Park
Price: Free admission
Address: 7277 14th Ave., Markham, ON
Why You Need To Go: Rouge National Urban Park is Canada's only national park based in a city.
The park offers quiet, scenic roads, gentle rolling hills, mature forests perfect for hiking, and beautiful views of the Rouge and Little Rouge River.
Rouge Park has plenty of hiking, with trails that travel through a variety of landscapes, including meadows, forests, wetlands and farmland. Many take you through or are set against a backdrop of forests, making them perfect for getting views of the fall foliage.
You can also join one of the guided walks in the park, which take place on weekends in September and October.
Jasper National Park
Price: $12.25
Address: Jasper National Park, AB
Why You Need To Go: Jasper National Park is a stunning place year-round, but fall really makes the park feel magical.
Come autumn, the summer crowds are gone, the weather is crisp, and the landscape becomes draped in the golden hues of Alberta's larch and birch trees.
Fall temperatures are also some of the most enjoyable for hiking in the Rocky Mountains, and the earlier darkness provides some incredible stargazing opportunities, a must-do activity, as Jasper National Park is known as the world's largest accessible dark sky preserve.
The park offers a variety of hikes with beautiful views of the changing leaves. The crisp temperatures are also perfect for a visit to the Miette Hot Springs (the hottest hot springs in the Canadian Rockies), which is open until mid-October.
Prince Albert National Park
Price: $10 per adult
Address: 969 Lakeview Dr., Waskesiu Lake, SK
Why You Need To Go: Prince Albert National Park is a breathtaking and unique place where you can immerse yourself in nature.
The expansive 3,875-square-kilometre protected park offers hiking opportunities, including guided hikes, as well as year-round and seasonal activities such as kayaking, fishing, cycling and camping.
The park offers a transitional landscape from aspen parkland to boreal forest with pockets of grasslands, making it especially stunning in fall.
Here, you'll find 17 hiking trails varying in length and level of difficulty, with everything from short walks and day hikes to overnight backcountry excursions, all with gorgeous views of the fall foliage.
Along the way, you may spot some of the local wildlife, like bears, elk, red squirrels and osprey.
Banff National Park
Price: $12.25 per adult
Address: Banff National Park, AB
Why You Need To Go: Banff National Park is breathtaking at any time of year, but there's something extra magical about seeing its turquoise lakes and towering peaks framed by golden fall foliage.
Come fall, the Canadian Rockies transform as larch trees come ablaze along alpine trails in shades of gold. The fall season also provides a bit of quiet and calm after the summer crowds.
You can take in the scenery along trails and winding roads, or choose from one of the many hikes in the park, with varying levels of difficulty available.
Several local businesses also offer guided larch hikes where you can get some of the best fall views in the park.
Mont-Tremblant National Park
Price: $10.30 per adult
Address: 3824 Chemin du Lac Supérieur, Lac-Supérieur, QC
Why You Need To Go: While it's technically a "national park" of Quebec, rather than a national park of Canada, Mont-Tremblant National Park deserves a shout-out thanks to its gorgeous fall colours, incredible viewpoints and scenic trails.
The park can be found just 30 minutes away from Mont-Tremblant Ski Resort, offering beautiful lakes, rivers, and forests.
The vast park spans 1,510 square kilometres, and here you'll find a wide range of outdoor activities, including fishing, canoeing and kayaking, hiking and via ferrata.
Hiking trails in the park range from short walks to more challenging hikes, with an extensive trail network that allows you to truly discover the Laurentian Mountains.
Fall is an especially great time to visit the park. Home to plenty of hardwood trees, the park comes alive with shades of red, yellow, and orange that cover the landscape and make for postcard-worthy views.
Enjoy!
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.
- 11 stunning fall destinations every Ontarian needs to visit at least once, according to locals - Narcity ›
- 13 Canadian National Parks To Visit In Every Province And Territory For Dreamy Fall Views - Narcity ›
- You're not a true Canadian unless you've been to at least 6 of these 10 stunning national parks ›