[Countrywide] Autumn mountain views (Sep–Oct): where do the colors hit hardest, and what timing makes it work?

[EIA_Ask_NO]

This thread is for planning autumn mountain scenery — when the colors are at their best, but the weather can turn quickly. Instead of vague “go in fall” advice, let’s collect real timing.

Please share:

• Where you went and the exact dates (even rough week is useful)
• What the colors were like (and what altitude seemed best)
• Road conditions and any closures/snow surprises
• Best low-effort viewpoints vs short walks that are still safe in shoulder season

Where did you get your best autumn mountain views — and what date range would you recommend?

 

[ViolettaPetrovna]

For autumn mountain views that actually deliver, Jotunheimen around the third week of September gave me the hardest color hit, especially that band just below the high peaks where birch turns gold and the ground goes deep red. From what I’ve seen, that mid-altitude zone is the sweet spot—go higher and it’s already winter cosplay, go lower and it’s still clinging to green. Roads were fine when I was there, but a dusting of snow showed up overnight and made me very aware that October optimism is not a strategy. Has anyone pushed Jotunheimen into early October and still caught peak color, or is late September the last moment before the mountains slam the door?

 

[Alex Turner]

Late September did it for me, especially around the mountain roads between Lom and the higher sections near Sognefjellet. The colors were popping right around that last full week of September — golden birch lower down, deep reds and oranges once you got above the tree line, and just a dusting of snow way up high that made everything feel dramatic without being sketchy. Roads were mostly clear, but mornings were icy in the shade, so I avoided early starts and let the light do its thing. Best views came from simple pull-offs and short lakeside walks — nothing ambitious. Afterward, nothing beats winding down with a local beer or aquavit by the water in Solvorn as the light fades.