Hike to Fall Colors

This isn't a single trail — it's a choose-your-own-adventure through the only serious fall color show in Texas. McKittrick Canyon is the headliner, where bigtooth maples ignite the limestone walls in blazing orange and crimson along a creek bed that feels transplanted from the Appalachians. The canyon route starts flat and easy before climbing into increasingly dramatic scenery. Smith Springs Trail offers a shorter, wheelchair-accessible taste of the colors near Frijole Ranch. For those wanting to earn it, Devil's Hall adds a strenuous scramble through a narrow slot canyon with scattered color along the way, and the Dog Canyon trails on the park's north side deliver foliage with far fewer people. The terrain ranges from smooth gravel paths to rocky, ankle-twisting ascents depending on which route you pick. This collection rewards planners who match their fitness level to the right trail and their visit to the right week.