While some people are busy bagging leaves at home, others travel the state to look at fall colors.
Arkansas promises "breathtaking views off stunningly vibrant landscapes," according to the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. Leaves are a big reason why "many of Arkansas' visitors come during the autumn season."
The state's leafiest scenic drives include the Pig Trail Scenic Byway from Ozark to Fayetteville on Arkansas 23 and 16; and Crowley's Ridge Parkway National Scenic Byway from St. Francis (in the state's far northeast corner) to West Helena. In central Arkansas: Interstate 530 from Little Rock to Pine Bluff, according to the department's leaf-watching experts.
But Arkansas has 2.5 million acres of woods, counting just national forests -- enough to make the whole state an eyeful, generally from now into early November.
The trick is knowing where to spot the best show. Pick the wrong time and place, and yesterday's vibrant foliage might be gone.
One way to find leaves at their brightest is at the state park department's website, arkansas.com, under the heading, "Fall Color Update."
The site offers quick tips on where to go leaf-looking all across the state: here, a tinge of yellow -- there, a swath of orange -- and look here, splashy reds with painterly touches of purple and gold. Go see!
Leaves aren't the only things that change this time of year. Sometimes, so do weekend travel plans.
-- Ron Wolfe
HomeStyle on 10/22/2016