Joshua Tree National Park cools down significantly during October. Temperatures stay pleasant during the day and don’t drop to near freezing as they do during winter nights. Most campgrounds, including the popular Jumbo Rocks and Cottonwood, are bookable year-round—two exceptions are White Tank and Belle, which are first-come, first-served and are closed during the summer. Even so, snagging a site is less competitive during the fall than in the spring.

Eight public campgrounds line the Blue Ridge Parkway, a National Parkway and All-American Road that turns into a shock of fall colors starting in late September. The Parkway is also one of the most scenic roads in the US, snaking roughly from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina through Asheville to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Camping along the road also offers easy access to the surrounding parkland, horseback rides, or guided trail running tours.

Acadia is so far north that you can take a ferry from Bar Harbor, that's within the park, to Nova Scotia. The Atlantic coast, that far north, has stunning fall foliage, with the leaf-peeping season beginning in mid-October. While many visitors cruise the Park Loop to Cadillac Summit and call it a day, more adventurous types head to the park’s four campgrounds. The Blackwoods and Seawall sites are on Mount Desert Island—where most of the park is situated—while Schoodic Woods is on the mainland.

Big Sur is unofficially the longest stretch of undeveloped coastline in the lower 48—prime land for undisturbed camping. A few private and glamping options dot the rugged coast, but state parks are the absolute superstars. The largest, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, is flanked by Andrew Molera State Park to the north and Limekiln to the south. The Pine Ridge Trail traverses 11 challenging miles (18 kilometers) through the Ventana Wilderness to Sykes Hot Springs.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park may be open throughout the year, but come October, visitors are, no doubt, in search of autumn foliage. According to the National Park Service (NPS), there are ten comfortable “front-country” sites with restrooms and running water, along with 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) of backcountry trails for camping—including segments of the Appalachian Trail—plus five drive-in horse camps with hitches, water for the animals, and ready access to backcountry trails.

Autumn is peak season at Canyonlands for good reason. The weather cools, and chances of magical desert thunderstorms rise. River rafting and day trips from Moab, as well as camping at the park’s two official sites, are popular year-round. Backcountry trails, however, are the best way to experience the park. Spend the night at The Needles or Island in the Sky campgrounds, and try your luck on the White Rim Trail, a roughly 100-mile (160-kilometer) stunner for mountain bikes and 4WD vehicles.

It’s always a good time to visit the Channel Islands, a clutch of five islets off the southern California coast, but early fall is whale-watching season. As one of the most remote US national parks, the Channel Islands are also ideal for backpacking, snorkeling, surfing, kayaking, and scuba diving. Camping is available on each island year-round, but most travelers head to the largest of the bunch—Santa Cruz—which has large campgrounds and potable water.

Fall colors at Shenandoah rival those found along the Blue Ridge Parkway, but peak color-turning season here can be unpredictable. Thankfully, NPS keeps visitors super informed with weekly social media posts, seasonal webcams, and fall video reports. The Shenandoah Skyline runs about 100 miles (160 kilometers) along the Blue Ridge Mountains (not the Blue Ridge Parkway), with dozens of overlooks facing the changing fall colors. The park’s five campgrounds are open from spring through fall.