Scenic Autumn Drive around Palisades Reservoir

If you're heading to Grand Teton National Park from Idaho Falls and are looking to take the most scenic route, make sure to take US 26 E through Palisades Reservoir. The fall colors light up the mountain sides for 20 miles as you drive along the windy road. There are multiple pull offs to capture the colorful foliage, so take your time to enjoy the scenery. 

The best time to catch the fall colors at Palisades Reservoir would be within the first couple weeks of September and possibly into the first week of October. There are a variety of trees that change colors at different times. Usually the reds and oranges come first followed by the yellow quaking aspens. Try to visit the reservoir at sunrise or sunset. At sunrise the sun comes up from behind to light up the mountains across the reservoir. If you're lucky, at sunset the clouds light up the sky and reservoir.