Thanks, Anne, and good luck planning your trip(s). I’m glad you find my blog enjoyable and helpful. I hope you sign up for my free email newsletter and decide to join The Big Outside to get full access to all of my blog’s stories, including my planning tips and details available only to subscribers. And click here to learn how I can help you plan your next trip. Please keep in touch!

Hi Philippe,

I’m not surprised that you cannot reserve a permit in advance for the Grand Canyon in October at this late date; you would have to attempt to get a walk-in permit, which is iffy and you might have to settle for what’s available on your fixed dates.

I just returned from a wonderful, four-day hike in Yosemite and we had excellent weather, but as I wrote above, in any bigger mountains in the West, weather is very transitional and hard to predict far in advance at this time of year; and the chances of bad weather increase as you get into October. That’s the reality of it. My All Trips List includes numerous outstanding backpacking trips in the Western mountains. If you have flexibility for traveling to wherever the weather looks good for your dates, that’s your best option.

Hi Michael,

Thanks for your reply. There are no permits available for the Escalante Route and he weather in Olympic is not predictable. Do you have another recommendation for an approx 4 day backpacking loop beginning October 11th. I am looking for a bucket list trip. I prefer great big mountain views to dense forests. I am happy to hike up to around 15 miles per day. I am in decent shape and do not want to be surrounded by crowds. What do you recommend?

Hi Philippe,

Good questions, thanks for asking. October is definitely a transitional time of year in the Olympic Mountains and, yes, the loop you’re considering from Obstruction Peak lies in the rain shadow of those mountains and is drier than the west side. You can get good days but as this page at the park’s website explains, snow can fall even in late September and rain and cold temps are much more common by October. If you have travel flexibility to go for a last-minute trip with a good forecast, I’d consider it. But I personally would not plan far in advance to count on good weather on those dates.

October is an ideal time in the Grand Canyon for the Escalante Route or any other trip. See this story at The Big Outside and my Custom Trip Planning page to learn how I could help you plan that trip.

Thanks for the comment and keep in touch.

You suggested that I consider a 4 day loop in Obstruction Peak in Olympic National Park. It looks like a great loop. My concern is that my time frame is Oct. 11 to 14. I don’t mind cold temps at night but I don’t want to get totally socked in with snow. I intend to bring poles but no axe. I know that route is in the rain shadow and theoretically gets less rain. Is that true? I’m dreaming of big glacial views but perhaps this may be the time to go to the Grand Canyon and do the Escalante route. Any thoughts?

Thanks for the suggestion, Robert, I loved the Rockwall Trail in Canada’s Kootenay National Park (see my story), and, of course, as with other more northern mountain ranges, winter comes a bit earlier in fall—sometimes in late summer—than in mountains farther south like the High Sierra.

Thanks, Greg. I just had to cancel a trip in the eastern Sierra for which I reserved a permit months ago, because of the fires. It’s disappointing and one of the many warning flags about what we’re doing to the climate.

Keep in mind my Custom Trip Planning service. I can help you plan a trip. Scroll down that page and you’ll see dozens of comments from readers whom I’ve helped plan a trip.

Good luck.

Hi Billy, I know you may be kidding, but no, the point I’m making in the descriptions of these trips is that there are specific reasons why each of them has special appeal in the fall. Some are also great trips in summer, so are not, and some are best in fall. Thanks for the comment.

I agree with you there, TJ.

Good roundup. The Fall has it All.