6 routes to drive to experience North Jersey's brilliant fall foliage

Slowly but surely, North Jersey's vast green spaces will turn red, orange and yellow as the fall season continues to roll in. Fall foliage in North Jersey is expected to peak the week of Oct. 16, meaning you have plenty of time to develop a game plan to take in all of the best views of our regions fall colors.

While you're likely to get a great view from wherever you go, there are some stretches of roads and trails where you can get the most memorable fall foliage experience. Here are six of North Jersey's best roads for a scenic view of fall colors.

Palisades Interstate Parkway, Fort Lee

Deemed a scenic byway by New Jersey, Palisades Interstate Parkway spans 42 miles from the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee to the Bear Mountain Bridge in New York. This tree-lined highway gives a direct view of the fiery colors of autumn leaves.

Where you can stop: Palisades Interstate Parkway hugs the Palisades Cliffs, surrounding the Hudson River and the New York City skyline. Take in all of it at State Line Lookout in Alpine.

Monument Road, High Point State Park, Sussex

Monument Road in High Point State Park is exactly what its name suggests: It is the road leading up to High Point Monument. This monument marks the highest point in New Jersey at 1,803 feet above sea level, and the road leading up to it offers pretty great views of North Jersey fall foliage.

Where you can stop: Stopping at the top of Monument Road, at High Point Monument, will give you views of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania all at once. Here, you can essentially get an aerial view of the colored leaves that cover the trees.

Western Highlands Scenic Byway, Vernon

Another perfect place for a drive is Western Highlands Scenic Byway, a 21.4 mile of stretch of road that takes you through sections of the Appalachian Trail, historic farms and Revolutionary War-era structures.

Where you can stop: You can stop at the part of the Appalachian Trail that runs through the byway for a hike filled with foliage. The byway also travels through the Newark Pequannock Watershed, hugs the Hamburg Mountain Wildlife Management Area and continues along the Wawayanda State Park, all of which are good places to park and walk.

Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah

Ramapo Valley Road is long and windy, going through low, hilly mountains with an abundance of fall foliage. The road also is met with views of the Ramapo river, horse farms and historic mansions.

Where you can stop: The Ramapo Valley County Reservation has a variety of hiking trails with views of waterfalls and fall leaves. It also has a view of the New York City skyline at its highest points. You can also pass by the remnants of Van Slyke Castle within the reservation — an early 1900s castle with remains that now sit in the middle of the hiking area.

Old Mine Road, Delaware Water Gap

Old Mine Road runs about 40 miles through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to Kingston, New York, along the northwestern edges of Warren and Sussex Counties. It is filled with mountainous beauty that showcases the season's best fall foliage.

Where you can stop: If you choose to follow Old Mine Road all the way down to the 70,000-plus-acre Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, you can take in a variety of sights, like the Delaware River, Buttermilk Falls, Silver Spray Falls and Mount Tammany. You can walk along the abundance of trails to further take in the fall colors.

Skyline Drive, Ringwood

Skyline drive is an almost 6-mile stretch of road that runs between Interstate 287 in Oakland and Route 511 in Ringwood. The road passes through Ringwood State Park in the Ramapo Mountains, giving a tree-lined drive of fall colors and mountain ridges.

Where you can stop: You can take a pit stop at the 4,200-acre Ramapo Mountain State Forest, which offers views of the New York City skyline and of the surrounding hillside. The forest has historic trails and rock scrambles for all skill levels, as well as scenic views of the 120-acre Ramapo Lake. You can also stop at Ringwood State Park, which is filled with trails, ponds and streams. It is also home to the New Jersey Botanical Garden, where you can find many fall colors and seasonal plants.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Best places to see fall leaves in North Jersey