Late September to October, 7 perfect routes for autumn road trips, with endless golden autumn scenery!

Meaning of autumn road trips The roads in autumn are the earth’s final brilliance. The leaves are turning yellow, the sky is perfectly blue, and the breeze is just right. The late September sunlight is gentle but not scorching, and the early October air is clear and fresh. This is the best season for road trips all year round—no need to rush, just take it slow and let the wheels measure the distance between poetry and the horizon. Driving yourself is the most romantic date with autumn. The moment you press the accelerator, ordinary life pauses, and ahead lies a landscape full of infinite possibilities. On winding mountain roads, encounter hills covered in red leaves; On vast grasslands, feel the high sky and light clouds; In the poplar forests, listen to the watchfulness of a thousand years. These beautiful moments are sealed in memory like amber, becoming the most precious treasures in the river of time. Autumn roads teach us to slow down, learn to appreciate, and cherish every moment of the present. 01🍁 Inner Mongolia "Dada Line + Re’a Line Loop" 🧨 Poetry on the grassland, pastoral songs in the autumn breeze The Dada Line is like a golden ribbon fluttering over the vast Ulan Butong Grassland. In September, the grassland sheds its summer green and dons autumn gold. The distant mountains are dark blue, birch leaves dance lightly in the autumn wind, producing a rustling natural melody. The Re’a Line is a photographer’s paradise, with an S-shaped road winding forward, flanked by birch forests dyed in layers of color. At sunset, the whole world is bathed in warm golden light, breathtakingly beautiful. ✅ Three-day itinerary: D1 Beijing - Chengde - Weichang D2 Ulan Butong - Dada Line - Re’a Line D3 Return or extend to Arxan ✅ Travel tips: About 4 hours’ drive from Beijing, good road conditions throughout, suitable for all vehicle types ✅ Local delicacies: Hand-held mutton, milk tea, whole roasted lamb, blood sausage, oat noodles ✅ Accommodation suggestions: Mongolian yurts near Hongshan Military Horse Farm or hotels inside Ulan Butong Scenic Area ✅ Best season: Mid-September to early October, peak autumn colors ✅ Traveler reviews: The autumn here is as beautiful as if God spilled a palette of colors 02🍁 Heilongjiang "Yijia Highway" 🧨 Multicolored mountains dye the forests, northern autumn charm intoxicates the heart Yijia Highway is known as China’s most beautiful autumn corridor. From Yichun to Jiayin, this road gathers the essence of Xiaoxing’anling’s autumn scenery. Red pine, birch, maple, oak—various trees display different colors in autumn: fiery red, golden yellow, and emerald green. Driving on this road feels like traveling through a giant oil painting. Every turn is a surprise; every stop makes you reluctant to leave. The air is filled with the fresh scent of pine resin, inviting deep breaths. ✅ Four-day itinerary: D1 Harbin - Yichun D2 Yichun - Tangwang River - Jiayin D3 Jiayin - Luobei - Hegang D4 Return to Harbin ✅ Travel tips: About 3 hours from Harbin to Yichun, highway + national roads, good road conditions ✅ Local delicacies: Northeast cold noodles, Guobaorou (sweet and sour pork), red pine nuts, blueberries, wild vegetables ✅ Accommodation suggestions: Yichun city or near Tangwang River National Park ✅ Best season: September 20 to October 10, most vibrant autumn colors ✅ Traveler reviews: The autumn here is so beautiful it brings tears, every frame is a postcard 03🍁 Shaanxi "Qinling Taiyang Highway" 🧨 Seeking autumn traces deep in Qinling, a landscape painting comes alive in dreams Taiyang Highway is hidden deep in the Qinling Mountains, a little-known but stunning mountain road. From Taibai County to Yang County, this road crosses north and south Qinling, with picturesque scenery and layered peaks. In autumn, the Taiyang Highway is covered with red leaves and babbling streams. The most beautiful are the small villages hidden in the valleys, with curling smoke and the sounds of chickens and dogs, like a paradise on earth. Persimmon trees along the road are laden with bright red fruit, and farmyards dry golden corn, everywhere showing signs of harvest. ✅ Three-day itinerary: D1 Xi’an - Taibai County D2 Taibai - Taiyang Highway - Yang County D3 Yang County - Hanzhong - Xi’an ✅ Travel tips: About 2.5 hours from Xi’an, many mountain roads, SUV or off-road vehicle recommended ✅ Local delicacies: Yang County black rice, Taibai highland vegetables, Qinling wild honey, dried persimmons, walnuts ✅ Accommodation suggestions: Taibai County town or Yang County town ✅ Best season: Early to mid-October, most brilliant red leaves ✅ Traveler reviews: This road redefined the beauty of Qinling for me 04🍁 Liaoning "Benhuan Highway" 🧨 Maple leaf avenue intoxicates travelers, the top autumn route in Northeast China Benhuan Highway is known as "China’s Maple Leaf Avenue." From Benxi to Huanren, the road is lined with fiery red maple leaves in autumn. Driving through feels like passing through a red tunnel, stunningly beautiful. Guanmeng Mountain, Laobian Valley, Dayah River—every scenic spot along the way is worth stopping for. The red leaves in the valley reflect perfectly in the clear streams, creating a symmetrical picture. The breeze stirs the leaves, producing a rustling sound like nature’s most beautiful symphony. ✅ Three-day itinerary: D1 Shenyang - Benxi - Guanmeng Mountain D2 Benhuan Highway - Huanren - Wunv Mountain D3 Return to Shenyang ✅ Travel tips: About 1.5 hours from Shenyang to Benxi, good road conditions throughout ✅ Local delicacies: Huanren ice wine, forest frogs, wild vegetables, hazel mushrooms, ginseng chicken ✅ Accommodation suggestions: Benxi city or Huanren county town ✅ Best season: Early to mid-October, brightest red maple leaves ✅ Traveler reviews: The red leaves here are pure and shockingly beautiful 05🍁 Sichuan "Lixiao Road" 🧨 Seeking fairy traces in western Sichuan’s secret realm, snow mountains and colorful forests blend as one Lixiao Road is a stunning mountain road from Lixian to Xiaojin, featuring the purest autumn colors in western Sichuan. Snow-capped mountains, colorful forests, Tibetan villages, and prayer flags form a breathtaking highland autumn scene. Elevations range from 2,000 to over 4,000 meters, with different altitudes showing different autumn colors. The colorful forests of Bipeng Valley are like a painter’s palette, and the snow peaks of Siguniang Mountain sparkle under the blue sky. Tibetan villages with white walls and red tiles nestle among golden trees, with curling smoke, peaceful and beautiful. ✅ Four-day itinerary: D1 Chengdu - Lixian - Bipeng Valley D2 Bipeng Valley - Xiaojin - Siguniang Mountain D3 Siguniang Mountain - Danba D4 Danba - Chengdu ✅ Travel tips: About 4 hours from Chengdu, many mountain roads, off-road vehicle recommended, watch for altitude sickness ✅ Local delicacies: Butter tea, highland barley wine, yak meat, tsampa, Tibetan hot pot ✅ Accommodation suggestions: Lixian or Xiaojin county towns, or Siguniang Mountain town ✅ Best season: Mid to late October, most vibrant colorful forests ✅ Traveler reviews: Autumn here has the unique purity and shock of the snow plateau 06🍁 Hebei "Guyuan Grassland Sky Road" 🧨 Sky road winds into the clouds, grassland autumn colors as beautiful as a fairyland Guyuan Grassland Sky Road is like a giant dragon coiled on the Bashang Grassland. This road sits at over 1,400 meters elevation, with wide views and magnificent scenery. In autumn, the grassland sky road is golden, the sky is deep blue, and white clouds float by, as beautiful as a painting. Wind turbines along the way slowly turn in the autumn breeze, distant mountains roll on, and nearby herds of cattle and sheep graze. At sunset, the entire grassland is dyed golden, so beautiful it makes you forget the passage of time. ✅ Two-day itinerary: D1 Beijing - Zhangjiakou - Guyuan D2 Grassland Sky Road - return to Beijing ✅ Travel tips: About 3 hours from Beijing, highway + provincial roads, good road conditions ✅ Local delicacies: Bashang lamb, oat noodles, potatoes, carrots, dairy products ✅ Accommodation suggestions: Guyuan county town or grassland Mongolian yurts ✅ Best season: Late September to early October, most beautiful golden grass ✅ Traveler reviews: This sky road makes you feel what it means to have a vast sky and wide earth 07🍁 Xinjiang "139 Poplar Secret Road" 🧨 Desert poplars’ thousand-year dream, golden autumn leaves fill the sky The 139 Poplar Secret Road is one of Xinjiang’s most beautiful autumn roads, with endless poplar forests along the way. In autumn, the golden poplars are stunningly beautiful. These poplar trees have grown here for a thousand years, witnessing the rise and fall of the Silk Road and carrying heavy history. Golden poplar leaves dance in the autumn wind like fairy petals scattered from the sky. Blue sky, yellow leaves, red willows, and white poplars compose a unique desert autumn painting. At night, the sky is full of twinkling stars, the Milky Way clearly visible, as if within reach. ✅ Five-day itinerary: D1 Urumqi - Luntai D2 Luntai Poplar Forest Park D3-D4 In-depth tour along 139 Road D5 Return to Urumqi ✅ Travel tips: About 5 hours from Urumqi, good road conditions, SUV recommended ✅ Local delicacies: Big plate chicken, pilaf, grilled lamb skewers, naan bread, raisins ✅ Accommodation suggestions: Luntai county town or inside the poplar forest scenic area ✅ Best season: Mid to late October, poplar leaves most golden ✅ Traveler reviews: The poplars here are so beautiful they remind you of a thousand years of watchfulness