In the fall, the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway offers one of the Southeast’s most charming front-row seats to leaf-peeping season. Departing from its 1905 depot like a moving postcard, the train follows the Toccoa River, passing sycamores and sourwoods, rolling hills, and farms along the way. It’s leaf-peeping without the hairpin turns or crowded parking lots, just windows down and the car doors open wide, a thermos of cider, and the steady click of the rails.
Sam Busa