5 underrated national parks for fall foliage, according to a traveler who's visited every state

Alexandra Blodgett is pictured at Maroon Bells in Colorado. Alexandra Blodgett Alexandra Blodgett has been to dozens of national parks in the US . She prefers parks with stunning views and epic hikes but also loves leaf-peeping in the fall. She thinks North Cascades National Park in Washington is an underrated fall foliage site. With crisp mornings already creeping in across some states, fall is on its way. Visiting national parks to see the season's colors, or "leaf peeping," is a popular pastime and gives a major boost to some states' economies. An analysis by Appalachian State University estimated that fall-foliage tourism contributes more than $30 billion annually to local economies across 24 eastern states. Alexandra Blodgett understands the appeal.