What to wear hiking in fall: a layer-by-layer outfit and fall hiking tips

1. Why hike in fall, and what changes

Fall is a good time to hike for most people: the air is cooler on the climbs, there are fewer insects, and the leaves turn. For where to go, your local state park or forest service is a good source of trails with good colour. This guide is about how a fall hike differs from a summer one.

Four things change. The daylight is shorter and shrinks faster than most people expect. Hunting seasons open in many areas, so you share some trails and forests with hunters. The trail itself changes, with leaf litter, frost and mud. And the temperature swings more within a single hike, which is what makes layering the core of any fall hiking outfit. This guide starts with that outfit, then takes the other three changes in turn.

2. What to wear hiking in fall, layer by layer

The rule for what to wear hiking in fall is layers you can adjust, with no cotton next to your skin. You will start cold, warm up on the first climb, sweat, and then chill at a windy viewpoint. Cotton holds that sweat; synthetic fabric and wool dry faster and stay warmer when damp. Here is a full outfit, from the skin out.

A fall hiking outfit can look good without being bought for the look: earth tones work for the base and mid layers, with orange on top where hunting is allowed. If you are gearing up a hiker for the holidays, our gifts for hikers guide has more ideas, and smart glasses for camping covers overnight trips.

3. Shorter days: plan your hike around sunset

In the US, daylight saving time ends at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November, which in 2026 is November 1 (NIST, checked October 20, 2026). From that weekend the clock time of sunset jumps an hour earlier, on top of the days already getting shorter. A trail you finished comfortably in September can leave you walking the last mile in the dark in November.

• Set a turnaround time. Look up sunset for the trailhead before you go and work backwards: the time you must turn around is the time you need to be back at the car, minus the time it took you to get out, plus a margin for a slower descent.
• Start earlier. An early start buys back the light, but plan for a cold first hour (see the outfit section above).
• Carry a headlamp on every fall hike, even a short one, and keep your phone charged and on low-power mode. Leaf-covered trails are harder to follow in failing light.
• Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.

4. Hunting season: wear blaze orange and be heard

Where hunting is allowed, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy advises hikers to wear a fluorescent or “blaze” orange hat and vest, and an orange pack cover when backpacking (checked October 20, 2026). Its other advice: put blaze orange on your dog and keep it leashed, avoid hiking at dawn and dusk or wear a reflective vest and a headlamp, take extra care near road crossings and in valleys, and make yourself heard by talking, whistling or singing so hunters hear you before they see you.

Some places make orange mandatory. The same page notes that on Pennsylvania state game lands from November 15 to December 15, hunters and non-hunters must wear at least 250 square inches of fluorescent orange on the head, chest and back combined, except on Sundays. Sunday hunting rules vary by state, so check the rules for the land you are hiking on rather than assuming a quiet day.

This is also the answer to the common question “what colors to avoid in fall?” In deer country, skip brown, tan and white outer layers, and put orange on top. If you use open-ear audio on the trail, keep the volume low so you can still hear what is around you; open-ear speakers do not seal your ears, but at high volume they can drown out the sounds of the woods.

5. Wet leaves, cold mornings and changing weather

Fallen leaves are the trail hazard people underestimate. A layer of leaves hides roots, rocks and holes, and wet leaves on rock or a steep descent are slippery. Slow down on the way down, use trekking poles if you have them, and wear footwear with real grip.

• Frost and mud. Shaded sections can stay frosty into late morning, then turn to mud by the afternoon. Walk through the middle of muddy trail rather than widening it.
• Water crossings run colder, and wet feet chill faster. Pack a spare pair of socks.
• Weather turns quickly at higher elevations in autumn. Check the forecast for the summit, not just the town, and carry a shell even on a clear morning.
• Trail etiquette does not change with the season: a common rule is to yield to hikers coming uphill, and to leave the trail as you found it.

6. Sunglasses that also take trail photos

The OXIVUE M08 ($99 at checkout) and M02C ($109) are sunglasses with an 8 MP camera and open-ear speakers, so the pair in the “eyes” row of your outfit can also take the foliage photo without you stopping to dig out a phone. A touch on the temple takes a photo or starts a clip; nothing records unless you start it.

• Lens choice for fall. The photochromic lens darkens in UV light and clears in the shade, which suits trails that move between open ridges and forest. The sun lens suits open, bright routes; the clear lens suits dark woods and early starts. Our photochromic smart glasses guide explains the trade-offs.
• Rain. If your fall forecast often includes drizzle, the M02C is rated IP65. The M08 has no published water rating, so keep it in your pack in heavy rain.
• Not protective eyewear. No impact rating is published for any of our frames, and none take prescription lenses. There is no display; files go to the free HeyCyan phone app.
• Two hikers. Two or more pairs in one order are 50% off all eyewear, so an M08 and an M02C together are $154.

For the full gear view on the trail, read smart glasses for hiking.

7. Photos and trail etiquette

Ask before you photograph or film other hikers up close, and especially other people’s children. Camera glasses make capture easy, which is the reason to be deliberate with it: on OXIVUE frames every photo or clip starts with a visible touch on the temple. Many parks are fine with personal photography, but rules on drones, commercial filming and some protected areas vary, and audio recording of conversations falls under state consent laws; our recording laws by state guide covers that. If you hike where hunting is allowed, read smart glasses for hunting to see the trail from the other side.

Shipping, refunds and warranty. Free shipping from $99. US orders typically arrive in 5–9 business days; international orders take 9–14 business days after shipment, and import VAT or duties outside the US are paid by the recipient. No refunds except transit damage (replaced or refunded); faults are repaired or replaced under the 2-year warranty; change of mind and unmet expectations are not refundable. None of our frames take prescription lenses. See the return policy and compare every model on the comparison page.

Frequently asked questions