Hiking in search of New England fall colors

Finding New England fall colors by hiking

Today’s article, as you can guess will cover:

hiking gear that you should have with you, some optional, some not.
A couple hiking locations for beginners

I had a talk with Jeff Sinon, who is a New Hampshire photographer. He is also one of those folks who has scaled many if not all of the 4,000 footers in NH and my go-to guy on “real” hiking. Lisa and I are not “real” hikers and more into the photo scenic opportunities that we can drive to, park, get out and wander around to explore. Not to say Lisa and I “haven’t” done at least “one” 4,000+ footer in the White Mountains.

Here Jeff is at the highest peak in New England, 6,288′ elevation, what a climb!

This article is for those with a bit more energy but as you can see you can do at least one of the tallest peaks in New England, I just happened to drive my truck to the top… Still counts in my book because looking down the side of Mount Washington while driving up and down nearly gave me a heart attack! 🙂 (Lots of exercise there)

Hiking gear

Now I realize that most of you will not need half of this stuff when you go looking for New England fall colors but other items are needed no matter what kind of leaf-peeping you are doing. Below you will find my affiliate links on Amazon. Jeff Sinon tells me that he buys his hiking gear mostly online except for things he feels need to be bought in person like a good, well-fitting backpack.

Here is Jeff Sinon’s top 10 list of things to always have with you on a hike in Fall foliage!
[But be aware clicking the affiliate links may benefit me by paying me a little]

Map and compass. A GPS is good but that pesky battery is always needing a charge. Unless you are getting a solar panel to keep it charged during the day (Click here)
Sun protection. Hat, sunscreen, lip balm, etc
Insulation. If you’re hiking in the mountains the weather can change quickly. A warm fleece or other lightweight insulating layer is a good idea to bring along.
A headlamp or flashlight along with spare batteries.
First Aid kit.
Fire starting supplies. You never know when you might be stuck out overnight on a cold evening.
A multi-tool and repair kit with extra bits and pieces to repair a pack strap, duct tape, etc.
Food, preferably healthy snacks with a lot of calories
Water, bring plenty, or bring a filter or other means of treating water in the field.
Emergency Shelter. Doesn’t have to be fancy, one of those shiny mylar space blankets can be enough depending on the season and location.

To me, several of these are “should have” items on all trails. Even if you are just heading a mile in on a prepared trail. To me Numbers 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and 9 are must-haves. I usually have most of these in the car and I could throw them in a day pack as needed.

This list also doesn’t mention good lug-soled shoes. Sneakers are OK but ankle-high shoes that are laced up above the ankle help to provide support on uneven ground.

Next you will want to layer, so I prefer to have on me a T-shirt plus a lightweight fleece pullover then depending on what the weather is looking like I bring with me a rain jacket that doubles as a shell to protect against rain and wind. North Face has many good products in this area so check this link.

If you are one of those who have to stay connected, they also have a line of travel solar panels and charging devices, click here to check them out.

Some easier hikes for the fall colors

The following two were a couple of trails that Lisa and I have ventured on during the past few years.

Mount Major in Alton New Hampshire. Probably will be considered moderate as climbs go. School kids from the local area do this every year, so if you think you could keep up with grade school kids, this hike is for you.

It’s a rough dirt path to the top but there were a couple of spots where you have to get up and over some rocks. So if you need a walker, this is not for you. At 60-something it would stress me some to get to the top, but I could still make it… (I think…)

You can find a map to Mount Major on this map by clicking here.

Monument Mountain is a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) long quartzite ridgeline located in Great Barrington and Stockbridge, Massachusetts in the Berkshires.

This one is doable for most, but I had trouble staying on the path. Again, depending on your age and fitness will determine how easy this path is. We found out afterward that going up the trailhead on the right is much easier to follow than the trailhead on the left. (it goes up to the top on one side and back down the other, so either way, you get to the top) the right is used much more and is easier to follow.

You can find the trailhead parking lot on this terrain map.

You’ll notice that Lisa and I will talk about hiking, but we are not big hikers ourselves… We’ll leave that up to you, wherever you decide to go. the Green Mountains, the White Mountains, the Appalachian Trail, the Long Trail, or any of 10,000 small trails throughout New England.

It can be Rail Trails, a nice neat gravel path, or even hardscrabble dirt trails, the biggest thing to remember is to explore new places each time you come to New England. I’m bad at this. I will keep revisiting my old standbys because they are familiar and I know them. Lisa is great at reminding me to take a different route and see what we find!

Jeff Foliage Folger

Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage

Visit my Amazon affiliate store for items that Lisa and I have curated for you. These items are either New England-made or things we think will make your fall foliage trip more successful.