When does Peak Fall Foliage arrive in October?
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18During the coming months, the most asked question will be, “When (or where) will I find peak fall foliage in October“? Nobody, not even I can tell you with certainty
What does this continuum mean?
A coherent whole characterized as a collection, sequence, or progression of values or elements varying by minute degrees…
Websters Dictionary
What this means, is that the process of Fall Color developing is ongoing AND DOESN’T start or end everywhere all at the same time. If you travel from South to North and South again in one day there is a good chance you will move from low color to peak color and back to low color again. This is what I mean when I say IT’S NOT PEAK EVERYWHERE all on the same day.
These locations are all on the 8th of October (2019). Starting in the upper left with Bethel Maine, Newry Maine, Grafton Notch Maine. Then over to Errol NH and then heading south on Route 16. We stopped at Pinkham Notch where the color was less but nice and lastly Lake Chocorua where there was nice fall color but not peak.
(Baring heavy rains, strong winds or hard freezes which can end the season prematurely)
The process of developing “Peak Fall Color “
Fall color development is selective and the trees on the ridge in this image are around 25% but they are 75%+ on the far hill. The hills above the valley have experienced colder nights and appear to be at 75-100%, of the way to Peak Fall colors.
If you follow the road that winds its way past the feet of this P
How to increase your chances of finding peak fall foliage
So I guess you are now wondering, “How do I game the system?” or can you? First, I’ve been trying for years and there is no sure-fire way. I live in New England and Mother Nature can make it difficult but you can do these steps.
- Do your best to put yourself in the way of the fall foliage colors before they turn. (be a little south of where you think they will be)
- You just need to pick your dates and based on this, it will tell you where you should look. (easy right?) 🙂
- The earlier you arrive in New England (Sept versus Oct) the farther north you need to go, later in Oct means to look further south.
Is this foolproof? NO! Nothing is, so I will always advise you to have a plan B and maybe a plan C. This way if it rains, you have something else for the family to do.
Here are some links from my website (www.jeff-foliage.com) because over the years, I’ve written out dates and places that you can use as guidelines to pick your October locations.
Finding peak fall foliage in New England
Taking the mystery out of finding peak fall foliage
The art of getting lost
These may not answer all your questions but they should get you started in the right direction. I’m sorry but there is no single right answer for this but it is a start…
The Formula for Choosing Your Fall Foliage Location
My fall foliage formula for calculating your fall foliage trip. I + D = L which is defined below
- Interests
- Vacation Dates
- Vacation Location
This is very simple. If your Interests are ships, churches, lobster, foliage (not in this particular order) Then you see that your dates are going to be later and closer to the seashore. They are each related to each other. So location and dates (or activity) are all simple cause and effect.
So if shipbuilding and seaside towns are your thing (I), then you should be looking at the sea coast (L) and this is usually the last location to get good fall color. This means you need to take a late October trip.
Basically, the driving force that determines most foliage vacations is the available dates based on work or the family schedule. Now you look at the arrival date and see if your interests match up with this area. If not you just
But with just the dates, you will be able to choose locations based on those dates. Once you have a general idea of the location you can start to research the lodging you want and see what is going on nearby…
What happens if there is rain? Maybe you can plan a trip to North Conway and take the train ride up into Crawford Notch.
It has great scenic views, plus it’s fun and you stay dry! Just be sure to plan for both sun and rain and you can’t miss it.
Read this article where I go into it in more (Three simple rules for planning your fall foliage vacation).
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Before I moved to New Hampshire, I used to love to vacation on MDI/Bar Harbor area around the second weekend of October. That way if color was not peak yet or past, there was still pretty things to see and lots to do. Of course, I lucked out most of the time with some great foliage. Wish I could say the same for my visits since living here. But I can’t complain, I can find foliage by taking a drive. And these blogs always help. 🙂
Well Michelle, you were doing perfect trip planning procedures. You picked you time period but because fall color is never a guarantee you also picked a location with lots of activities and nearby along the coast you have so much to see and do. I know so many folks focus in on having to find color that they lose sight of what a vacation is all about… Having fun, relaxing and enjoying oneself. How many times do you talk to someone who just came back from a vacation and they say “I need a vacation from my vacation”?
This to me means they went and treated the vacation like a job or a mission and wrapped so much into it that all the activities wore them out… But that is another article… 🙂
And you are right in the heart of it… There are many days when I have to get up at 3AM in order to get on the road and push to get up where the color is early in the season… I’m envious..
Before I moved to New Hampshire, I used to love to vacation on MDI/Bar Harbor area around the second weekend of October. That way if color was not peak yet or past, there was still pretty things to see and lots to do. Of course, I lucked out most of the time with some great foliage. Wish I could say the same for my visits since living here. But I can’t complain, I can find foliage by taking a drive. And these blogs always help. 🙂
Well Michelle, you were doing perfect trip planning procedures. You picked you time period but because fall color is never a guarantee you also picked a location with lots of activities and nearby along the coast you have so much to see and do. I know so many folks focus in on having to find color that they lose sight of what a vacation is all about… Having fun, relaxing and enjoying oneself. How many times do you talk to someone who just came back from a vacation and they say “I need a vacation from my vacation”?
This to me means they went and treated the vacation like a job or a mission and wrapped so much into it that all the activities wore them out… But that is another article… 🙂
And you are right in the heart of it… There are many days when I have to get up at 3AM in order to get on the road and push to get up where the color is early in the season… I’m envious..
Jeff we are arriving in Hancock Massachusetts on oct 5th thru 11th. Is that a good time for the slow burn you speak of this fall? Please advise if driving in to Vermont and New Hampshire would be better. Thanks for all you do.
I think you will find some nice color around North Adams but unless we get lucky on weather and temps it will be limited. I think you will want to drive up Route 7 and by the time you hit Manchester and points North, it should be looking very nice. Also, try Route 125 over the Green Mountains to Route 100.
Last year the color was just arriving in Woodstock VT by the 6/7th and was blazing just north of that. But I think all along the spine of the Green Mtns you should see color at the higher elevations. I would look for roads in the gazetteer (for Vermont) click the link to pick one up… And here is a shot of Danby Vermont on Route 7.
Jeff we are arriving in Hancock Massachusetts on oct 5th thru 11th. Is that a good time for the slow burn you speak of this fall? Please advise if driving in to Vermont and New Hampshire would be better. Thanks for all you do.
I think you will find some nice color around North Adams but unless we get lucky on weather and temps it will be limited. I think you will want to drive up Route 7 and by the time you hit Manchester and points North, it should be looking very nice. Also, try Route 125 over the Green Mountains to Route 100.
Last year the color was just arriving in Woodstock VT by the 6/7th and was blazing just north of that. But I think all along the spine of the Green Mtns you should see color at the higher elevations. I would look for roads in the gazetteer (for Vermont) click the link to pick one up… And here is a shot of Danby Vermont on Route 7.
Hi Jeff,
We’re starting to plan our trip and thinking about Burlington, VT over to Pittsburg, NH and Connecticut Lake the 2nd week of October but we can be flexible. We’d love to see moose, which we know is a crap shoot, but heard the chances were better near Connecticut Lake. Do you have any suggestions? We’re totally open.
Thanks so much for what you do. I’ve been following you for several years and really appreciate the great pics and information. Enjoy the coffee I just sent you. 🙂
Hi Nanci, you provided some different info from the contact message… I’m still thinking that the fall colors in the 1st CT Lake are will be strong in the first week (1-5 Oct) and this is because the 1st CT Lake area used to be 24 Sept to 29 Sept for their best colors. so I’m dropping it back to 28 Sept to 4 Oct depending on the actual weather and temps that we get up there in the nose bleed section of NH.
For Moose, you need to be up at dawn or dusk as they don’t do much during the day. Also for a more likely spotting, hire a guide through the local NH guide services to have a better chance.
Happy Foliage travels!
Hi Jeff,
We’re starting to plan our trip and thinking about Burlington, VT over to Pittsburg, NH and Connecticut Lake the 2nd week of October but we can be flexible. We’d love to see moose, which we know is a crap shoot, but heard the chances were better near Connecticut Lake. Do you have any suggestions? We’re totally open.
Thanks so much for what you do. I’ve been following you for several years and really appreciate the great pics and information. Enjoy the coffee I just sent you. 🙂
Hi Nanci, you provided some different info from the contact message… I’m still thinking that the fall colors in the 1st CT Lake are will be strong in the first week (1-5 Oct) and this is because the 1st CT Lake area used to be 24 Sept to 29 Sept for their best colors. so I’m dropping it back to 28 Sept to 4 Oct depending on the actual weather and temps that we get up there in the nose bleed section of NH.
For Moose, you need to be up at dawn or dusk as they don’t do much during the day. Also for a more likely spotting, hire a guide through the local NH guide services to have a better chance.
Happy Foliage travels!
Hi Jeff,
First, your blog is amazing and has so much detailed and useful information. Thanks for the work you put into it.
We’ll be in the Portland area October 12th and 13th and will be driving back to Boston on the 13th. With one day to see foliage on our drive back, we’re pretty ambitious on how much we want to see but aren’t sure what’s realistic. Any ideas on what your ideal road trip from Portland to Boston would be to see color, visit some small towns and engorge ourselves on cider donuts? Do you think driving as far as Vermont is feasible in one day? Or would you focus more on New Hampshire? Thanks!
If you are catching a plane out of Boston then it would help to know what kind of timeline we are looking at.
Next, the problem with trying to head to Vermont (always a favorite plan by the way…) Is that there are no East-West highways. There are 2 lane roads that zig-zag east to west and if you open up google maps (or a gazetteer, click here to get one asap) and you will find that Route 25 will head west into New Hampshire. Right before you get to the NH border you will pass Porter ME and Route 160. Make the left and visit the Parsonfield-Porter covered bridge. Then continue back on Route 25. It brings you out onto Route 16. If you have time you can head North into Conway NH and catch lunch.
I don’t know how fast the colors will develop this year but if it goes slow you could head up 16 to Jackson (another Covered Bridge) or go on Route 302 through Crawford Notch and follow this over to Route I-93 and zip down to Boston. You are doing this travel on Columbus day weekend so it should be smooth sailing on the highway home. You will also see fall colors most of the way to Boston (at least some).
Happy Foliage travels!
There are a lot of variables here that I won’t know until late October and I’m looking back at the past… 🙂
I hope this helps…
Hi Jeff,
First, your blog is amazing and has so much detailed and useful information. Thanks for the work you put into it.
We’ll be in the Portland area October 12th and 13th and will be driving back to Boston on the 13th. With one day to see foliage on our drive back, we’re pretty ambitious on how much we want to see but aren’t sure what’s realistic. Any ideas on what your ideal road trip from Portland to Boston would be to see color, visit some small towns and engorge ourselves on cider donuts? Do you think driving as far as Vermont is feasible in one day? Or would you focus more on New Hampshire? Thanks!
If you are catching a plane out of Boston then it would help to know what kind of timeline we are looking at.
Next, the problem with trying to head to Vermont (always a favorite plan by the way…) Is that there are no East-West highways. There are 2 lane roads that zig-zag east to west and if you open up google maps (or a gazetteer, click here to get one asap) and you will find that Route 25 will head west into New Hampshire. Right before you get to the NH border you will pass Porter ME and Route 160. Make the left and visit the Parsonfield-Porter covered bridge. Then continue back on Route 25. It brings you out onto Route 16. If you have time you can head North into Conway NH and catch lunch.
I don’t know how fast the colors will develop this year but if it goes slow you could head up 16 to Jackson (another Covered Bridge) or go on Route 302 through Crawford Notch and follow this over to Route I-93 and zip down to Boston. You are doing this travel on Columbus day weekend so it should be smooth sailing on the highway home. You will also see fall colors most of the way to Boston (at least some).
Happy Foliage travels!
There are a lot of variables here that I won’t know until late October and I’m looking back at the past… 🙂
I hope this helps…