Where to go for the fall colors at the end of October?
This report was driven on 27 Oct 2022 and published on 28 October 2022. All images were taken on 27 October.
Well, my friends, the fall colors are fading and dropping fast but there are still fall colors to enjoy. One thing I want to point out, there is a big difference between Peak and past Peak. Jeff’s rule for peak says if you turn in a circle and Everything is in color with few to no bare trees then you have peak. If you have to frame a scene to cut out the bare trees, then it is NOT peak…
Our travel on 28 Oct 2022, Cemeteries and Covered Bridges
The start of the day put us on Route 62 outside of Salem. I highly recommend this road between Middleton and Burlington (Just not Burlington itself because of the Mall. but if you pick up Route 62 on the other side you will hit towns like Wilmington, Bedford, Concord, Maynard, and so on…
The morning at 6AM was warm(ish) and very foggy. As we approached Concord Massachusetts I saw some color in a cemetery so I pulled in quickly and found ourselves in the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. They have a lot of oaks but there are a few maples. I was trying to frame a yellow maple with the sun filtering through the tree next to it.
Then there are the little scenes that come to our notice. I was standing next to a flower bush and I saw strands of spider webbing. Then I saw one of those things that rarely get noticed. An artistically spun spider web and it was just, in the right location, correct angle to the sun’s light, and most important fully intact.
There were many stops along the road which is why a 276-mile roundtrip takes over 12 hours to complete. Down in Sturbridge Massachusetts, we had just gotten off I-84 (mostly brown colors along the highway) when we turned onto Route 131 and I saw a church with bright fully leaved maples in front of it and row upon row of pumpkins on the lawn in front of it.
Sturbridge Massachusetts Church and Pumpkins
I would have bought a pumpkin and brought it back to Lisa in the car but they weren’t open yet. There was the library next door and that was a distinctive building as well.
Connecticut Covered Bridges and Fall Colors
We were headed for the Blackwell-covered bridge and it was a little out of the way down in Brooklyn Connecticut. Now I’ve been through Brooklyn CT many times over the years but Lisa had to point out there was a covered bridge there as well. (how did I miss this???)
I don’t know if it’s because of the landowners on either side of it but this covered bridge has no convenient place to park at. But with hardly any traffic I pulled over and snapped a few shots for my covered bridge collection.
Rhode Island Covered Bridges, Who’s up for a hike?
We’re still trying to clear some more covered bridges in CT and RI. So obviously we got one in CT (above) and in Rhode Island, we got the Swamp Meadow covered bridge, seen below.
Most of the fall colors in Rhode Island seem to be oaks at this point but there were some boarding on bright reds!
I wanted to get the other listed covered bridge in Rhode Island which is the Carl Erickson covered bridge but this proved too tough for us and we ended up on a logging trail… NOT a logging ROAD but a trail and driving along that proved too difficult so we turned around.
I wish I had found this article written by someone else who did find a road that does take you into the covered bridge but like us, they had quite the story to tell in getting there. read it here.
We stopped in Glocester at the Village Bean Cafe to use the facilities and get a really good lunch. You can find the Village Bean on Route 102, right off Route 44. If you are down in Rhode Island catching the fall colors or just getting the covered bridges, try the coffee milk and a BLT, it made my day!
We made out way back up through Rhode Island to Massachusetts and even caught Route 62 through Concord but I made the mistake of getting on I-95 near Route 3. It was only 4 PM, how bad could it be??? Oh, stop laughing...
It was stop-and-go traffic all the way up to Salem and then IN Peabody over to Salem it was mostly stop-and-go… so I’ve been reacquainted with why I don’t drive between 3 and 7 PM in and around Boston and the suburbs…
I’m not sure where we will drive next but we will probably do one more drive nearer to home this weekend… I hope to see you on the road!
Safe Travels my friends!
Jeff Foliage Folger
Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage
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I was in New Hampshire, with excursions to Vermont for 17 days of peak foliage. 2022 was a wonderful foliage year. Loved all the scenes and I have many pics. Missed the international travelers the prior to Covid were very present. Looking forward to Foliage 2023.
It was a really good season!!! One of the best I’ve seen in a while
Wow what a day–Concord Mass does have some interesting cemetaries. Good reminder to all of us– know when to turn around- I too have ended up on some near farm trails and thankfully made the decision to turn around. Great reporting on your finds Jeff- thanks!!
And have a wonderful fall yourself April…