New England Fall Foliage Update, August 2023
Welcome Fall foliage friends. September will be here in just a few days and I’m seeing the start of the posts about Early Fall Color! Before you start to panic, last year I wrote about the difference between Early Fall Color and “normal” early fall color, read about this here.
I was planning on waiting to write this until Lisa and I took a drive up through Vermont and New Hampshire to get eyes on the lay of the land ourselves. I’ve only gotten a few reports from friends in these areas. But while this year may not be as stellar as I’m hoping for, it will also not be a washout either, let me explain…
Enough Rain VS. Too Much
Well, as most people are well aware, we have had one of the rainiest summers on record here in New England. Vermont, Central Massachusetts, and Western Connecticut were hit the hardest of all the 6 New England states.
I don’t want you to assume that because the other states didn’t get the deluge of rain, they are not affected. As you can see on the current drought map, this is the first summer in several years where we are drought-free for the first time.
It would not be an issue if the rain was over 3 months, no, Mother Nature gave us this overage, all at once.
The effect of the overage of rain is going to present itself in several ways. For instance, there are roads that are closed in Vermont with other back roads that may not be closed but are in rough condition.
Rain Stress: Too much rain is just as stressful as too little rain and we will have to see what the effect will be. in some cases, trees may just turn brown and drop leaves, and in others, the trees will develop Anthracnose or Tar-spot which are fungi that affect our trees in wet years. (I think this year counts…)
The BIGGEST question is how bad will it be?
Fall Colors for this October
No matter where in New England you look for the fall colors You will find some. As always WHEN and WHERE are very important. For those of you arriving earlier and looking for the fall colors, you’ll be heading to Northern Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. I think this year Maine may put on a better show. Maine of the three has received less rain (a little less) so like other areas in the eastern New England states Maine may or could show better colors. But you will hear me say this over and over, it depends on the amount of rain and sun we receive.
You may be saying rain is good for the trees, right? You are 100% correct when it is balanced with warm sunny days and warm summer evenings, (leading to cool fall evenings). This year the scales have been tipped heavy on the rain side and this is in its own way a stress on the trees. The trees that are stressed from the rain can react in a couple of ways. First, the leaves can turn brown and drop, second, they may turn with some color and drop early, third, they may turn about normal and be a little subdued but colorful. (I’m hoping for the latter)
Other issues for 2023 fall foliage (as if that wasn’t enough)
First, there will be several funguses that always show up, Anthracnose is the big one and causes the edges of the leaves to turn brown and shrivel up. Let’s just say that this doesn’t make the leaves look good. And second, the Spongy Moth has reared its ugly head again this year but compared to the fungus and rain stress the moth issue is a much smaller issue.
Well Jeff, what do we do?
There is a lot of New England to explore and while there has been a lot of rain, I feel that we are still going to see areas of high or peak color like in any year. But… There will also be areas of more subdued color and I just don’t know how widespread this will be. WBUR alludes to this in their report (read it here). My Friend Jim Salge who is the blogger for Yankee Magazine is a bit more positive in his outlook, read about his take here.
As of right now, Jeff has made reservations in Bethel Maine for the first weekend in October and near Meredith New Hampshire for the second weekend in October.
In late September Lisa and I will be making several out-and-back day trips to check the fall colors. I DO NOT expect to see anything like the image from the Kancamagus below which was taken on 7 October 2022. I expect to see 90% green in New Hampshire through Vermont. Depending on where you get your updates from you can visit the Facebook group that Lisa and I created to help people report, research, and plan for the fall colors, check the link. If you like getting my updates, put your email down below.
My Thoughts: I believe we will see good to really good colors in Maine and much of New Hampshire. A lot of how “GOOD” it will be will be determined by the temps we get in late Sept (15-30th). If Mother Nature turns the spigot off NOW and lets us start to dry out. IF… we dry out and the temps drop into a seasonally normal pattern as we leave August into Sept, then we could have a very good fall foliage season.
All through these 3 (Northern) states, I expect things to develop slowly and where the trees don’t drop leaves prematurely, they will hold on to them longer, into October. The water stress could also be beneficial in that some trees like the oaks may turn earlier in October rather than later… (don’t quote me on that though)
Eastern Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island
This could be a very good year for southern New England. The past 10 years have been dry years and while the heat stress has affected them, the preponderance of rain may help these areas stand out. BUT! how well they can stand out will depend directly on the daytime/nighttime temperatures going forward.
I expect places like Southbridge and Sturbridge Massachusetts, Woodstock, and Pomfret Connecticut, and Burrillville and West Greenwich Rhode Island along with the surrounding areas to these towns will probably be some of the best places this fall for the fall colors in Southern New England.
I do not expect the fall colors to arrive any earlier in southern New England than normal but if you arrive mid to late October, I think you will be presented with much better colors than in previous years.
Jeff Foliage Folger
Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage
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We will be in Boston Mid October. Sure hoping for vibrant color! Would there be a really easy day trip on public transportation to see even better color with a nice walkable town?
Check the Arnold Arboretum
https://arboretum.harvard.edu/
Beacon hill just off Boston common, cambridge, south Boston… You don’t have to go too far. Check where you are staying for current suggestions. Lots of museums
Jeff, thanks for your work. My wife and I will be driving up from Hartford, CT to Stowe, Vt and the surrounding area Oct. 2-5th. We also have some plans to visit Lake Willoughby. Can you offer any more specific guidance for those places or a guess at peak times?
I think you will leave an area that is mostly green to areas of higher color, look east of Stowe and also up through Smugglers Notch (Route 108) Head east on 109 heading east to Westmore and the Lake Willoughby. I think you will see good colors all from the border South to Groton State Forest. It will be hit or miss and you may be in luck and the stress on trees makes them turn realy or it will be a slow burn and means you need to search out higher elevation.
Beyond this guidance I’m waiting to see what the temps do and will the rains stop and let us dry out a bit…
We’re planning a long weekend for Stowe Vermont and Meredith NH.. currently stuck between taking off Oct 11-15 verses Oct 14-18… thoughts? We have to go within those two date options but location is flexible if you have a better recommendation for that week!
For those areas of Vermont and New Hampshire I would say the earlier would be better.
Was planning on visiting western MA Oct 5-8. Maybe too early?
Well Gayle, I think you will be a bit early. There are some trees turning that are swamp maples (usually maples with their feet in water) I saw several today out near Paxton Mass. I’ll be posting a short video on Facebook and my instagram. But even though we may have some early turning the majority would be a week later. BUT!!! if you are locked into those dates check up in the berkshires and North Adams at higher elevation. Along the Mohawk Trail (Route 2 in the Pioneer Valley. Anywhere you can get higher elevation.
Thanks very much!
Hi Jeff! I’m planning to drive around in Vermont and NH Oct 4-7. Is that going to be too early?
I think you’ll be fine
Thoughts about Manchester, VT for the week of October 11? Would New Hampshire or Maine be a better day trip?
Should be good in VT and central NH as well
My mother’s bucket list item is to leaf peep in the fall. We have been following your page and blog religiously. We booked our trip starting in Boston, on Sept 29th, before all the rain. From Sept 30th – Oct 6th on day (1) we will be starting in the white mountain national forest, on day (2) the Kancamagus, (3) flume gorge and Montpelier, (4) Smuggler Notch, (5) Stowe, and (6) Calvin Coolidge Forest. We will be driving back to Boston on the 6th. In your opinion, will see have an opportunity to experience some color? Thank you so much!
At this time you should be fine
hello Jeff! long time fan, first time poster
we’re going to be in conway NH on 10/6 to get on the scenic railroad for the first time. we wanted the official JF hot take on whether or not you think we’ll see some good foliage from the rails, given all the unseasonable weather this year 🫣
Conway is slow to gets is color but the 7th is when I have good colors there BUT! you are heading up through Crawford Notch and you should see really good color on the way through till you get out the other end at Fabyan’s train station where they turn around.
Jeff hello. I writing from Latin America. I travel to see the fall colors every two years, my last trip (to NY, october 2021) was not what I expected in respect of vibrant colors. I am now planning to go to Boston for four days. What dates you suggest? (I must purchase my very expensive tickets soon). I do not drive in US so I do not think I can go to the marvelous places you suggest, but is there anything I can visit via bus or train?
Boston has a good commuter rail system and I found this website that give some good ideas to take that don’t cost a ton of money https://www.mbta.com/guides/commuter-rail-guide Also I would be looking at 15-30 October for my dates. You can also travel down to Rhode Island or even Cape Cod.
Good Luck
Greetings Jeff, I’m going from October 5 to 9 and I want to visit Stowe, New Hampshire and Acadia. Will any of those places be in their Peak of the season? Thank you
Depending on how the season goes… Some place in VT or NH should be very good or Peak… But Acadia is not till 15 Oct
Hi Jeff! I see people asking about the first weekend of October in northern Vermont and you saying they should be fine. How about last weekend of September (29th – 1st). Do you think there will even be yellow by then?
There should be some if not “good” color during the last weekend in Sept. a lot depends on how the next few weeks shake out. We are seeing early turning in some swamp maples in NW Maine (about 2 weeks early) if memory serves…
Hi Jeff, we’re thinking of going to Chester, VT around mid Oct. Will that be a good time to go? Would you a different time to visit that area?
I’m thinking of heading up to Londonderry VT and that surrounding area around middle of Oct — Oct 12-15. Is that too early/late to see the colors?
It probably will ge decent dates but my crystal ball is fogged in at the moment. This might be a year to be a bit early rather than late. Londonderry like Ludlow were in the flood areas. Make sure you check with your lodging staff on what the local conditions are. also keep an eye on https://www.newengland511.org/ for current road conditions. There 2 closed road North of londonderry plus one with a detour.
Good luck
Like the other question for this area, It probably will ge decent dates but my crystal ball is fogged in at the moment. (kind of rainy as well) But this is south central Vermont and you should see good color from here down through Massachusetts.
Hi Jeff! What do you think about the Stowe area and white mountains area this year? Hope we still get decent color this year. Will you continue to update as it gets closer on whether it’s gonna be early or late? We plan be in these areas either 10/1-10/6 or 10/7-10/12, lodging reserved for both sets of days.
I think the earlier set of dates may be better this year. Subscribe to my newsletters
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I have a five day vacation between oct 15- 19.
Where is the best place to plan my foliage trip. I am open to all suggestions. Thanks for your valuable knowledge
Southern VT/NH/ME and Massachusetts into CT and RI
try this https://jeff-foliage.com/locations-state/
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Wanting to come home for a visit, my Mum lives in Attleboro, MA. My Birthday is the week of October 16-19th. Should I come that week or the week after, or later? Bringing my family with me. Wanting to do all things Fall with my boys.
that should be a good week (I think)
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Hi Jeff! My brother in law will be visiting from The Netherlands for his first trip to the US for two weeks in October. His dates are flexible and I really want to show off our fall foliage. Any predictions for peak dates near Albany, New York?
12-24 Oct should let him see some fall colors maybe even a bit earlier and you can travel up into the Catskills or the Adirondacks.
Interestingly enough, some of the most glorious fall color I’ve personally ever experienced was in Amsterdam in November 2021, when a warmer and dryer than usual late Autumn had colorful leaves on the trees far longer than usual. Though that’s fall color in a picturesque old city – Netherlands has nothing like the far-as-the-eye-can-see woodlands found in the rural Northeast.
I was in Amsterdam once and it is a beautiful city (Almost every city there is a beauty) but during my years in Germany, I only saw light color between belgium, the Czech border, and north to Keukenhof and South to Austria…
Not like what I usually see during the fall here…
Hey Jeff, I am planning vermont and NH from 7-10th oct , will it be good or i should move my dates to 12-16th oct ? I am confused !
keep the original dates, they should be good for central to maybe a bit further north
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Thank you Jeff and this dates will be good for White mountains NH? Or I need to move to earlier dates from 5-9th oct!
Planning my first fall foliage trip up to vermont and surrounding areas/states. Is mid sept too early?
It’s a little hard to call this year because we are seeing the swamp maples turning early. Mid september is usually too early but this year? maybe not. But generally the lodgings are not filled up till early October So you will have flexibility, during the next few weeks I’ll have a better idea but right now my safe bet is to be here no earlier than the last week in Sept
Hey Jeff, I am planning to travel to white mountains, NH from 11-15 oct? Should I have the same dates or move earlier
try earlier for the White mountains. Closer to the 5th. We have a very unusual year shaping up
Hey Jeff! My mom and I are coming from SC the weekend of Oct 13-16, flying into Boston. We have reservations in N Conway, Rockland, and Moultonborough,NH. We are willing to drive to see the best colors and was just wondering what area would be our best home base that weekend? Thanks!
Well that weekend I plan on being to the south on the north end of Lake Winnipesaukee. Moultonborough is more south. but this should allow you to head south or North as needed.
Is a trip from October 16-23 (starting Acadia National Park, then southern VT, then Boston) a good time for peak? Do you suggest we go the week before? Perhaps October 9-16?
Good questions, I think a little earlier might be called for and you should at worse case see early color in some areas but early is better than late in my book…
Hi! Sorry for another question, but this will be our first time visiting the area. We start in Boston head to Franconia etc, then shooting over to Stowe. We are booked for Oct 2-7th. Im wondering after the report if I should change my flight by a week or two. Any thoughts?
Well Hannah, I think some things may turn a little early but a lot will be determined but the temps we get through Sept, I’ll be posting a report tonight, I hope it helps…
Thanks for the forecast! It looks like conditions will make planning a bit of a challenge. I’m going to visit the region as a side vacation from a business trip, and I’ll be driving from Westchester Co, NY late in the day on October 5th to a BnB overnight in Boston on the October 7 (I’m locked into flying out of Boston early morning on the 8th). I’m trying to figure out the best places to go in New England or even adjacent areas of upstate NY over those two days – southern New England is better for less drive time, but sounds like it might be too early. Maine is definitely too far, even if that’s the best bet for fall color in early October. Is going up in elevation somewhere like the Adirondacks, Berkshires, or Green Mountains a good way to view color if you’re in an ‘early’ area? In any event, I’m going to try and keep my travel plans flexible, even if it means booking stays only a couple of weeks in advance.
With such short time I would explore the Northeast Kingdom (NEK) of Vermont from Jay south to Stowe and East through Cabot and Groton to Burke. There are lots of areas to explore. Also you can check my articles by location/state. choose VT and see all the Vermont related articles https://jeff-foliage.com/locations-state/
Thank you. I was also considering a route that will take me through Vermont and New Hampshire. Sounds like a plan!
Thanks! I was considering going up towards VT and NH. Do you think conditions in the Green Mountains will be good, or is that too far south?
Unless the conditions change between now and the 5th (by a good bit) you will be looking at the NEK (Northeast Kingdom), Northern Green Mountains (for elevation) and the Northern White Mtns and Maybe the Kancamagus…
Hi Jeff. Planning a trip to the Adirondacks. I know it’s tricky to gauge because of the high elevation. Do you think Oct 6-8 would be the best weekend for the High Peaks region or the weekend prior? I’m thinking even if I go Oct 6-8 and it’s a little too late, I can always head a bit south where the foliage is a bit behind, rather than being too early Sep 29-Oct 1 and having no options. What do you think?!
I think that should be good because we will have stressed trees turning early and hopefully hanging around longer than normal. Let me know what you find out!
Hi Jeff, you are so kind to reply to all these posts. My kids have fall break Oct.21-28, is this too late to see some great fall foliage in any New England state? I don’t expect the peak… but don’t want to make the trip if it won’t be worth it. Thanks!!
How old are the kids? Mystic Seaport in CT is great and in Essex CT there is a fab steam train ride. (Gillette castle is nearby.
Sturbridge village in Sturbridge MA is a great visit.
The reason I mention these places because getting to them will take you through some beautiful scenery. And yes I believe you will find some fall color as well. Salem is just up the coast and has a ton of fun for the kids but do your research for that. Parking is tough for Oct and your best bet is to park in a nearby town and take the train in…
Hi Jeff, My wife and I have a trip scheduled Nov 10-15 and we’re wondering if this will be too late to catch any of the autumn colors in New England. We were hoping with all the rain this year the trees might turn a bit later… Would we be better off heading elsewhere and coming to New England a different year when we can come earlier? Thank you for your site and your reply. Cheers.
I get worn out and usually quit by Halloween here is a shot to show last year 2022 on 27 Oct in Western Connecticut…
Maybe there will be some along the coastal areas but this year is a big question mark… NYC might be real good in Central park?
Thanks for the reply! My girls are 13 and 11… into cute little towns and shopping at boutiques. We are searching the perfect resort to stay and venture out from there. Any ideas of a place in CT?! Many thanks!!!