New England Fall Foliage Report, 29 Sept 2023
Greetings leaf peepers far and wide! Another week has passed and we saw decent temps with comfy high temps and low temps that were not too cold. This has given us a good amount of fall color change in the last seven days. My photographer friends have been posting pictures from around northern Vermont and New Hampshire which combined with my webcam views of New England gives me a pretty good idea of what is going on. My opinion as to what this weekend through the following week will hold is at the bottom of the article.
It just came to my attention that the Jenne Farm Road is shut down according to a post from the Jenne Farm. Here is the Facebook link
This is a Comparison of last week (22 Sept) and yesterday (28 Sept) From a Webcam on YouTube. You can see it on my website webcams.
What has been seen in the past few days for this Foliage Report
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New Hampshire
Submissions from this week
Chris Whiton of White Mountain Images submitted these New Hampshire Mountain images and a comparison of three previous years to show how each year from the same spot is different but not THAT different.
Over in Dixville Notch, Chris Whiton of White Mtn Images climbed the trail to the top of Table Rock.
Chris also wants to point out that this vantage point while it is one of the best, it is a tough climb and not for first-timers. The rock he is standing on takes really good balance. Please do not be the one to ruin everybody’s day and take a swan dive in an effort to get this view. Stay on the ground and get the shots I do of Dixville Notch (or get a drone).
Chris Whiton shared a couple of other images that showed only a little color progression. Colebrook New Hampshire has only just begun, so while the Northern White Mountains are as always, showing varying degrees of fall colors they are not quite there yet. Visit his website White Mountain Images for more of his work
Vermont
Vermont’s tourism folks are saying their best bets are:
Best bets: Northern areas – summits in the Northeast Kingdom like Mt. Pisgah and Wheeler Mountain. Backroads between Craftsbury and Glover where large old sugar maples line the roads. The 51-mile Northeast Kingdom Byway will likely show pockets of saturated color through St. Johnsbury, Lyndon, and Burke. The wetlands near Swanton and the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge look great as well. Swanton is also one terminus of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, open to walkers, cyclists, and wheelchair users.
Central Vermont’s mountain towns such as Warren and Fayston, as well as the hills around Killington, will also be a good bet around this time. The Scenic Route 100 Byway stretches across south-central Vermont and was named among the most scenic routes in New England by Yankee Magazine, passing through Stowe, Waterbury, Warren, and Killington.
Submissions
John Rowe Photography has sent in a few images from the 25/26th: Here we have a look at Newark Pond in the NEK (Northeast Kingdom)
We can see that the fall colors appear more pronounced and just about there. You can visit the links to his website and see more of his work.
On the ground at Newark Pond Photographer Sue Hallett got this picture from the ground level.
So even though some people are saying there are no reds, Sue found some at Newark Pond in Westmore Vermont. Visit her website here on Fine Art America.
Maine
Maines Forester’s create the reports for the foliage report map. To me, it feels a bit optimistic but the fall colors ARE changing.
If you look at the shot to the right, You can see the colors are definitely developing, and compared to just this past Monday (9/25) it is a dramatic change to four days later.
Brownville Maine is Southwest of Millinocket which is south of Katahdin (Baxter National Park.
This area is pretty wild and that are not a lot of roads to get through the hills of this area.
Laura Casey of Mainely Casey Photography submitted the Central Maine drone shot from near her home.
Central Maine is just starting to develop but she feels the trees are not faring well due to all the rain.
In some cases, she feels the fall colors have a burnt feel to the color.
We will see what happens as we move further into the season.
What does Jeff think?
For this weekend (29 Sept – 1 Oct) I wish I could say if peak will be found somewhere. That is not happening! There are “good” colors in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. But they jump from one area to the next and it isn’t a sure thing. For instance, Colebrook NH is rather green as of 29 September but 10 miles to the East on Route 26 is Dixville Notch which (seen above) we can see is at high color and it “should” be peak at about 2-5 days IF Mother Nature cooperates.
In Vermont, I would look to the northern areas of the Northeast Kingdom. Drives along Routes 105 and 114 “should” be productive and it appears the colors might go as far as south as to Newark Pond and Island Pond should have pretty good color. I have not seen any pictures of Lake Willoughby or over by Burke. I hope this Sunday to maybe drive through this area. (we’ll see)
If I was driving over to Maine I would plan on going through Errol (should be pretty, maybe) and over to the Height of land which was starting to look pretty earlier this week. Rangeley, Eustis, Strattford Maine, and over to Greenville should be showing good color.
*** Just added*** Lisa and I just finished our drive from Northwestern to Northeastern Vermont on Route 105 to 111 and back on 105. Eastern 105 was very pretty. Route 3 South was very pretty and in Groveton the Covered bridge there had a bright hillside of color to frame it against. We caught 302 South through Crawford Notch and the Northern End of the Notch down to Willey’s Pond is really pretty. After that the color faded before we hit Bartlett and Conway and Tamworth are still very green.
Jeff’s Weather Look Ahead
Well, I have been saying, a lot of what we get in the fall colors will depend on the actual weather that we get. While we are looking at partly to sunny days the temps are climbing into the mid-70s (flirting with 80 later this next week) and lows climbing into the mid-50s. This is a bit too “balmy” to really make the leaves turn very much. So if you are up here or about to arrive, read last week’s article for the 23rd about the plan B’s that Lisa and I suggested.
Our plans for this fall
I’ve made reservations in Bethel Maine which allows me to head up Route 26 to Grafton Notch or Route 5 and up Route 17 to Rangeley. For the following week (13- 15 October) We’ll be at the northern area of Lake Winnipesaukee in Center Harbor. This way I can head north or south as needed.
Asked about How to Make sure to be in time for Peak on the Kanc…
I worry less about whether a certain drive is at peak and more that I will be able to find peak while I am there in the area. If I feel like driving the Kanc or the Flume Gorge then I’ll do so even if they are not “perfect” they will be beautiful all the same…
Jeff Foliage Folger
Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage
- Visit my Fine Art America Gallery
- Visit my Amazon store to pick up New England-related materials
- Visit my Pictorem Gallery (Free shipping in the US and Canada)
- My Facebook foliage page
- Threads.net/@Jeff_Foliage
- Follow our new Fall Foliage FB Group!
- You can visit Lisa’s Artist Facebook Page by clicking here
Thanks for this optimistic report.
Hey Jeff! I have reservations in Moultonbourough NH and Rockland Maine for Oct 13-16. Based on what you have seen so far which area do you think would be the better base for that weekend? Thanks!
Good question but I don’t think I can give you a good answer. Rockland on the ocean is beautiful but not a ton of color. Moultonboro is on Lake Winnipesaukee and also beautiful… Guess were I am this weekend… On the other end of the lake… Center Harbor so maybe that is your answer.
So just discovered your newsletter and am very grateful! Peepers have been asking me for the past two weeks where they should go to see color and I can now refer them to your site. Thanks for the great information.
not a problem. The more the merrier…
Do you think Concord/Manchester then over toward York beach Maine will be peak Oct 7- 13. Those are the dates we will be up there. The forecast looks like rain though for many of those days. Also if it will be peak how does this years colors brilliancy-wise compare to good years vs not so good. In other words is this a good year or would it be best to postpone until next year?
Well until we see what we get, we won’t know… I’m good but I’m not that good… but I would plan to go and have a blast. If you lead with that intent then I think it will happen… Normally the coast is about that time but without sunny days??? that could slow things down. check out all the lighthouses they have!!!
For next weekend of Oct 6th to 8th, do you think Northeast VT be my best bet, or will it likely be past peak and I’d be better going toward Central VT?
Actually, I meant to add: The Adirondacks in NY are also an option – have you heard reports from there and do you think they’ll be good for color next weekend?
Hey Jeff, I have reservations on Conway/Lincoln NH on October 14,15,16 and on Woodstock, VT in October 17 and 18. The reservations can be cancelled and changed if needed. Can you please suggest me some best places( in terms of fall colors) to visit in New England between October 14 to 18 ?
Hate to put you off but this is kind of my busy time… Here is a page on my site (https://jeff-foliage.com/locations-state/) where you click the state you are interested in. Normally those date put you in southern NH or VT but this year is tough, Rain this Sat but temps Sat through the next few days have lows in the mid 30s… could be good or really bad, it all depends on what weather we actually get… it’s a day by day kind of thing
Thank you so much for your advice about where to see color. Today is Oct 2 and my friends and I were planning to drive the Kancamagus Hwy. At your recommendation we drove Dixville Notch instead. It was stunning. From our novice leaf peeping point of view, it was close to peak.
We have come all the way from California and Colorado to see New England in the fall. We are so grateful that our first and maybe only experience as leaf peepers has been fabulous thanks to your posts. We appreciate all your efforts to ensure that we tourists enjoy the best of fall in beautiful New England!
Thank you I appreciate it, Hopefully you’ll get to come back another year…