10 Oct 2023, Fall Foliage Report
Greetings Leaf Peepers far and wide!
I know this is only Tuesday and I usually only do a weekend report but the conditions are such that I thought I should post now. If you are on your way up here or you are here and wondering what happened to all the great colors. This is the great mystery of Leaf Peeping and why I’ve pulled all my hair out!
This webcam shot of Katahdin rising over the fog, seen from Millinocket Maine (click to view my webcam page) is an example of what I’m trying to explain (in a way) The potential for the fall colors lies just below the fog bank but it’s obscured by the current conditions.
We have to wait for the conditions to be better for the fall colors to be revealed to us. We can’t “make” it happen, it has to have the right conditions and then with time, the fall colors may be revealed to us like in this second shot which was a half hour after the first.
These are screenshots from my webcam page and you should go out to YouTube and visit the hosting page because we have these images because they host these cameras, so go join their page.
Early on, we had good temps; while the lows were only in the low to mid-40s, it was enough to give us a start to the colors. Many bright sunny days with cool nights started giving us a good show but the problem is those colors wear out and start to fade and we need continued conditions for the turning to continue flowing south. Last week heading into the weekend, we started getting warm if not hot temps and that is not what we want to see.
Well, the 2023 autumn season started out good but it has (for now) fizzled and the question you may be asking is, are we going to get more outstanding color? That is the $64 question. see below.
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.
What has been seen in the past few days…
Since the clearing skies on Sunday and till today, these are a few of the shots that my photographer friends have posted, and as you will see, all of them are having trouble as well.
I have published my 2024 fall foliage calendar. This year I created my calendar with 12 scenic months of New England images. This will allow you to explore New England from top to bottom in all seasons. Also, on the same page, is my 2024 covered bridge calendar and a Winter in New England. Click the link on my calendar page to go to Lulu.com and view/purchase.
New Hampshire
The Majority of Photographers seem to have congregated in New Hampshire this week. First up is Sue Hallett (view her gallery here) this was taken today 10-10-2023
Obviously, the colors at Beaver Pond on Route 112 are less than we would like but they are there, just muted. Visit her Fine Art Gallery here. She was heading south I-93 today (10 Oct) and she says it was colorful along the highway??? Hey, it’s something!
Benjamin Williamson of Benjamin Williamson Photography was up in Jackson New Hampshire at the Jackson Falls.
As you will notice a good photographer will work with what they have for the best composition. Even with limited color the orange leaves really stand out.
Christ Whiton of White Mountain Images says: looking southeast from the southern end of Crawford Notch. After this, I drove through Conway, Tamworth, Center Harbor, and Holderness – everything was either green, sticks, or blah. Here is a comparison of Mount Chocorua in this year versus last year.
Last week, the 4th of October 2023, and then again on the 9th of October 2022. We had great promise on the 4th and it’s still green so far this week.
He was also doing some scrambling in Crawford Notch and looking south through the Notch it was quite beautiful but not because of the fall colors…
I think Chris is part Mountain Goat because he gets to amazing places… Like what I believe is the Frankenstein Trestle seen above.
Vermont
I don’t have much in the way of Vermont images and the word is that many of the areas in the Northeast Kingdom have also faded. I know a few people have found some nice colors. But my friend Linda Baird-White says around Barre Vermont which was hit extremely hard by the July floods, the leaves are turning brown and dropping. Further South off Route 100 at the junction of Route 4, we find…
John Burk of John Burk Photography went to Windsor Reservoir.
Maine
The only images I have for Maine is the Millinocket view of Katahdin at the top of the article. Most of everything I’m seeing currently are muted colors in people’s images posted to the Facebook New England Fall Foliage Photos group. Benjamin Williamson who works for DownEast Magazine says that he found Camden Maine… Blah… (that is the technical term)
But that said I’m heading to Maine this week, so we will see…
Jeff’s Thoughts going forward this week 11-15 Oct
OK, where to start? First, this sort of event hasn’t happened in a number of years (2005 or 2017 comes to mind) and I hate it when they come around to haunt us. The region’s heavy rainfall has led to flooding and confusion. And now you and I are scratching our heads…
Remember my 23 September report? I mentioned that this “could” happen. I said to make sure you have your plan B’s ready and below I’m re-posting the plan B’s that came to my mind.
Vermont
Vermont Country Store
Cold Hollow Cider Mill
Ben and Jerrys
Any of 70 + covered bridges
AND NOT SLEEPY HOLLOW FARM 🙂
New Hampshire
Clarks Bears, they close around Columbus Day
Polly’s Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill
Call Ahead as they are very busy
Calif’s Country Store, Barrington NH
Cider Donut Trail, https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/new-hampshire/apple-cider-donut-trail-nh/
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, Concord
Castle in the Clouds Route 25 in Moultonboro NH
Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, Holderness
Cog Rail up Mount Washington
Maine
Sabbathday Quaker Village, 707 Shaker Rd, New Gloucester, ME
Freeport and L.L. Bean
The Dessert of Maine
Coastal Maine, Lighthouses, Portland Head Light, Nubble Lighthouse, etc…
Kittery Trading Post, Kittery Maine
8 Covered Bridges
So, where does this leave us? The rest of this week is cold to partly sunny/cloudy. cool temps will help the fall colors remaining on the trees turn and then the elephant in the room will drop the other shoe. Rain to some degree will be falling depending on where you look Friday through Sunday and in most cases into next week.
I wish I could see a glimmer of light at the end of this tunnel but if there is a light in the tunnel. It’s a high-speed train coming our way. There are decent colors (muted colors) all around central to southern VT/NH/ME, moving into Massachusetts. Next week I see temps dropping into the mid-30s for lows but we NEED to get the clear days for them to mean something.
I’m sorry I don’t have a particularly rosy outlook at this moment. I even moved this week’s reservations from the Lakes region in New Hampshire to Acadia Maine because they are showing partly cloudy to sunny through this Saturday (14th Oct) in Eastern Maine. I’m going where I can get some sunshine. I think things will get better but only if the weather gets better to provide a chance for the leaves to really turn… Can it? YES, But will it?
My next report will not be until Sunday, October the 15th
In fact, the only way to get a great image like this one of Mount Washington from Pinkham Notch is to visit my website (with free shipping in North America)
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
I arrived in Burlington, VT on 10/3 and the colors were decent in the drive to Waterbury. Ditto with the drives to Middlebury and Manchester over the following two days. Since then, I haven’t seen anything to rival past years, although I did see a magnificent rainbow one afternoon. I even drove a few backroads, just to get out of the traffic! I followed my plan B and enjoyed everything, but was disappointed in the colors.
Thanks for this clear write up that describes very well what we have been seeing. This is our long awaited 1st trip to see the New England fall colors. I have been unimpressed and worried that it is all marketing hype. Your report put these fears to rest at least. Looks like we’ll have to try again sometime.
Well as was pointed out in my CBS Sunday Morning interview, Conner Knighton stated/asked :”You don’t work for the tourism companies, why do you do it?”… “I like to be helpful”
Some photographers or visitors do ramp up the saturation in hopes of selling their images and I always roll my eyes because when reds pop off the page, it’s usually not…real. Especially if you see purple and pinks in with the reds. So marketing is what it is.
But this is a down year and I’m sorry this was your first year. I hate to say how good last year was but here is a shot from the Kanc…
Thanks Jeff. I wasn’t meaning to imply that you were part of the hype. In fact, I was noting just the opposite – that your write-up was the first I saw that indicated this was an abnormally bad year.
Great shot BTW…
Not a problem, I try to give the best answers I can… Safe travels…
https://jeff-foliage.com/2023/10/14/14-oct-2023-new-england-fall-foliage-report/
I’ve been in Carrabasset Valley 2th – 4th and from there to Kingfield and at Flagstaff Lake really bright colour. I stay until Thursday in Jackson, NH. 5 nights left from thursday until flight Home to Germany. Wich direction shall I go?
Want to see Vermont – or back to Rangeley/Carrabasset?
You might head over towards Mount Dessert Island (Acadia National Park) the weather is going to be the best during the next 4 or so days and while not bright sunny it will be partly cloudy. as to the quality of the colors I can not attest to that. I’m heading there tomorrow… If you got good color I would not head to Vermont and no further than NH and even then the color are a bit less than I would like there.
Thank you for your article, Jeff! I have been feverishly waiting for your article this week since my plane leaves the 17th for a weeklong road trip from Boston, to VT, NH, ME. I can’t wait until the 15th for the new one, which will seal the fate on if I cancel my tickets and try again next year. Dang leaf peepers 😀
I posted yesterdays early because I’m up in Maine looking around on Thurs/Fri and I will try to get something out on Sat.
This is excellent information Jeff, thank you. Like the previous commenter I too will be seeking my first fall colours experience, but not till the third week of October, and not deciding which state until closer to my visit. Based on your article, it seems the bright colours will be done in New England by then. But will keep checking your updates. I’m sorry I missed you on CBS on Sunday.
It’s hard to say definitively because just when I think I have a handle on it Mother Nature says otherwise. But the general consensus is that it’s a tough year and it won’t be much better than we we have already seen. I saw some pretty color but they were hit or miss and took a bit of driving.I will try to get something out on Sat with what I find today and tomorrow.
I’m in North Adam’s at Wigwam Summit and will head towards northern Vermont at this point tomorrow. Can’t chase color so I guess it’s a brewery tour. Hill Farmstead here I come!!!
Great attitude Bryn, I only hope I can be as positive… Safe travels!
Try New York! The colors there are just beautiful!
Well, I’m sure it is but my blog is about New England… Not… NY… thanks!
Hi Jeff, thank you for being so helpful. Any comments or tips on Acadia and fall foliage? I will get there tomorrow. Thanks!
Check my blog in ten minutes… I’m just publishing it… here https://jeff-foliage.com/2023/10/14/14-oct-2023-new-england-fall-foliage-report/
fall foliage fizzle — That’s what I’ve been seeing this year. (That’s the search string that brought me to your web site.) I feel very sad for people who scheduled special trips to New York and the New England states for Autumn 2023 to see the (usually) glorious fall colors. This is the drabbest autumn I have ever seen here.
Well, These things happen and we were due. 2003, 2005, 2011, 2017, and now 2023 were years that we had significant “events” that affected the fall colors in negative ways. Either heat waves or rain. It happens and if you read my reply on Herr’s comment I have said once or twice a month since July about my thoughts about what “might” happen. I have set all my readers expectations all summer since the first rains drenched New England, as I posted from him is this image that I’m quite happy with (it is for sale im my Gallery) from 6 Oct in Crawford Notch.
So is it the drabbest? Hmmm. I don’t think so BUT… is it making me work for it, YES!
I appreciate that you love Autumn! I’ve always loved the Fall. And, indeed, each Autumn does have its own distinct personality.
(My favorite birthday gift ever is the subscription my parents started for me to Vermont Life magazine when I was twelve. All the issues were beautiful, but, as they knew, the Fall issues were always super special to me.)
I have many of the Yankee Magazine Fall Issues (Sept/Oct) from 62-1995 and then the larger fall issues. I have at least 3 by my bedside that I look at before bed… Plus I have a few Vermont Life mags as well