Good Vs. Bad Foliage Forecast Maps
I’m guessing that everybody is wondering what is going to happen this fall, as far as our New England Fall Foliage is concerned. Below are two planning tools to help you base your decisions.
First I want to say that as Connor Knighton pointed out during my CBS Sunday Morning interview, “You don’t work for the tourism folks, why do you do this?” My reply is very true, “I like to be helpful“… This is the main reason for this blog!
Let’s look at “what I think” are Good and Bad foliage Maps!
You will notice that I DON’T create a map or some sort of general sort of visual progression for the fall colors. I don’t mind them as they are good at being a “general” sort of predictor of the fall colors. These maps may get you in the ballpark and that is fine, but NONE of them can tell you where the peak will be on a specific day… NONE!
The “Good” Foliage Map
This is what I consider to be a “good” map to give you a starting point to plan your trip. This one is created by my friends at Yankee magazine. This particular map is just for prediction and can be found here.
I think the dates are fair and while each year is different, I think it gives the best “basic” dates.
The Yankee map is just for getting an idea of the general conditions that “should/could” be happening about the date in the little calendar. I will admit I had many an argument with Yankee over these sorts of maps because they are not as accurate as I would like. They are not “true” predictors of what will happen but as far as what MIGHT happen this one isn’t too bad. They also have an app to report foliage findings and this, in turn, updates another of their maps.
My problem with their maps
I stopped the map on Oct 1st to say that in my “opinion“, I think this is about a week early and all the yellow in CT/RI should be much greener with just a little yellow. The NW side of Vermont over Lake Champlain should be green because the areas near big lakes turn later which is why if people tell me they are arriving late I send them to the big lakes.
The Bad Foliage Map
The Smokey Mountain tourism folks put out what is my least favorite and it’s my opinion only but to me, it has always rushed the New England fall colors. I will not link to it but with so many travel writers out there mentioning it, you can’t help but trip over it. Just wipe your shoe off before getting in the car…
They usually show the New England fall colors starting around 22 Sept and New England has completely faded by 15 October… Needless to say, I was laughing myself silly over this until my readers started coming to me asking if they should change their plans… (WHAT???)
These are two past maps that I am allowing you to move the slide back and forth. I think a great many of you would love it if Vermont was fully peak on 28 Sept (about 90% peak) and then if you slide it to reveal the other map, then New England is 98% past peak by the 17th of October… Hmmm here is a gallery of images from 16-19 October in various years. I think their idea of past peak and mine are very different.
So far this year, I have seen several news outlets with articles about how great the Smokey Mtn map is… (one is from a Ph.D.?? Did she get her doctorate from a Cracker Jack box). I clicked the 28th of September and they predict the coming fall colors are peak weeks ahead of a normal year. In the last 10 years, only 2020 was early enough to show peak in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont was not even close to the peak. In 2020 we found peak to near peak in Franconia Notch on 27 Sept. (One time in 20 years)
But come on guys! The Smoky Mountain Tourism Bureau says that on the 28th of September, 96% of Vermont is at its peak. The White Mountains from the Lakes Region North to the 1st Connecticut Lakes up near Pittsburgh NH are also at their peak. And don’t get me started about Maine…
A travel industry writer posted that she checked out the data and she felt it was fair and then she said and I quote “I do think tools like this give people a window to plan. And if the “real” prime time is savored by locals all the better“.
She basically said SHE KNEW SHE WAS LYING.
I won’t mention who she is or the publication she writes for as this was a private exchange. These are the people writing these articles on the internet Who HAVE NEVER been to these places. Please be careful as to which ones you pay attention to.
You’re Always a short Detour from
Take a look at the map on their website and pick a start and end point. simply click on places along your route to add them to your itinerary.
There are tons of places that are listed from diners to B&Bs and activities to explore.
Save $5 off the year’s cost
Many people will say that they can do the same thing for free in Google Maps and this is true. But this is SO MUCH SIMPLER…
I’ve looked at it and find it to be of value to my readers. As a further bonus, if you sign up for their service, you can use this code BTR5QTP and take $5 off the one-year price.
This can be used anywhere in the U.S. and I think you will find it super simple to use. You can make a map with 5 waypoints for free so try it and see! Click here to try it out.
Tourism at its worst…
Ok, it’s clear to me that they want to drive tourist dollars to the Smoky Mountains and they want you to ignore the King (New England) of fall colors. I talked to a Gentleman today in Quechee VT at the Balloon Festival, who says driving the Blue Ridge Parkway, is tough because it’s the peak in one part and bare in another, and partially turning in another… I told him that is just the way it is up here in New England too! Fall rarely happens the way you want it to.
Choose which one you want to use and then use it carefully.
Have a great fall foliage day…
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 miss the beautiful colors of the East. And I remember how the peak of colors varied from one year to another and from one place to another. One year we had a really wet summer and almost no colors in the fall as a result.
I’m not too worried about too much rain taking away the colors at this point. This could happen if we got a real wet August or worse Sept and then we would be unhappy campers… Too much of anything is a bad thing. a balance is best…
I miss the beautiful colors of the East. And I remember how the peak of colors varied from one year to another and from one place to another. One year we had a really wet summer and almost no colors in the fall as a result.
I’m not too worried about too much rain taking away the colors at this point. This could happen if we got a real wet August or worse Sept and then we would be unhappy campers… Too much of anything is a bad thing. a balance is best…