Fall Foliage Report for 7 Sept 2025
Welcome, Leaf Peepers, only 14 days till the first day of Autumn!
This is not a New England-wide report, simply because I haven’t received many reports as of today. Normally, I don’t start “reporting until 18 to 25 September, but Lisa and I took a drive around the White Mountains of New Hampshire today, and I felt it was worth reporting.
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7 Sept White Mountains of New Hampshire
As I said before, I didn’t see anything today to set off the alarm bells, but the trace colors along the Kancamagus Highway and in Crawford Notch did bother me enough to write this report weeks early..
The Kancamagus Highway (Route 112)
We were driving to Barlett and came across the “Kanc” and then picked up Bear Notch Rd South to Bartlett. I stopped at the Panoramic Overlook (that is what Google calls it), I just call it the big boulder scenic view.
We stopped next at the Sugar Hill Scenic Overlook (not the village of Sugar Hill)
This has way more color than I have ever seen at this point in September. Looking over the valley, I see mostly green, but by October, there will be some holes in the colors.
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Crawford Notch
Again, only a few trees showed any signs, but one or two trees above the Flume Cascade were well along and quite pleasing (but worrying)
Also, another pressure point is the Willey’s Dam and the Saco Lake along Route 302 in Crawford Notch. Both are merely Puddles compared to normal (please think nice rainy thoughts over the next few weeks!
Sugar Hill, NH.
We hit Polly’s Pancake Parlor for lunch, and one note! They do not take call aheads anymore…! So it’s now first-come, first-served and we waited 20 minutes to sit at the counter…
Again, there is an awful lot of green out there, which is normal for 7 Sept, but the drought is causing some trees to turn early. There is a tree next to the parking lot that is all orange, but not a solid orange that we like to see. This was more of an orangy brown, which is a color… I guess, but NOT one I like to see.
Beaver Pond
The last stop of the day was on Lost River Road (Route 112) and the Beaver Pond. As you can see below, it is still very green and no big worries here.
Fall Festival page
Jeff’s thoughts on the drought and the coming autumn
As of now, I don’t think anyone who has reservations should be changing their plans or reservations. This autumn is going to be like the last two autumns and more difficult to predict when and where the colors will pop.
The drought is bringing stressed trees along faster than normal, but not in the usual areas. So this is making it hard for those of us who live here to offer much help. My best advice is to stay as flexible as possible in where you go looking. Don’t get locked into telling yourself that you WILL go and see Smuggler’s Notch and instead be open to heading into Groton State Park (Vermont) and take a drive up to Owl’s Head Mountain.
If you are arriving after Columbus Day weekend, you may be able to be flexible with your lodging and go night to night in different places (I never recommend that 25 Sept through 12 October).
I’m in my busy season, so if you post questions in the comments, I will do my best to get to them.
Jeff Foliage Folger
Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage
Hi Jeff! Love all your insight, so much appreciated!
We’re planning a week long trip Sunday – Friday: Kennybunkport, Cape Cod, Salem and surrounding areas and Glouster areas. Any insight on which week in October would be best? Thank you so much!!!
mid to late October for the coastal areas
Thank you so much, Jeff. Your info and guidance is always welcome and very helpful in my annual Foliage tour of New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. I still look forward to this season no matter what it looks like before hand. I have rarely not been very satisfied. I usually drive around all 3 states as I am there for 2 weeks with my base at a B&B , the O’Reilly House in North Conway NH. I stay there each year, now for about 9 years. This is my favorite vacation of all. Thank you so much for all your careful input.
Thank you Janice for your kind words. I’ve still got a few more years of driving around looking for the fall colors. I dread the day when I can’t do it anymore…
Hi Jeff! Hope you are doing well!
I am planning a 3 day trip to Vermont and New Hampshire and will be exploring from Stowe(North) to South direction(North Conway).Our target is to see peak colors in Stowe, Artists Bluff, Kancamagus highway. I am targeting either Oct 2-Oct 4 or Oct 9-Oct 11.I have reservations for both these timeframes as safe bet. Which date would your recommend for my requirement?
I would do 2-4 as I think the colors may be a little early this year (Unless it warms up (80s-90s) and then it will slow way down again… Conway tends to be later but again it depends on the temps over the next 3 wks
As far as Artist Bluff, don’t do it on the weekend. Wear the proper shoes (flip-flops are not shoes and you are climbing)… just saying I saw people last year doing that…
Hi Jeff! Thanks for the report. I’ve been following you for over a decade. Do you think Woodstock, Vermont will have some decent color Oct 6th-8th?
yes… I think things will be coming a little earlier IF… IF Sept doesn’t warm up (we’re perfectly set with 70s and nights in the 40s and 37 last night here in the western White Mnts)
Hey Jeff! If I’m visiting both white mountains and smugglers notch/green mountains from 7-13th which one should I visit first?
Probably the Whites then the Greens, Smuggs and NEK may be a bit early along with the cool temps we are getting but if it warms up… then the changes will slow down… watch my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Jeff-Foliage
Hi Jeff! Thank you so much for all you do! My sisters are visiting from California on October 15-20, where do you think I should plan on taking them to experience a true New England fall? They are super stoked!
Western Massachusetts and places like Springfield, Stockbridge (Norman Rockwell Museum) and down into the Litchfield hills of Connecticut (Canaan, Cornwall, and Kent)
Pick up https://www.amazon.com/dp/1946494313?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjefffoli-20&creativeASIN=1946494313&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.2B7NT3EYIIBN5&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin and maybe https://www.amazon.com/dp/1946494720?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjefffoli-20&creativeASIN=1946494720&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.2B7NT3EYIIBN5&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin
Hi. Thanks for the reports. How do you think Woodstock/Quechee area will be looking Oct 11-15?
I think it should be fine, it may be later in the cycle if it stays cool throught Sept but it the last part of Sept warms up… it will slow down the process a bit but either way you should see some nice colors
Hello Jeff! So glad to have found your channel. Do you think Sept 26-29 is too early to see colors in Stowe, VT? Unfortunately, that’s the only weekend we can make it up there this year.
Hi Maria, it really depends on the actual weather we receive. If it warms up then those date will be early color but if it stays cool through Sept then the colors should be more developed. The normal time for Stowe is 3 to 10 Oct so no matter you should see some nice colors
Hello..
Planning to cover white mountains area from 10/5 to 10/7, the Stowe from 10/7 to 10/9 and then Woodstock from 10/9 to 10/11..
Does the plan makes sense or should I flip the order.
My start and end are going to be Boston.
Looks reasonable to me, check my blog reports and my YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/@Jeff-Foliage)
Hi Jeff. Do you think there will be good color in the White Mountains from October 6-10? We do have flexibility with regard to the dates and the location. I had my heart set on NH but the trip could be moved further south to Massachusetts or Connecticut.
Hi Dale, I don’t see any reason why we won’t have good color 6-10 October. If you are following my YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@Jeff-Foliage) Then you can stay up on what I’m finding.
We are staying near Bethlehem NH starting Sept 29 – Oct 5. We are heading up to Stowe, Franconia SP, Dixville Notch SP, and Crawford Notch. Other places we should consider?
check this link and choose the state of interest: https://jeff-foliage.com/locations-state/
Hi Jeff! Thanks for your many contributions to this page. First timers this year and will be exploring the fall colors for the first time with my girlfriend.
How do the colors usually look around the Kancamagus Highway around 9/27-9/28? And how do you think it’ll look this year based on your estimated? That’s when I’ll be there with my girlfriend to hopefully catch some colors.
Thanks again!
Well follow my reports both in the blog on this site and my Youtube channel… subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@Jeff-Foliage
Also pick up a gazetteer from my amazon store here: My Amazon Store
But right now it seems about right for good color on the Kanc… Also check this page of articles: https://jeff-foliage.com/beginning-your-foliage-journey/
So my wife and I will be in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts from September 29th to October 20th. I know those states are currently going through some difficult drought conditions. Is the drought going to put a big damper on the fall colors this year? I’m hoping not- this is our dream vacation