New England Fall Foliage Time

[wise one]

My wife and I are recently retired school teachers from Ohio. For years, we have looked at New England fall foliage pictures and wanted to visit the area for ourselves, but always had to teach during that time of year. So, we have decided that this is the year to go.

We have enough timeshare deposits, with both RCI and II to get several weeks at resorts in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and/or Mass. and have our eyes on several resorts that appear to be great trades.

We know that weather will affect the colors, and are assuming that the further north you go, the earlier, but when is the best viewing times for the fall foliage in these areas of New England:

Berkshires?

Northern Vermont such as Stowe?

The White Mountains of New Hampshire?

Eastern Mass, such as the Cape Cod area?

 

[Gophesjo]

I have lived in Minnesota, New England, and North Carolina, and BY FAR, the best fall color is in North Carolina. (I also prefer the Roanoke Valley in Virginia for fall color as well.) Typically all of New England's fall foliage is past its peak by the middle of October, which is when the foliage in the Piedmont of North Carolina is just coming into its own. Don't count out the inland North Carolina resorts for exchanges, too.

 

[wise one]

Gophesjo,

Thank you for your comments. We love the western NC fall foliage, as we own at a timeshare in Gatlinburg, TN and have spent long weekends in the Great Smokies and at my brother-in-laws cabin near Tuckasegee (Jackson County), NC. But we have never been to the New England states in the fall.

The weeks we are looking at are from September 22 to October 21, but just looking for some fall foliage advice before I book.

 

[SailBadtheSinner]

Run the interactive fall foliage map provided by Yankee Magazine to get an idea of when average peak foliage occurs across New England- http://www.yankeefoliage.com/peak-foliage-forecast-map/


SBtS

 

[wise one]

Thanks SailBadtheSinner.

That map is awesome.

Looks like we will be in Smugglers' Notch for Sept 23-30 and the Berkshires for Sept 30 - Oct 7.

Looks like peak time for both.

The site even has links to recommended drives.

 

[momeason]

Thanks SailBadtheSinner.

That map is awesome.

Looks like we will be in Smugglers' Notch for Sept 23-30 and the Berkshires for Sept 30 - Oct 7.

Looks like peak time for both.

The site even has links to recommended drives.

We went last fall. It was cold. Not the best year for fall color. I think the drought kept it from being a good year.

 

[WinniWoman]

Thanks SailBadtheSinner.

That map is awesome.

Looks like we will be in Smugglers' Notch for Sept 23-30 and the Berkshires for Sept 30 - Oct 7.

Looks like peak time for both.

The site even has links to recommended drives.

That's perfect! Can't do any better than that. After Columbus day, it starts getting very "brown" in those parts. Enjoy!

 

[Sandi_Roger]

Wise One

I suspect that the weeks you selected could be too early for the best foliage.

We have made many fall trips to VT and NH. Usually the peak in central Vt and NH is about Columbus day weekend. About a week later in the Berkshires.

Perhaps Sept 30 - Oct 7 and Oct 7 - 14 would be better.

The locations that you have chosen are good because they allow you to drive either north or south for the best viewing.

It's true that last year was poor, we had a lot less leaves in the fall in Connecticut. Perhaps because of the tropical storm in August that damaged the leaves.

Roger

 

[dmorea]

I concur......Southern Vt .. Columbus day weekend usually hits the peak !

 

[WinniWoman]

I concur......Southern Vt .. Columbus day weekend usually hits the peak !

Yes - but they are going to Northern VT and it peaks just before Columbus Day. Berkshires would be better the week after Columbus Day, but it still will be pretty..

 

[jme]

Smokies!!!!!

Smokies are hard to beat. Gatlinburg area is great, and so is Blue Ridge Parkway in NC..... Doesn't get any better. So gorgeous that people are literally pulling off the roads for photos.

Peaks the second and third weeks of October consistently...... still some color before and after that.

 

[Sandi_Roger]

When using Columbus day as a benchmark, consider that this year it's as early in the month as it will ever be.

I recall motorcycling to Lake George NY about 10 years ago on Columbus day weekend. The leaves were all green there. The next day, at the north end of Lake George, we crossed over the river into VT. What made the trip worthwhile, there was a large meadow area where migrating geese were stopping. We saw multiple flocks of geese in the air and on the ground. it was quite a sight. We traveled further north on our day trip. There was some good color, but there was also a lot of green.

Also, it might be wise to consider another location than Smugglers Notch. It's easier to travel from Stowe to rt 100 in VT and the Kanamagus Highway in NH. Both are very scenic roads.

Roger

 

[Quiet Pine]

I'm From Vermont...

Northern Vermont such as Stowe?

...and my dad always said, "the first 10 days of October." This would cover Burlington-Stowe-Montpelier. In my experience it's been true, but weird weather can throw the colors off.

 

[TravelMamma]

My wife and I are recently retired school teachers from Ohio. For years, we have looked at New England fall foliage pictures and wanted to visit the area for ourselves, but always had to teach during that time of year. So, we have decided that this is the year to go.

We have enough timeshare deposits, with both RCI and II to get several weeks at resorts in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and/or Mass. and have our eyes on several resorts that appear to be great trades.

We know that weather will affect the colors, and are assuming that the further north you go, the earlier, but when is the best viewing times for the fall foliage in these areas of New England:

Berkshires?

Northern Vermont such as Stowe?

The White Mountains of New Hampshire?

Eastern Mass, such as the Cape Cod area?

I grew up going to the White Mountains in NH and like others have said, the best time is around Columbus Day for that area. Beautiful !!

 

[Hawaiibarb]

Consider Trapp Family Lodge

I agree with the comment that Stowe is a more convenient location than Smuggs. I go every year to the Trapp Family Lodge and love it. Easy to make lots of day trips from Stowe; you'll find NH is beautiful, too. For Stowe, my experience is that the first week in October is usually very nice, although as others have said, Mother Nature sometimes throws a curve.