It’s a long weekend for many workers across the United States, giving New Englanders the exclusive opportunity of extra time to see the fall colors starting to spread across the region.
The weekly shortlist of states with peak foliage has been released by Yankee Magazine, with most of the best colors continuing to show in the northmost part of New England.
Massachusetts has yet to see real color coming through; the magazine’s map predicts Oct. 25 as the date when the Bay State will begin its peak.
The magazine stated previous hopes of earlier foliage peaks in southern New England were dashed over the past week with flooding rains and continued humidity; consequently, the foliage will take more time to progress this year, experts said.
However, Saturday, Oct. 7, marks the date for some parts of Central to Eastern Massachusetts to be in late fall foliage color season, the map predicts, though no specific areas of the state were suggested for leaf-peeping.
“Warm, sunny days and crisp, cool nights finally kick-started the colors and brought out the very best that we could hope for after the setup that we’ve had,” the magazine said.
Southern New England foliage has been affected by the flooding rains and continued humidity through last week, and will consequently take more time to progress this year.
The three states the magazine recommends are Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire, with the Granite State falling first on the list for the weekend.
“Near-peak colors will be found this weekend across the mountain regions in all three states, especially the northern White Mountains, the spine of the Green Mountains, and the mountains of Western Maine. Bright colors will continue to develop in the mid-elevations,” the magazine said.
Here’s the best places to see fall foliage in New England the weekend of Oct. 6, through Oct. 9, listed by the magazine.
New Hampshire
Yankee Mag’s pick of the week is New Hampshire; specifically, in Peterborough. Though the small town doesn’t fall in the magazine’s suggested area in the state currently peaking — the White Mountains — the foliage experts said leaf-peepers can revel in the quiet coziness of the small town.
Peterborough falls within the Monadnock region of the state, another part outside of the White Mountains the magazine recommends exploring to see the reds, oranges and yellows.
“Destinations may include Pack Monadnock with its summit views accessible by car, Mount Monadnock for world-class hiking, or Dublin Lake for paddling. There are also scenic foliage driving routes through Harrisville and Hancock, both charming towns with exceptional lunch spots,” the magazine said.
The Monadnock Region’s Open Art Studio Tour is also happening this weekend, the magazine advised, another good stop in your small-town tour. Additionally, the magazine lists several restaurants, breweries, pubs and inns if you plan to stay for the weekend.
Honorable Mentions
- Groton, Vermont
- Littleton, New Hampshire
- Millinocket, Maine
