Some states in New England are celebrating the first weekend of October with peak fall foliage colors in their trees, the leaves finally giving a show after a later start to the season and no notable peak areas in the Northeast last weekend.
Yankee Magazine released its weekly shortlist of the best places around the region to go leaf-peeping over the weekend with three particular states in mind. Though Massachusetts didn’t make the cut this time, there are plenty of places within a few hours’ drive that will be worth the day trip.
“We needed warm days and cool nights to salvage the season, and that is what we are seeing,” the magazine wrote. “And visitors will be generally pleasantly surprised with how much color will have emerged by the weekend, especially with scattered frosts this week!”
Here’s everywhere the magazine listed for prime leaf-peeping the weekend of Sept. 29 through Oct. 1.
Vermont
The Green Mountain State has been named the top pick of the week by Yankee Magazine’s standards as the best place to see beautiful, vibrant fall foliage over the weekend. Specifically, the magazine names the Northeast Kingdom corner with the town of Burke, and the sections of East Burke and Burke Hollow, as great spots to see the leaves.
Within Burke lies The Kingdom Trails, a 100-mile stretch of maintained trails for hiking, trail running and mountain biking, which the magazine said has become a popular area in the town in recent years. East Burke also offers quaint, small-town New England vibes with a local coffee shop, country store and a bistro, along with authentic Vermont Maple Creams sold at Clementine’s Creamery.
The magazine recommends traveling up Rte. 5A through the Willoughby Gap to Newport, or westward through winding roads to the popular Hill Farmstead Brewery.
Looking to stay in the area? Yankee suggested anywhere from the small inns and hotels to campgrounds, such as Burke Mountain Campground or luxury lodges at the Inn at Burklyn.
New Hampshire and Maine
Though not as revered as Vermont for this upcoming weekend, both New Hampshire and Maine’s northern halves are offering some good color for peepers.
The Great North Woods of New Hampshire and the northern White Mountains will offer the best chances to see peak colors, the magazine said. The White Mountains’ cool valleys, especially those away from bigger water bodies like Zealand Valley, will also show some strong leaf change.
Some upper areas of Maine, including mountains and northern parts, will be in full fall foliage, but the magazine doesn’t recommend any specific spots. It stated colors will rapidly form across northern New England soon after a few more mornings in the 30s and 40s, and a region-wide dry stretch.
