Fall Foliage Hiking in New England: Where to Go and When to Go
The fall foliage season in New England concentrates the most spectacular seasonal color in North America into a four-to-six-week window that moves progressively southward from late September through late October. From the peaks of Vermont’s Green Mountains to the rocky summits of New Hampshire’s White Mountains to the coastal headlands of Maine’s Acadia, the combination of hardwood forest color and mountain terrain produces a hiking environment with no close equivalent in other seasons or other regions.
Timing: A Moving Window
Peak foliage in New England moves roughly southward at about 50 to 100 miles per week as temperatures drop. Northern Maine and the high elevations of New Hampshire typically peak in late September. Vermont’s valleys and the lower elevations of the White Mountains peak in early-to-mid October. Connecticut, Rhode Island, and southern Massachusetts peak in mid-to-late October. The specific peak in any given location varies by several days to a week from year to year based on temperature patterns. FoliageNetwork.com and the state tourism boards of all six New England states publish current foliage reports during the season.
The Best Hikes for Fall Color
The Green Mountain Club trail network in Vermont, including sections of the Long Trail, passes through hardwood forest at peak color in early to mid October. Mount Greylock in Massachusetts — the highest peak in the state at 3,491 feet — offers spectacular foliage views from the summit observation tower. Acadia National Park in Maine peaks in late September at higher elevations, providing the unique combination of coastal scenery and fall color that produces some of the most photographed landscapes in the eastern US.
