I searched but couldn't find anything. I thought there may be some reports from people that had visited the area in fall. I'm starting to research for a planned trip October 2025. It's obviously not important but if anyone knows of any report please post it. @Tony Crocker I'm sure you've done a fall leaves trip?
New England non snow reports?
- Thread starter Sbooker
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jasoncapecod
Well-known member
usually the quality of the leaf season is contingent upon the summer.. If its a dry or wet summer etc...
i'm lucky to live 5 mins from good viewing...
I'm not sure why you would assume that. There have been coincidental times when I've been in some places at the right time, usually for work related reasons. The peak season ranges from late September in far northern New England to early November in some coastal areas of the Northeast. The desirable weather pattern is clear with cold nights. As with skiing, rain will screw it up. I had an actuarial meeting in Boston in fall 1988, used it to get my first ever October ski day at Killington. I ventured as far north as my great aunt's place in Northfield, then back to Boston via North Conway, NH. There was a lot of rain that October, not much in the way of fall foliage anywhere. I had another trip mid-October 1993 to Concord, NH and drove up by Lake Winnepesaukee. That one was spectacularly beautiful
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Mmmm. I didn't know that thanks. I thought the foliage was pretty constant and reliable. I guess it's a nice area to visit even if the leaves aren't optimal. Kylie wants to go to Montreal so we'll fly into there. I suppose there is plenty of places to go north, south, east and west of there.
You have done some extensive travel and not all ski related. I thought you may have done a dedicated trip to see the fall leaves. I guess you lived in the east for a time so it would be no huge deal to you...........
ChrisC
Well-known member
I grew up / spent most of my pre-adult life in New York/New England, went to college in New Hampshire and spent some time in Boston afterwards.
Peak week for New England fall colors is early to mid-October, which is essentially Columbus Day for lower elevations. Taller mountains (3-4k feet) can start changing in mid-late September and reach their peak then. They might be barren by Columbus Day.
Some of the best New England areas are outside of Boston:
I always found foliage to be consistent and reliable. Sometimes conditions align to make some years more exceptional, but all are beautiful.
The worst conditions would be wind and heavy rain knocking the leaves off - like an early Noreaster.
As for what conditions produce the best colors - I have no idea.
I googled/AI searched, and according to the USDA Forestry Dept:
As for Montreal, I do not know quite the optimal time, but it's similar. I believe I was up in Montreal around Canadian Thanksgiving in October, and there was still foliage due to the city being a heat sink. However, I prefer Mountains and Hills covered in fall colors. Assume you could drive out of the city to Mont Tremblant/Laurentians. Patrick?
Peak week for New England fall colors is early to mid-October, which is essentially Columbus Day for lower elevations. Taller mountains (3-4k feet) can start changing in mid-late September and reach their peak then. They might be barren by Columbus Day.
Some of the best New England areas are outside of Boston:
- I-93 up to Loon/Cannon Mt; take Kancamagus Highway to North Conway, NH, and see Wildcat/Mt. Washington, then back down to Boston
- I-89 up to White River Junction/Hanover, Woodstock, VT, and Killington. Perhaps follow Rte 100 all the way to Stowe - even go through Smugglers Notch, come back down I-89
- Rte 2 through the Berkshires to Williamstown
I always found foliage to be consistent and reliable. Sometimes conditions align to make some years more exceptional, but all are beautiful.
The worst conditions would be wind and heavy rain knocking the leaves off - like an early Noreaster.
As for what conditions produce the best colors - I have no idea.
I googled/AI searched, and according to the USDA Forestry Dept:
The weather conditions before and during the fall season can affect the intensity and duration of fall colors. The best fall color displays are often produced by a combination of warm, sunny days, cool nights, and adequate soil moisture:
Temperature
Warm, sunny days promote the production of anthocyanins, which produce reds in maples. However, a warm period in the fall can also cause leaves to drop early before the colors have fully developed. Low temperatures above freezing can also favor anthocyanin formation, but early frost can weaken the red color. Frost can also ruin fall colors, causing leaf cells to rupture and die.
Moisture
Soil moisture plays a role in the timing and brilliance of fall colors. The best displays occur when the soil has been moist throughout the year.
Light
Rainy and overcast days can increase the intensity of fall colors. However, windy weather can knock leaves down prematurely, shortening the color display.
As for Montreal, I do not know quite the optimal time, but it's similar. I believe I was up in Montreal around Canadian Thanksgiving in October, and there was still foliage due to the city being a heat sink. However, I prefer Mountains and Hills covered in fall colors. Assume you could drive out of the city to Mont Tremblant/Laurentians. Patrick?
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Great info. Thanks. We would probably drive from Montreal down to Portland and Boston as we’ve never seen those cities and back to Montreal via a different route. Trip duration would only be about 12 days.
The peak colors move from north to south and higher to lower elevation between late September and early November. Chances are you can find that peak chasing by car if necessary. I recall another impressive display along the Shenandoah Parkway in Virginia late October 1997.
We’ll plan to be gone just before Columbus Day weekend. Lodging last minute shouldn’t be an issue if we are not fussy?
ChrisC
Well-known member
Be careful. Peak foliage weekends bring many people to desirable New England locations.
Also, you can run into traffic on some of the two-lane roads. It's taken me 1 hour to go from North Conway to Conway, NH (6 miles) over Columbus Day.
So, the resort towns in more rural areas - Stowe, Warren/Waitsfield, Manchester, Woodstock, North Conway, etc. - will be 100% booked on weekends, and very high occupancy rates in other places.
Ok. We might have to commit some parts of the planned trip then. I assume there is decent hiking in the areas even if the leaves aren’t on for some reason?
jasoncapecod
Well-known member
my close friend's kid is getting married in the Catskills the first week of Oct. Lodging is expensive and there is a 2 night min..and zero cancellation
jasoncapecod
Well-known member
the leaves will be on...if the weather is good , hiking is a must !!!!
ChrisC
Well-known member
New England is likely at its busiest during late September and October -- not summer or winter ski holiday periods.
I have always been located in the Hudson River Valley, Boston or Hanover NH areas, so never have made reservations. However, if you wanted to get out for a hike or visit, you get up early to stay ahead of anything.
For example, I believe you need reservations nearly a year in advance if you want to visit/stay in Salem, MA in October / Halloween time frame. I have done the daytrip and you better get up early if you want a parking spot within a mile of dowtown on a weeken during this time period.
Hiking is always great in New England. The ski areas run their lifts too: Stowe, Killington, Cannon Mt, etc which provide great viewing platforms.
You likely can always find a last minute room in larger places: Burlington, White River Junction/West Lebanon, Concord/Manchester, etc.
Definitely should spend 2+ days in Boston MA. It's one of America's best cities - and one of the few that are highly walkable.
Much good local advice above. It sounds like much less of a hassle if you avoid weekends for the rural fall foliage areas in New England. But Boston or other New England locations are worthwhile weekend options as ChrisC noted. Cannon Mt. has the New England Ski Museum plus a sightseer tram to the top. I probably went there during the late October 1988 trip.
jasoncapecod
Well-known member
Hanover.. I'm sure you had a lot of meals at Lou's
berkshireskier
Member
"Leaf peeping" season in the Northeast US is always a busy time of the year for tourism. As noted above, usually runs from about mid-September to mid-October (peak times but the shoulder season can last a few weeks on either side of those dates) and chronologically, goes from North to South (Canadian border to downstate New York) and from higher elevations to lower elevations. Always wise to make hotel/motel reservations well in advance, if you know your itinerary and timetable. As Jason notes, the quality and intensity of the color change in the leaves (most pronounced in sugar maples) can vary from year to year. My experience is that it is hard to predict how good the season will be (a little like predicting ski conditions months in advance) but I also think, anecdotally, that the "leaf seasons" have not been as good in recent years as in the past. I'm not sure if this is because of climate change or other factors (a little like I think the winters are not as cold and snowy as they used to be). I've attached a few photos of my next door neighbor's allay of maple trees that line their driveway. They were SPECTACULAR last Fall. The photos don't really do it justice. We're in western Massachusetts (the Berkshires) and the colors here are usually very good. If you'e flying into Montreal and have 12 days, I would spend a few days in Montreal (great city and that is a very nice time of the year to be there) and then drive down into the US and then cut across northern Vermont, and then across New Hampshire and Maine to Portland, ME (again, a very nice city to visit) and the drive down to Boston for a few days (great city to visit too). I would then drive west from Boston (on the Mass Pike or Rt. 2 from Rt. 495 and then out to the Berkshires. Maybe spend a night here and then drive back up to Montreal on the Rt. 87 - The Northway. It's a great drive up through the Adirondacks - some of the tallest mountains in the Northeast and the colors are usually very good along that road.
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Great info and lovely pictures. Thanks.
ChrisC
Well-known member
Yes! I am surprised how many businesses have remained the same on Main Street since my Dartmouth undergrad days - new owners, but little changeover. The only big loss over the years is EBA's (Everything But Anchovies). Not so much for the pizza, but its chicken sandwich.
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ChrisC
Well-known member
Here's just a rough outline of a trip from Montreal to Boston trying to incorporate some interesting New England sites. Of course you should add your own spin, but tried to incorporate: Stowe via Smuggler's Notch, Ben&Herry, VT Rte 100, Woodstock/Quechee Gorge, VT, Boston, Portland, North Conway via Kanmangus Highway, Cannon/Fanconia Notch, etc.
jasoncapecod
Well-known member
yep!! and Dan and Witts down the street