Article and photo (from Mid-Burke Mountain, East Burke, Vt.) by Eric H.
New England fall foliage never was one to be on schedule.
Fall foliage colors arrive at different times in varied intensities each September and October in the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont -- sort of like the winter theory that not one snowflake is ever the same. The best colors arrive earlier in the northern fringes of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, and then eventually work their way down to southern New England destinations like Cape Cod, South County Rhode Island and coastal Connecticut.
Many fall foliage travelers need to ask for time off from work in preparation for their fall foliage vacations, so it's especially frustrating if you ask for vacation time, say, on October 17, and peak foliage occurs on the 26th! What to do, you might ask?
Fortunately, agencies from each New England state offer hot lines to give one a better idea on anticipated peak fall foliage -- sometimes, you might have to navigate through the prompts, but you'll almost always find a helpful voice at the other end of the line:
Connecticut 888.288.4748
Maine 1.888.MAINE.45
Massachusetts 800.227.6277
New Hampshire 800.258.3600
Rhode Island (Department of Tourism) 800.556.2484
Vermont 800.837.666
You can also find updated fall foliage Web Sites for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
We also recommend browsing our New England Fall Foliage Guide at VisitingNewEngland.com for tips and suggestions on scenic autumn vacation destinations and hotel getaways, great leaf peeping spots, driving tours, hikes, day trips, apple picking and apple cider recommendations, and restaurants ideal for a fall day
