More New Hampshire Fall Foliage Updates!

Photo of Echo Lake, Franconia Notch State Park, N.H., by Eric H.

When you hear the words and phrases "spectacular," "vibrant," and "near peak," that means New Hampshire fall foliage is virtually on your New England travel doorstep.

With the Great North Woods and White Mountains Regions showing the most vibrant colors, make no mistake that the rest of the "Granite State" has shown increasing amounts of tremendous foliage. Even the Seacoast Region (Portsmouth, Dover, Rye, Hampton Beach area) -- typically the last to display optimal fall foliage colors -- has shown some brighter moments.

Here is the latest New Hampshire fall foliage press release update, courtesy of the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism:


Great North Woods Region: Spectacular fall colors are taking over the Great North Woods region. Maple trees which were still green last week are now becoming splashed with bright oranges and vibrant reds. The colors are changing at all elevations now, and it will just be a matter of days before this area reaches peak fall foliage. Moose are being sighted frequently along Routes 26 from Errol to Colebrook and also along Route 3 from Pittsburg to Canada. The area overall is nearly 75% changed.


White Mountains Region: More beautiful foliage awaits you in the White Mountains region. Most roads throughout the area are coloring up nicely, including Route 302, especially through Crawford Notch; Route 2, which provides panoramic views of Mount Washington and the Presidential Range; and Route 112, the Kancamagus Highway, mostly on the western end. Waterfalls are framed in splashes of yellow, red and orange right now, and covered bridges are surrounded with color. The towns of Franconia, Easton and Sugar Hill – all accessible by Exit 38 off Interstate 93 – are drenched in bright fall colors right now and are worth exploring.


Lakes Region: Some parts of the Lakes region are beginning to change into fall color, while other areas are still very green. Our leaf peepers here are reporting beautiful reds and oranges along Route 3 from Ashland to Meredith, and on Route 16 from Union to West Ossipee. The colors here are bright and beautiful, with lots of clear oranges and golden yellows. The trees are green with splotches of red, orange and yellow – it looks like the leaves were spray painted with dots of color. Although the area is not at peak yet, the views are pretty, and the mountain ranges are starting to show change, too.


Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region: The leaves in the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee region are showing some established color among the green. Covered bridge lovers will want to travel Route 12A north from Claremont to pass three covered bridges: The Dingleton Hill Bridge in Cornish Mills, the Cornish-Windsor Bridge, and the Blow-Me-Down Bridge just south of Plainfield. This road also brings you by the St. Gaudens National Historic Site, home of the celebrated artist. Route 4 from Lebanon to Canaan and Route118 through Orange and Dorchester is displaying nice fall color, also.


Monadnock Region: Parts of the Monadnock region are nearly 40% changed right now, with the lowlands and waterways almost at peak color. Other areas haven’t begun to change yet, so there’s plenty of time left for this region to move into the height of foliage color. Mount Monadnock is just beginning to show some yellow and orange with a speckle of red, mostly on its eastern side. Route 202 from Peterborough to Route 119 in West Rindge to Route 12 in Fitzwilliam is a nice scenic drive, as is Route 10 from Keene.


Merrimack Valley Region: It’s still pretty green in the Merrimack Valley region of the state. Despite bright reds in lowlands, the rest of the region is just beginning to change here and there. Milford and points south is in the beginning stages of fall, with low lying areas displaying a great assortment of deeps reds and golden yellows. Burning bushes are ablaze in dark reds. Route 101 between New Boston and Manchester is nearly 50% changed.


Seacoast Region: It’s beginning to look a lot like fall in the Seacoast region. Route 88 in Hampton Falls is a favorite drive, and it’s getting brighter and more beautiful every day. Route 108 from Exeter to Durham is showing some spotty color, while Route 1 is maintaining its lush summer greens. A scenic drive along Route 1A from Seabrook to Portsmouth is a must-do right now – the beaches are less crowded, and the ocean glitters in the sunlight like a cache of sparkling diamonds. Look for migrating water birds and wild hares along this road.

Editor's note: For recorded report of the latest New Hampshire fall foliage updates, please call 1-800-258-3608. For a great photo guide of New England fall foliage, we recommend reading The Colors of Fall: A Celebration of New England's Foliage Season