New England Fall Foliage driving

[RunningBum]

I'm driving up from Virginia to Maine, staying in Bar Harbor Oct 14-16. I am locked in for the 15th and 16th for sure, so any suggestions to change that will be ignored. Any recommendations for a lazy drive up there and/or back to catch fall foliage? Too late for the mountains maybe, but good lower?

I'd probably be driving up I-81 thru the Poconos and cutting over from Scranton to Hartford but I'd tailor it to where the colors are probably best at that time of year, and staying flexible for how it looks this fall and even the weather. Not really looking for other activities, just an idea of how to best see the colors, maybe spending about 10 days total.

 

[user5027]

Here's the PA DCNR Fall Foliage page for an idea on timing. They provide weekly reports in the pdf's on the right and suggested scenic routes at the bottom. The Laurel Highlands are in the western part of the state near Pittsburgh. Just above the routes they have an interactive map for prime viewing locations state wide. Keep in mind the timing and intensity of the leaves turning is dependent on the weather conditions (temperature and rain) over the time leading up to when the hours of daylight shortens. Other states/locales may have their own similar pages.

https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/Conservation/ForestsAndTrees/FallFoliageReports/Pages/default.aspx

We've done a steam train leaf peeping excursion from Reading to Jim Thorpe. Look under Special Events...

https://www.rbmnrr-passenger.com/

 

[old medic]

Its been many years ago, but we use to cut off 81 at Scranton, and go up thru the Catskills, around the Pepacton reservoir on route 30.

 

[doneat54]

Rte 100 north through VT is one of my favorite drives.

 

[Gumby]

The young wife and I take the roadster out every October for leaf peeping in northern Connecticut and Massachusetts . Here is my suggestion for enjoying the best of the area at that time.

1. You will probably enter Connecticut on I-84 East at Danbury. At that point, you should get off the interstate onto US Rte. 7 North.

3. Drive up along the Housatonic River through New Milford, Kent and North Canaan in CT, then through Great Barrington, MA to North Adams, MA.

4. In North Adams, take Massachusetts Route 2/2A East, all the way to Littleton, where you can connect with I-495 North going up to Maine.


Here's an equally lovely alternative:

1. Get off I-84 in Danbury and proceed up US Route 7 until you get to New Milford, CT. Then take US Route 202 East, which will take you through the lovely towns of Litchfield, Avon, Simsbury, and Granby, CT

2. Continue up into Massachusetts to Holyoke, then get on US Route 5 North. Drive along the Connecticut River through Northampton and Deerfield (get off the main road and take a short stroll around old Deerfield. It is really worth it.)

3. When you get to Turner's Falls, connect with Massachusetts Route 2A East and proceed to Littleton, where you can get on I-495 North up to Maine.


Or, another alternative for both of those routes is, from Turners Falls, MA, to go on US Route 5 (or I-91 that runs next to it), all the way up to Woodsville, New Hampshire, then cut over on New Hampshire Route 112 (The Kankamagus Highway) to Conway, NH and then on into Maine.

 

[MichaelB]

When we lived in NY our daughter went to school in Maine, and I drove up and back multiple times. I have no suggestion for route and defer to Gumby, but the scenery is beautiful and a perfect time of year. You might want to stop for farm visits or apple or other fruit picking.

 

[braumeister]

Two of the things Vermont is justly famous for are maple syrup and cheese. A little online searching will find a number of incredible artisan cheesemakers along whatever route you choose, and you can't go far wrong stopping at just about any small farm that advertises their own maple syrup

 

[pb4uski]

I'm driving up from Virginia to Maine, staying in Bar Harbor Oct 14-16. I am locked in for the 15th and 16th for sure, so any suggestions to change that will be ignored. Any recommendations for a lazy drive up there and/or back to catch fall foliage? Too late for the mountains maybe, but good lower?

I'd probably be driving up I-81 thru the Poconos and cutting over from Scranton to Hartford but I'd tailor it to where the colors are probably best at that time of year, and staying flexible for how it looks this fall and even the weather. Not really looking for other activities, just an idea of how to best see the colors, maybe spending about 10 days total.

That time of year (Oct 10-15) is generally peak foliage in the north country.

I would take I-81 to I-78 to I-287 to I-87 north to Port Kent, NY. Then take the Lake Champlain Ferry across Lake Champlain to Burlington, VT. Then I-89 South to Rte 100 to Stowe and then take Vt 108 over Smuggler's Notch. Then Rte 15 east to US Route 2 East, which will take you all the way to Bangor, Maine, close to Bar Harbor.

 

[RunningBum]

Great info, everyone. Thank you.

 

[casole]

Rte 100 north through VT is one of my favorite drives.

+1 it's really beautiful. Better to be the passenger than the driver because of the winding roads, I've been both.

 

[Graybeard]

There is no way to know when/where it is peak foliage. It varies every year, I have seen trees bare by 10/14 and leaves hardly turning the last week of October, this is in NW CT. The only given is the farther north you go in New England the earlier the change, could be peak around Sept. 23 and along the Long Island Sound you may not have peak until the 1st week in November.

 

[RunningBum]

There is no way to know when/where it is peak foliage.

Right. I'll follow the reports as it gets within 2-3 weeks. Just got a little excited for it when I signed up for a marathon in Maine and thought about the fall colors. All this while I'm in Montana on a ski trip. Dog sledding yesterday, Yellowstone snowcoach tour yesterday, and first of 5 days skiing today.

 

[NW-Bound]

New England fall foliage in late February?

What's going on? The forum server just burped?

 

[RunningBum]

New England fall foliage in late February?

What's going on? The forum server just burped?

Explained in the post above yours. Early early trip planning.

 

[NW-Bound]

OK. Sorry.

I thought somehow the forum server regurgitated an old thread as a new one. I have seen enough weird stuff that buggy software can do.

 

[Midpack]

Apologies for the tangent. We spent 4 days in Bar Harbor a while back. Acadia was low on our radar so we planned a brief visit while in BH, but we were so taken with it we ended up spending parts or 3 (of 4) days in Acadia it was so interesting and beautiful!

Not sure the best time of year, but a whale watch was the other highlight of our visit. Not everyone’s cup of tea, so FWIW.

Like others have said, peak foliage varies by a couple weeks everywhere (not just NE), so you have to consult online map/guides just before you go and adjust your route accordingly. Longer advance planning on exactly where to see the best foliage may be hit or miss.

IMO there’s no better time to visit New England than Fall, so you’ll have a wonderful trip!

 

[RunningBum]

I'll look into the whale watching. I've done it a few times in the Pacific NW. Could be a good day-after marathon activity.

 

[pacergal]

Interesting info here, I will keep for future.
We are hoping to reschedule our Fall trip with friends soon. Plan a visit to upper NE and Niagra Falls, probably 2023 if not this year.

 

[mystang52]

The colors should be fine in NY state, then. I suggest you do a small deviation and plan to drive thru NY, and then go east via I84 or I 90. This site gives updates on NY foliage:
https://www.iloveny.com/things-to-do/fall/foliage-report/