You Can View Beautiful Fall Foliage From New England to the Pacific Northwest

by

​Marilyn Roy

 

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Autumn Foliage and Snow-capped Mountains -- Not Your New England Autumn Photo, Courtesy of Image by brisch27 from Pixabay

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Table of contents

New England

• Connecticut
• Maine
• Massachusetts 
• New Hampshire
• New York
• Vermont

The Smoky Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains
Arkansas and the Ozarks
The Pacific Northwest

• Oregon
• Washington

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You can view the color changes in many areas of the country. The peak season in most places lasts about a week, but in mountain ranges, such as the Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains, the peak season can last a month. So when you choose your travel destination, consider the length of your vacation and other places you want to visit in the area.
 
You will need to keep your plans flexible because the weather determines the exact date of the peak season in every area. You can observe several factors in the various regions to calculate how colorful the peak season might be and when peak season might occur in those areas. In mild summers, the trees create a thicker growth of leaves when ample rain falls with no wet and dry spells and no extreme heat. This contributes to a better fall foliage season. The best fall weather provides warm, sunny days and cool nights with above-freezing temperatures. Any storms in the area can blow the leaves off of the trees. You can also find expert peak-season predictions online. 

To plan your trip this year, visit The Weather Channel to see a video showing their forecast for the peak foliage season across the United States in 2024.
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New England
 
New England experiences the colorful fall leaves first. The maple trees in these northeastern states turn a beautiful array of red, gold, and orange. Consider an Amtrak excursion instead of driving. On Amtrak trains, you can enjoy the view from your compartment, the dining room, and the lounge area.

 

Connecticut
 
As the southernmost New England state, Connecticut offers the latest peak season. The best viewing time is mid-October to November

 

Maine
 
In northern Maine, leaves change earlier than in southern Maine. So, peak season occurs from late September in the north until late October in southern Maine

 

Massachusetts
 
Massachusetts provides the best display in the Berkshires. The peak season arrives earliest in western Massachusetts and travels east. Since Massachusetts is south of New York, New Hampshire, and Vermont, you can travel north to one of those states if the leaves haven’t started changing in Massachusetts. Peak season occurs in October in Massachusetts

 

New Hampshire

New Hampshire offers fall foliage views from the 140-mile Sunapee Loop,  Mt. Washington Road, and the cog train in the White Mountains. You should visit northern New Hampshire in late September or early October. The peak season for southern New Hampshire occurs in  October

 

New York
 
Start your New York Fall Foliage trip in the Finger Lakes and the Catskills. Go south, and enjoy the colors around the Adirondacks and Lake Placid. Niagara Falls provides another good view of the fall foliage. For a beautiful view, visit Central Park in New York City. The leaves change in northern New York from mid-September to October. The peak season for southern New York occurs from mid-October to November

 

​Vermont
 
Visit Stowe, Woodstock, and the Green Mountains in Vermont to see the fall foliage. The peak season in Northern Vermont runs from late September until October. In southern Vermont, peak season occurs in October.

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The Smoky Mountains
 
The Smoky Mountains reach 4,000 feet, so the fall foliage peak season can last from late September until November. The different types of trees growing in the Smokies also determines how long the peak viewing season lasts. Some trees change colors later than other trees.
 
The trees at the top of the Smokies can start changing colors in late September. The mountain maple, yellow birch, pin cherry, American beech, and hobblebush grow at this altitude. The flowers, fruits, and berries growing at this level add to the colorful display. If you explore the trails, you will find black-eyed Susans, cardinal flowers, skunk goldenrod, great blue lobelia, asters, ironweed, and southern harebell. When driving through this area, take Clingmans Dome Road, Parsons Branch Road, and Newfound Gap Road. Hikers should take Andrews Bald,  Mt. LeConte, and Albright Grove Trails.
 
In early October,  the changing colors have moved down the Smokies. You will experience the fall colors of the yellow buckeyes, mountain maples, other maples, American birch, yellow beech, black cherry, pin cherry, mountain ash, sourwood, sumac, dogwood, and witch hobble. The asters, mountain genetian, goldenrod, black cohosh, Virginia creeper, blueberries, and blackberries add to the colorful scene. Take a drive on Newfound Gap Road,  Foothills Parkway West and East, Heintooga Ridge Road, and Rich Mountain Road from Cades Cove to view this area. You can also see the colorful displays on the Appalachian Trail from Clingmans Dome or the Newfound Gap Trail.
 
By late October, the changing colors reach the bottom of the Smokies. The sugar maple, red maple, birch, beech, scarlet oak, tulip tree, dogwood, sweet gum, black gum, black walnut, hickory, sourwood, and sumac contribute to the colorful scene. You can see the colors from the Baskins Creek Falls,  Little River, Porters Creeks, Lower Mount Cammerer, and Old Settlers Trails. The Mt Sterling, Appalachian, Goshen Prong, and Low Gap Overlook Trails also provide a view.
 
If you will be in the area for a prolonged period to watch as the color changes, consider staying in Gatlinburg. It is near many other activities and places to see. Lodging is also plentiful in the Gatlinburg area, including hotels, camping, and Airbnbs. However, for a different experience, you might enjoy renting a cabin.

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The Blue Ridge Mountains
 
The Blue Ridge Mountains run through Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, and North Georgia. They have a long peak season like the Smokies. The Smokies are part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the Blue Ridge Mountains are part of the Appalachian Mountains. The peak season in the Blue Ridge Mountains lasts from early October to early November. North Carolina offers a good view of the leaves and other places to visit. You can view the colors from the Blue Ridge Parkway.
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Arkansas and the Ozarks
 
The Ozark Mountains part of Arkansas also offers a fall foliage display. Since Arkansas is in the southern US, the peak season is later than in other areas of the country. The peak season runs from late October to mid-November.

Pacific Northwest

 

Oregon
 
With forests covering half the state, the fall foliage in Oregon is similar to the displays in New England. You can view the leaves from the Mt Hood Scenic Loop, cruises on the Cascadian lakes, and state park trails. Peak season in Oregon runs from early October through early November

 

Washington
 
In Washington, you can enjoy the view of the fall foliage from Mount Walker in the Olympic National Forest. The forest offers parks, scenic drives, gorges, and a rainforest where you can see the leaves. Visit Leavenworth in the Cascade Mountains for more colorful displays. Leavenworth resembles a Bavarian town and celebrates an annual Autumn Leaf Festival. The peak season in Washington occurs between mid-September to mid-October.

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