Fall Foliage Season Schedule

Well it's that time of year when we start to think about turning back our clocks and finding the best fall foliage display. First off, we don't need to adjust our clocks until 2:00 AM on Sunday, November 2nd. Turn them 1 hour backwards for an extra hour's sleep. OK, that's out of the way; now, let's talk about fall foliage viewing.

Fall Foliage Season 2008

Having spent 42 consecutive fall foliage seasons in Vermont and New Hampshire, my opinion is that this year, the weather has been just right for a brilliant and colorful fall foliage display. The summer was a little on the cool side and a little on the damp side. Now we're getting sunny days and cold, crisp nights. Altogether that's the perfect recipe for one of the best fall foliage seasons we've had in a while.

Peak Season begins September 25th in the North

In Northern reaches of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, the absolute peak fall folaige season should be starting around September 25th, and running until about October 4th. Coastal areas go later so for Maine this applies to inland areas only. Already the fall leaves in some of the very northern areas near the Canadian Border are showing good foliage color. In just a few days, the color should be noticeably advancing south day by day.

Shakespeare's Helps with Fall Foliage advice

Mid Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine will offer peak foliage viewing from about October 2nd to October 12^th. There is no specific line that we can point to on any given day. Just know that the fall leaves middle of these states will be brightest around this time. If the colors are still a bit green and yellow, drive a little further north. If I may was a little poetic, as Shakespeare put it: "When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang upon those boughs which shake against the cold, bare ruined choirs where late sweet birds sang," then you need to drive a little further south until you hit the full fall color.

End of Foliage Season

Fall leaves in the Southern reaches of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, including all of coastal Maine, will offer peak viewing opportunities between October 10^th and October 20^th. After that, all bets are off for viewing this year's peak fall foliage. Even if you get the timing right, a lot depends on the weather. Rain will strip the fall leaves from the trees once they've begun to turn colors, leaving only Shakespeare's "bare ruined choirs" behind.