Everyone knows that New England has harsh winters, but did you know we also are the place to find the best fall foliage? October is the month that tends to attract the most “leaf peepers”. That is when the trees are turning, and pumpkins and corn mazes are everywhere.
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When is the best time to see fall foliage in New England?
The leaves have started turning later and later in the season. Every year is different, but it tends to be late September / early October. When you check the Peak Fall Foliage Map you can find peak foliage times to plan your travel. Frankly, even outside of peak, your experience will be amazing.
Where is The Best Fall Foliage in New England?
Naturally, New England landscape already is scenic with its mountains, lakes and woods. During fall, the brilliance of the foliage adds yet another layer to the variety of the landscape. Any of the following road trips will lead you to fantastic fall foliage!
1. The Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire
The Kancamagus Highway runs from Conway, NH to Lincoln, NH and is an excellent and well-known way to admire the best fall foliage. Please don’t forget to stop at a ranger station and get a day pass to use the parking areas. This fee ($3 per car) is for maintenance and preservation of the White Mountain National Forest. The Unofficial Guide to the Kanc website describes it best:
The drive along the Kancamagus Highway takes you back in time as you drive through a forest that offers no comforts of the modern day world; no gas stations, no restaurants, hotels or other businesses have pierced their way into the heart of the Kancamagus Highway. Those luxuries are left behind at both ends of the scenic byway but well within reach when needed.
The Unoffical Guide to the Kanc
When you drive this highway, make sure to keep an eye out for deer and moose, and even an occasional bear. If you look up into the sky, don’t be surprised to see raptors, like turkey vultures and eagles. Plenty of wild life to be admired!
2. The Middlebury Gap in Vermont
The Middlebury Gap, a pass from Texas Falls, Hancock to Ripton is one of the most scenic roads in Vermont. During fall, it is unbelievably beautiful. If you need a break from your foliage road trip, visit the Robert Frost Interpretive Trail. They posted his poems on the trees and show you the landscape that inspired Frost.
3. Quechee Gorge in Vermont
Also called “Vermont’s Little Grand Canyon”, Quechee Gorge is another good place to find the best fall foliage. Carved deeply by the Ottaquechee river, this gorge is crossed by a bridge on which you can stand and look out over all the trees.
If you want some exercise, follow one of the hiking trails into the gorge to see the water up close. Don’t miss the visiting center to learn more about the history of this amazing place. In addition, you can go shopping in Quechee Gorge Village and pick up New England goodies like Cabot cheese and maple syrup.
If you want to experience the fall foliage in New England up close, go walk in the treetops at VINS, close to Quechee Gorge.
4. New England State Houses
Because most New England states were part of the original 13 colonies, there are beautiful historical buildings to visit. Most people don’t realize how scenic the state houses and capitol buildings in New England are, but it turns out that any of them would be worth a visit. Enjoying the scenery while driving to any of the state houses, you can look forward to learning more about our national history. And the best thing? State house visits and tours are free!
Augusta, Maine
According to my mother, Maine is prettier than New Hampshire. Make up your own mind by visiting the Maine State House in Augusta! Beautiful grounds surround this State House and you can touch a full-size Liberty Bell Replica and other historic bells. We recommend visiting the Kennebec river. If you are lucky, you can see the sturgeons jump, harking back to prehistoric times.
Montpelier, Vermont
For full disclosure, I have a soft spot for Vermont, because I worked there for IBM, gave birth to two daughters and am in love with the nature. That said, everybody seems to love Vermont during fall foliage time, so go visit the Vermont State House in Montpelier. It has ancient fossils!
Concord, New Hampshire
The New Hampshire State House in Concord is home to the oldest continuously used legislative chambers in America. What’s not to love about a state that advises us to “Live Free or Die!”? New Hampshire is mostly forest, mountains and lakes, so the fall foliage is spectacular.
Boston, Massachusetts
Designed by the famous architect Charles Bulfinch, the Massachusetts State House in Boston is worth a visit. Both the exterior and the interior are elaborately decorated. The only drawback is the fact that Massachusetts locked up its liberty bell!
Providence, Rhode Island
Although Rhode Island is our smallest state, their State House is one of the grandest in the nation. Visiting Providence during the fall will expose you to its colorful foliage. Not to mention that they do have a gun from the Gettysburg battle right in their state house in Providence.
Hartford, Connecticut
Why not add the Connecticut Capitol in Hartford, a National Historic Landmark to your fall foliage itinerary? One of the few states with a state heroine and a surprisingly rich black history including the infamous “black law”.
You Really Can’t Go Wrong
Although there are specific places to see the best fall foliage, you can drive around anywhere in New England and enjoy the ride. So even if you don’t have time for a long road trip, start where you are and admire the scenery. Get out for a hike, drink hot apple cider, take many pictures and breath the crisp fall air! First and foremost “Seize the Day!”
The clock is running. Make the most of today. Time waits for no man. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it is called the present.
Alice Morse Earle
Find the best fall foliage in New England: a few more links
- Fun and Fabulous Fall activities for the whole family;
- Fantastic Fall Colors travel pictures!
- National Parks and more in New Hampshire. Fantastic foliage at any of these NPS sites!
- Happy Fall! Our Deer Baby clan shows you a local harvest party and bonfire;
- Good memories. Apple picking with seven children! It is not too late for you to go apple picking!
- Fall Flowers! Beautiful fall flowers and bees. Not only the foliage is beautiful during the fall in New England, but so are the flowers.
- New England Peak Foliage Map.
- The Unofficial Guide to the Kancamagus Highway. Website with tons of good information about attractions along the highway, waterfalls, campgrounds and more.
- The White Mountain National Forest Service.
- Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forest Service. This page will get you to the page of the Robert Frost Interpretative trail. From there you can explore more of their site.
What About You?
Now that I have shared my secrets to find the best fall foliage in New England, what about you? Have you been here in the fall? What places did you like best? Do you have good fall colors where you live? Leave a comment and tell me!
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Comments
47 responses to “Find the Best Fall Foliage in New England 2023”
I love this. I live in Florida so Im not fortunate enough to experience fall the way you are able to. This post will allow me to live curiously through you. Great article.
Glad you enjoyed it! I hope some day you will be able to experience fall in New England. For now, enjoy being in Florida when our snow hits 😀
I still have never been to Florida but am looking forward to visiting some day!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Your so welcome. I will definitely be back to your site. Great content all around 🤗🤗
I’ve never been to Vermont, but it looks beautiful in all the pictures!
Thanks Melanie! Yes, Vermont is stunning, especially during this time of the year. In the winter it has too much snow for my taste, but the skiers don’t seem to mind that ^^
Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
I LIVE in New Hampshire and I have never taken a drive on The Kancamagus Highway during the fall!! 🙁 I need to change that!
Erica | Erica Robyn Reads
Haha, yeah, this fall is your chance to change that!
But frankly anywhere in NH is stunning this time of the year. We tend to do more leaf peeping when we have visitors, less when it is just us.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
All of your photos have made me want to jump on a plane right now. I love New England around this time of year, the colours are so beautiful and I love the crisp freshness in the air x
Sophie
http://www.glowsteady.co.uk
Thank you! Yes, New England in the fall is awesome. New England in the winter less so 😀
I am not a fan of snow ^^
Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
I’m not sure if I’m ever make it to New England, but you captured the scenery beautifully. Thanks for sharing.
I hope you will make it here some day, Carpe Diem friend. Just don’t come over in the winter, unless you love snow 😀
Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
No I’m Irish we aren’t good with snow. The whole country breaks down with 1 inch.
Ha, I am from the Netherlands, we aren’t good with snow either. That was quite shocking to my system! 🙂
I didn’t know you were. I can imagine so. I’m fine in rain though.
Great post, very interesting! Thanks for sharing x
Thank you, Sadiye!
great post. i always wanted to visit the east coast during autumn.
Joy at The Joyous Living
Thank you! I hope you will make it over here some fall!
Wow, the colours of the foliage in New England are amazing! I definitely need to visit this fantastic place of the world.
Yes, Norma! I hope you can make it over some day. The New England fall colours are brilliant and amazing!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
New England seems perfect for Autumn leaves!
happilyhavingnoideawhatimdoing.wordpress.com
Yes!! It must be something about the crisp fall days. You know when humans think “yikes, winter is close!” , the trees somehow get the same message but give one last hooray of brilliant colour before settling down info their winter sleep.
Those photos are so lovely. You can just taste autumn in them.
Thank you, Marta! Glad you enjoyed them.
Fantastic photos! The place looks really lovely, I don’t think I’d seen photos of New England before. Maybe someday I’ll go there!
Thank you, Blue! Glad I could introduce you to our corner of the world!
I loooove the fall foliage! I live in western New York so we get all those beautiful leaves around here too and one of my favorite spots to see them is at Letchworth State Park 😍 I’ve been wanting to make a road trip over to Vermont and New Hampshire during fall, this post is making me want to hop in the car, thanks for sharing!
Thank you, poky! I will have to look into letchwort state park, sounds good! I love discovering new places. I used to visit a small town close to Catskill each year for Columbus day, and the new York leaves always were as stunning as ours.
Go jump in your car and take that road trip before the snow flies!
These are some gorgeous photos! I’m definitely adding New England to my US travel list. Where I live (in The Cotswolds) we have so many beautiful places to visit and one of my favourites is the Westonbirt Arboreteum.
Thank you, Kim! Yes, come visit us! And we will have to make it over to your neck of the woods, I always love visiting arboreteums.
So many great places to go. I’ve been to the White Mountain national Forest in all season and fall is the best. What beautiful colors. I need to add some of the other places to my trip ideas!
Yes, go explore some other New England spots, they all are just stunning!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
I am excited for Falls color. It is nice to see many places in New England gets too colorful during Falls. We do have very colorful surrounding in Pacific North West. Mother Nature is the best.
We spent some time in the PNW last fall and it was indeed beautiful! I think you can’t go wrong with fall foliage there or here.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting
Beautiful! One of those days, we will have to travel up there during the fall. I love fall and all the colors. I grew up in MD and it was always my favorite season. In Florida, we still have summer weather in September and October. Our winter is more like our fall but we don’t see all the beautiful colors like up there. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, come visit us in the fall! Don’t come in the winter unless you like snow 😀
We went to Florida in December last year and it definitely felt like summer winter to my NH body ^^
Thanks for stopping by and commenting
So pretty!! 🧡
Thank you! I love fall in New England.
The season I miss most since moving to Florida. I am making an annual visit next week and so thrilled to see the gorgeous CT Autumn leaves. Well written. Certainly made me want to visit New England.
Hi Joyce! Yes. good plan to visit New England annually, the fall is just amazing.Don’t visit in the winter though 😀
Thanks for stopping by and commenting
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Wow, it’s so pretty in the fall in New England. Thanks for sharing as I have never been.
Yes, things here are pretty till the snow arrives 😀
I hope you will be able to visit in the fall some day, it is amazingly beautiful. The pictures are only a weak representation of being here and breathing the crisp fall air!
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