Exploring The Byways In Fall

fall leaves There is beauty to be found all across our land, and exploring the back roads and byways is a great way to see it. Each season offers a unique opportunity to see one aspect or another that makes our country unique. But if a picturesque view is what you are after, then it is hard to beat the fall.

Some areas of our country are green all year, but the northern regions experience distinct seasons as the temperature changes. And in the northeast – especially in states like Vermont and Maine – the trees react to the impending cold by transforming from shades of green into brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows.

The leaf peeping season is relatively short, and doesn’t happen at a fixed date every year. Rather, it is dependent on when the temperatures change, so if you are hoping to catch the height of the fall colors you will need to keep your schedule flexible.

Variations By State

Since the northern reaches of the country get the cold weather sooner, those areas are the first to have leaves turning color. Here is a rough outline of when each area can expect the color to pop:

  • Maine – Fall foliage season usually starts sometime in September, and continues until the middle of October. The leaves change color first in the northern part of Maine – usually around a week before the southern parts of the state turn.
  • Vermont – Like in Maine, the leaf color transformation in Vermont typically starts mid-September and continues through the second or third week in October. The timing varies by location elevation, and moves from the north and higher elevations down to the south and lower elevations over the run of the season.
  • New Hampshire – The peak fall foliage season in the Granite State usually hits during the first two weeks of October. In typical years the colors will turn to brown by the third and fourth week of October. But like in the other states, the weather plays the biggest role in when the color changes begin.
  • Massachusetts – The trees in Massachusetts will begin to turn color late in the month of September, but won’t reach their peak until the first two weeks of October. They usually hit their height around the week of October 15th, and then fade after that. The display of fall colors typically finishes by the end of the month.