Fall foliage in New England really begins in August. The shortening daylight hours trigger the deciduous trees to begin the process of shedding their leaves. It happens all around North America, and all around the world. But in New England it results in a display of special landscapes painted with fiery autumn colors.
Why is fall foliage in New England so different and special?
It's a factor of many things but mostly an abundance of different types of deciduous trees, warm autumn days, and cool - but not freezing - nights. When these and a few other conditions are all mixed in the right proportions, then you get the world famous stunning shades of reds, yellows, oranges, and browns on the hills and mountain sides of New England.
Between mid-September to late-October, visitors flock to New England to see the fall foliage. Many take special bus tours or even train rides. But most take to the road and these six scenic drives offer some of the best autumn views available from anywhere on the planet.
FALL FOLIAGE SCENIC DRIVE - MOHAWK TRAIL MASSACHUSETTS
In Massachusetts the most popular fall foliage scenic drives are along the famous Mohawk Trail, and the area known as The Berkshires. The Mohawk trail rolls out through the northwestern part of the state on route 2, and winds through the hills and mountains of the Berkshires, touching picturesque towns like Williamstown, Deerfield, Shelbourne, Colrain, Charlemont, and Shelburne Falls. The road follows an ancient foot path used to move between Massachusetts and New York by Native Americans.
Mount Greylock, the highest point in The Berkshires and Massachusetts, offers stunning views of the surrounding area and Mohawk Trail.
FALL FOLIAGE SCENIC DRIVE - KANCAMAGUS HIGHWAY NEW HAMPSHIRE
The White Mountain National Forest is home to many wonderful scenic drives but the most popular - and rightly so - has to be the 34-mile Kancamagus Scenic Highway that runs along route 112 from Conway to White Mountains Visitor Center in Lincoln. This drive is considered by many to be the top fall foliage New England scenic drive. You'll see beautiful forests ablaze with autumn colors and plenty of photo opportunities with walks along gorges and streams, and with breathtaking views of the highest mountains in the Presidential Range.
FALL FOLIAGE SCENIC DRIVE - CENTRAL VERMONT AREA
Vermont is a popular destination state in the fall. With many fall foliage scenic drives to choose from, the Central Vermont area, around Killington, and the towns and highways of Woodstock, Rutland and Ludlow, offer up some of the most dazzling. This area is deep in The Green Mountain National Forest area, and not surprisingly offers dramatic fall foliage color and scenery.
FALL FOLIAGE SCENIC DRIVE - LAKES AND LEAVES MAINE
Maine is a vast wilderness and given its proximity is the first New England state to display peak fall foliage color. Maine has many unparalleled scenic drives to choose from, and it's difficult to single out one. But the Lakes and Leaves drive that skirts the shores of Moosehead Lake on Route 15 and then heads south on route 201 provides an amazing view of this empty, but beautiful backcountry. You'll see incomparable fall foliage views of the tree-lined banks of the Kennebec River, and the surrounding mountains on this Maine Scenic Highway.
FALL FOLIAGE SCENIC DRIVE - RHODE ISLAND COAST
Rhode Island provides open roads and coastal drives for fall vacationers and leaf peeping. The 61-mile Rhode Island Coast Scenic Drive follows the coastline east from Westerly towards Point Judith passing nature reserves and secluded beaches, until turning north along Narragansett Bay, and eventually over Newport Bridge on route 138. The drive finishes over the breathtaking Ocean Drive in historic Newport.
Always close to a picnic stop along this short drive it begs to be taken slowly and to stop occasionally and breathe in the crisp fall salt air.
FALL FOLIAGE SCENIC DRIVE - CONNECTICUT ROUTE 169
Far from being the forgotten step child of the other fall foliage scenic drives in New England, Connecticut is full of its own collection of scenic drives. One noteworthy trip to take in autumn is Route 169 in the eastern "Quiet Corner" region. Here the backdrop is rolling farmland, stone walls, and picturesque towns and villages that line the route.
New England is littered with fall foliage scenic drives, and look at those mentioned here as springboards to visiting other country roads that lead to surprises and discovery at every turn. The backroads of New England are where the gems are located, so don't be afraid to explore.
Fall foliage scenic drives in Maine are varied and include coastal drives around Acadia National Park and the rocky coastline of upper Northern Maine to Baxter State park region, to some of the larger lakes in the state. Many of the scenic drives emphasize the rugged wilderness of thick forests and impressive mountain terrain of the Maine backcountry.
Maine is one of the most heavily forested states in the nation, containing over 17 million acres of natural beauty, hikes, and magnificent summer scenic drives. One of the drives is nicknamed "The Lakes and Leaves" and I've chosen it because it's especially stunning in fall foliage season.
The "Lakes and Leaves" route follows a 218-mile loop through central west Maine along the lower western shore of Moosehead Lake, and then runs parallel with the tree-lined banks of the Kennebec River. It's best experienced over a few days rather than a one-day excursion trip, and lodging reservations are recommended during the popular fall foliage season.
Let's get you started...
In the first part of the tour you'll wind your way towards the town of Greenville on the southern tip of Moosehead Lake. Begin the tour in the town of Skowhegan by taking Route 150 to Route 151 in Athens. Follow Route 151 west to Newport where you'll pick up Route 7 to Dover-Foxcroft. Take Route 6 to Guilford, and then follow Route 6/15 north to Greenville.
At Greenville stop and relax for a bit. Greenville is a center for those seeking the pastimes of hunting, fishing, hiking and boating in the area. It's also home to a number of attractions in the area. One such attraction is the 110-foot SS Katahdin, a popular steamship that cruises on Moosehead Lake during the summer and through fall foliage. It leaves from the center of Greenville. The views from the ship are dramatic and worth the extra scheduling preparation.
A 20-mile excursion east of Greenville takes you to beautiful Gulf Hagas. This is a stunning 3-mile-long gorge, with waterfalls, water chutes, deep pools, and vertical walls 300 feet tall in places. The hike is especially scenic during fall foliage. For those spreading this scenic drive over multiple days this is a must-do side trip.
The Greenville area also boasts splendid hikes along the close-by Appalachian Trail, and is the preferred stop over town in the area if you're intending to do any of the excursions over multiple days. Like most lodging in New England during the fall season... book early.
The scenic drive continues along Route 6/15 passing Big Squaw Mountain and Ski Area on the left, and winding along the Moosehead Lake shore to the village of Rockwood. Once at Rockwood you'll see across the water the imposing Mount Kineo with its sheer cliff face rising over 700 feet from the deepest point in Moosehead Lake.
Stay on Route 6/15 and head west to Jackman. This 30-mile portion of the scenic drive is all about Maine wilderness. You'll find plenty of opportunities to stop and admire the fall foliage views in the hills and on scenic lookouts across the lakes and ponds along the road.
Just south of Jackman Route 6/15 will connect with Route 201, and you'll follow Route 201 south towards The Forks along the National Scenic Byway. Jackman is a canoeing center, famous for the 42-mile Moose River Bow Trip. The canoe trip takes two or more days and is a favorite of outdoor enthusiasts. It's one of the few remaining wilderness canoe trips in the Northeast, and organized tours are run by local operators.
Continue on Route 201 south to The Forks where the Kennebec and Dead Rivers meet. The Forks is base for popular and awe-inspiring whitewater rafting trips on the two rivers. A few miles west of The Forks is Moxie Falls, at 90-feet one of the tallest waterfalls in New England.
The scenic drive continues south on Route 201 to Bingham. This stretch of the road follows the Kennebec River through Caratunk, offering magnificent views of the river and surrounding hills, and is one of the best fall foliage sections on this tour. Stop on occasions and marvel at the way the river has carved out such wonderful scenery for us to admire. If you've got a camera - use it!
Follow Route 201 back to Skowhegan to complete the tour.
Unlike other scenic drives in New England this one's main attraction is the natural rugged beauty of the Maine wilderness, rather than villages and towns or other historic monuments. This is a drive to build an outdoor vacation around, but it also makes an ideal fall foliage weekend jaunt.
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