2018 Foliage Report | Where to Find Foliage Now in Northern, Central & Southern New England

Until this past week, seeing great New England fall color has required a bit of planning and travel, even for most New Englanders. The annual show always begins in the mountains and far north — areas that are remote and wild, or at least very rural. These are places where living takes hard work, but where recreation opportunities abound and natural beauty is unparalleled. Now, though, as the wave of peak color moves south, downhill and toward the coast, the fall foliage display becomes readily available to the masses. We can find total immersion in the season’s best color without needing to seek it out. A red-orange glow greets me at dawn when I raise the shades and look out upon my yard. The fall colors are now part of my commute, and they’re what I stare at all day at work, longing to be outside, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. Every year the window for this intense color in our daily lives is a small one, but this year it seems to be more fleeting than usual. The trees were late in starting their pageant, then turned incredibly quickly once it began. This continued right through peak, and many areas are fading from their prime of even just a few days ago.