2023 New England Fall Foliage Update | Peak Arrives in the North, Green Holds in the South

With all the unpredictability of the past few years, it’s been a relief to know there’s one thing we can still count on: the beauty of New England’s fall foliage show. In our latest Q&A with Yankee foliage expert Jim Salge, we find out how the season is progressing (hint: it’s a great year for many of the region’s most popular foliage spots!), what’s in store for the upcoming long weekend, and predictions for the rest of October.

First things first: In your earlier foliage forecasts you said that there would likely be a late peak timeframe in 2023. How is that looking as we head into the long weekend?

There should be some great options for leaf peepers this weekend, but there’s no doubt that the colors are coming in late this year. We needed warm days and cool nights to kickstart the colors, and we only FINALLY saw that last week. And now this week has been warm again. So it’s been slow so far…

That said, there should be a few areas at peak this weekend, especially in the northern parts of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Areas like the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont and Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, were already almost there last weekend, so that should only expand slowly this week. Really, all of non-coastal northern New England should have pockets of color, and swamp maples will provide pops of red everywhere.

You also thought that the colors would be more pastel, or even a little muted this year. Now that we’re seeing the north near peak, how do they look?

The sunny weather and cool nights in northern New England last week really helped set up a great holiday weekend for that region, but southern New England continues to battle persistent clouds and rain, after a summer of endless rainfall and humidity.

Because of this, the biggest foliage threat this year is an unhealthy mix of leaf fungi. The stately, roadside sugar maples seem especially affected, with leaves browning and falling prematurely, but the red maples seem to be faring okay, and the swamp maples have been very bright, so yes, there’s less vibrancy, but this is going to be a great weekend to explore. If things are muted where you are, definitely try elsewhere.

The weather has been really varied this fall, with big differences from north to south. How is that affecting the colors and timing?

Yeah, the weather in southern New England heading into fall wasn’t optimal. And very little has changed. The flooding rains in New York last week extended through Connecticut and western Massachusetts, and more rain is just not ideal right now. This week is dry, but still warm. Hartford saw only four mornings in the forties so far this year, and Bridgeport only had one. It’s really just very green, and fungus will continue to be a concern. 

So there are still a few weeks of the traditional foliage season in southern and coastal New England, but you said it’s barely starting to turn in many areas. What’s the latest foliage forecast there?  

I don’t think there are any big changes to the southern New England foliage forecast. It will be a long season for sure. The hope is that the long-range forecast brings a cold front that will bring the colors on quickly, but that’s still too early to call. All we can say now is that peak is late and trending later. The way it’s looking now, Boston will likely still have peak colors in the Public Garden and the Esplanade into November.

Where can people continue to find the best spots after this weekend?

With the late start to the year, we are going to continue to update our “Where to See Fall Foliage This Weekend’ through the end of October for sure. Each week, we will pick one prime location and three supporting spots, and do a complete breakdown of the current state of the leaves and colors. This week we’re highlighting Peterborough, New Hampshire, just down the street from the Yankee offices in Dublin.

We also have our peak map pretty well on track with the forecast this year, and so many other resources as well. 

Have there been any surprises so far this year?

The red maples have really looked good in northern New England so far. And with the bright sunshine last week, they are RED this year. So that’s been nice. Also, some areas have avoided the fungus and have been surprisingly bright. The Route 93 corridor, which is usually a highway to bring people to other areas with nice foliage, has been a really bright ride so far. So there is definitely good foliage to be seen. You just have to get out there and explore.

Where are you heading this long holiday weekend?

I’m going to be going up Route 93, but heading to the western part of New Hampshire, focusing on some of the places by Hanover, Bristol, or even as far as Warren. These are great areas with good hiking, lakes, and ponds for photography and recreation, and a bit away from the crowds of the Kanc. I can’t wait!