2025 New England Fall Foliage October Update | Early Peaks, Patchy Color & Where to Find the Best Views Now

As the long weekend approaches, we checked in with Yankee foliage expert Jim Salge for the latest on how this unusually fast-moving season is unfolding—and where to find the best remaining fall foliage color right now.

First things first: Your foliage update in September said that the drought, combined with spring fungus, would create a patchwork of colors that would be early and brief. How is that playing out now?

It’s a patchwork for sure, and honestly, I don’t think we’ve ever had a season that has moved so quickly. In some areas, the trees are turning brightly, but the reds and oranges are falling within a day or two. In other areas, the bright colors are struggling to simply emerge. Unless you hit a particular area just right, you’d never believe some of the beautiful images taken there just a day or two ago.

The heat also hasn’t helped. We’ve had cool mornings that encourage the leaves to turn, but then the hot, sunny days with low humidity are just crisping out the new color. With all that is happening, we have to be mindful of how realistically our color expectations are going to be met this year.

Has the color been bright in northern New England?

Some places have been very bright! The last weekend in September was beautiful in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont and the mountains of western Maine. Those areas are now past peak, which doesn’t mean they have nothing to offer, but if you want to find peak color for the long weekend, you’re going to have to look in areas farther south and lower in elevation than is typical for the long weekend. If you drive up I-93 from Boston straight to Artist Bluff trail and lookout in Franconia Notch, you’ll drive through the best color in southern New Hampshire.

So there will still be peak color this weekend?

Yes! Peak arrived in late September this year in the far north as well as the upper elevations. But there are still a lot of areas to go. People who focus on the Lakes Regions of New Hampshire and Maine, as well as the river valleys of Vermont, will likely find patches of good color. It will not be uniformly bright, and perhaps nowhere will be as bright as the best years, but there will be fine color. 

Central Massachusetts and northern Connecticut are also areas that typically peak later and are a little less drought-stricken this year. And a really safe bet might be Midcoast Maine, where there are mixed forests, elevation, and microclimates that could hold pockets of great color. For this reason, we picked Camden, Maine, in our Where to See Fall Foliage This Weekend post.

If people have travel plans in the mountains for the long weekend, what should they do? 

I think you still go. And I know it’s hard to say that to people traveling from around the world hoping to see the postcard-perfect peak colors, which clearly won’t be there, but two things inform this choice.

First, New England is a small and drivable region. You’re not going to be more than a midday driving loop to brighter colors, and a willingness to explore is what will pay off this year. Second, in New England, the fall colors are just a backdrop for the things that make the region great. If you have a vacation planned, there are still fairs, festivals, food, and country stores to visit. And October weather is generally great for hiking, biking, kayaking, and all other great outdoor activities.

Finally, “past peak” doesn’t mean no color, so the understory of the trees and walks through the forest will still be beautiful and glowing.

There are still a few weeks of foliage left in southern and coastal New England. Any changes to the forecast there?  

Things look on track for a bit early, and bright in patches. There’s some rain and cooler weather again in the forecast, which would be good. The last areas to reach their maximum brightness are always coastal Connecticut, Rhode Island, and the Cape and the Islands. These areas may not reach peak until late October or even early November. And the first weekend in November is usually peak in downtown Boston, which is always spectacular! 

How has the traffic and crowds been?

Well, last weekend felt like everyone had FOMO, and the main routes into the mountains were jammed. But perhaps this weekend will be less so. Tourist areas have worked hard over the last few years to mitigate the crowds. A key example this year is Franconia Notch State Park mandating one-way hiking on the Artist Bluff Trail loop. Visitors should be prepared to hike the whole loop, and not just the short trail. We’ve also seen continued closures of local roads in Vermont to alleviate car traffic.

Given that many of the main tourist areas will be past peak this weekend, though, it’ll be a great time to explore less busy areas.

Where do you plan to go this long weekend?

I’m excited to see the colors coming on in southern New Hampshire the last couple of mornings. I may hit some of the trails in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. But I also hope to keep alive so many of the fall traditions my kids and family love with a visit to a farm for cider donuts and pumpkins. And make an apple crisp! It’s always a good weekend for that.

Jim Salge

As a former meteorologist at the Mount Washington Observatory, foliage reporter Jim Salge is a keen observer of the progression of the seasons in New England. He uses his knowledge of weather, geography, and climate to pinpoint the best time to visit various New England locations to find the best light, atmosphere, and, most importantly, color.

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