Where to See Fall Foliage This Weekend | 2025

October 31 – November 2, 2025

New England’s foliage season is drawing to a close, with color now retreating to the coastlines and sheltered lowlands. Northern and upland areas from Vermont through interior Maine have moved well past peak; the hills are largely bare except for the russet tones of lingering oaks and the golden tamaracks standing out against the sticks. Thoughts are turning to skiing now that there’s snow on the highest peaks!

Across southern New England, though, color persists where mild air from lakes, large rivers, and oceans has influence. Eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and southern Connecticut are the current holdouts, where late-turning maples, oaks, and beeches are keeping the landscape warm-toned, but rusty. Many trees have already shed their canopies, and the leaves now carpeting lawns and sidewalks add to the requisite ambiance of the Halloween season. 

This will be the last foliage report for the season. This year was uneven but still offered moments of brilliance. While the drought was the headliner, the foliage patchwork was a result of a number of factors, including leaf fungus from the wet spring and beech leaf disease, which persists in the landscape. Early color in northern New England was bright but brief, then a well-timed rain in early October reinvigorated southern forests, leading to a bright second peak in central areas. And the deep-rooted oaks were slower to turn, still holding on now.

While the vibrancy never quite reached the extremes of the best years, the season delivered a distinctly New England mix, all with beautiful stretches of sunny sweater weather for all the activities we love. We were happy to share it all with you, and hope you still head to the coast this weekend!

Weekend Spotlight: Salem, Massachusetts

As much of New England settles into November gray, some coastal areas in Massachusetts, like Salem, Marblehead, and Beverly, have the combination of old stately trees and mild seaside air to keep some remaining color vivid. The red sugar maples and bronze oaks are holding their leaves longer than usual. For late October, Salem in particular has long embraced its eerie historic reputation, and Halloween weekend marks the height of its season. Streets fill with costumed visitors, street performers, and the scent of salt air mixed with woodsmoke. It’s a fitting finale to this year’s season with the colors fading just as Halloween arrives, and Salem has the perfect backdrop for its famously haunted history. Just be prepared to share the experience with many others!

Visitors can trace the real stories behind the Salem Witch Trials at the Witch House or the Peabody Essex Museum, where local artifacts share space with maritime treasures from around the world. Outside, the narrow streets of the old town are lined with cafés, small galleries, and shops blending history and perhaps the supernatural. 

Beyond its ghostly fame, Salem also offers classic New England charm: harbor walks, boat tours, and waterfront parks where the last of the coastal foliage reflects in the tide. And when the evening chill settles in, downtown glows with lanterns and laughter, an annual reminder that this city’s spirit is far more about celebration than fear.

As the last leaves fall across New England, Salem stands as both the end and the echo of the season, where autumn’s colors linger just long enough to blend with the candlelight of Halloween night.

October 24-26, 2025

The 2025 New England foliage season is entering its final stretch. Northern areas, from the White and Green Mountains to Maine’s western lakes, are now largely past peak, or even bare, following weeks of dry weather. Vermont, especially away from river valleys and Lake Champlain, is deep into the “season of the sticks.”

The brightest color this past weekend was found along the coastal plains of Maine and New Hampshire and in eastern Massachusetts, where a combination of recent rainfall and mild conditions helped the maples and birches hold on longer. Those regions glowed in strong reds and golds, a surprise late peak in what’s been a tough year for foliage. But Monday’s rain, coupled with the wind, will impact this color, too.

From here, the show is shifting steadily south. Southern New England now stands as the region’s best opportunity for extended color. The drought has been less intense here, and a recent heavy rainfall refreshed soils and revived canopies, especially across the Massachusetts South Shore, eastern Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Expect the most vibrant displays this coming weekend in these areas of Connecticut and Rhode Island, particularly in the interior hills and valleys.

Region-wide, areas dominated by late-turning oaks (which have been slow to show color this year) will offer additional opportunities for foliage seekers. By this weekend, the oaks and maples should meet in Eastern Massachusetts and Connecticut’s Quiet Corner, where you’ll find our top pick for the days ahead.

Weekend Spotlight: Pomfret, Connecticut

While much of the north is already past peak, Connecticut’s Quiet Corner is stepping into its moment. The rolling farmland, shaded lanes, and historic villages around Pomfret are aglow with color, a reminder that southern New England’s later season can still deliver a classic fall experience. The maples and birches have already reached their peak here, and now the oaks are joining in with scarlet and bronze tones, giving the landscape a rich, layered look that could last into early November.

Compared with the well-known Litchfield Hills, northeastern Connecticut remains a quieter alternative for fall travelers. Route 169, a National Scenic Byway, threads through the region’s heart, connecting pastoral valleys and colonial-era villages framed by centuries-old trees. Along and just beyond the byway lie some of the state’s most inviting natural escapes. Old Furnace State Park and Ross Pond State Park to the east offer forested trails, ponds, and ledges bright with color, while to the west, Mashamoquet Brook State Park and the nearby Wolf Den invite exploration by foot or bike under a glowing canopy.

Outdoor recreation extends well beyond hiking. Natchaug State Forest provides broad woodland trails for biking and horseback riding, while the Quinebaug River and surrounding wetlands draw paddlers and photographers chasing reflections of color. After a day outside, travelers can settle in for a relaxed evening nearby. Pomfret’s cafés and country inns offer great places to relax and refresh.

This year’s foliage may have come early and unevenly across New England, but in Pomfret and Connecticut’s Quiet Corner, it’s peaking right on time!

Other Spots to Leaf Peep:

· Rye, NH
· Sturbridge, MA 
· Exeter, RI

October 17-19, 2025

Across New England, the effects of the persistent drought remain the dominant story of this year’s foliage season. In the North Country, isolated valleys and lakeshores have retained their color, but much of the upland landscape, especially across Vermont and northern New Hampshire, has already slipped into what locals call the “season of the sticks.” Away from major rivers and the moderating influence of Lake Champlain, hillsides that typically glow into late October now stand bare, their leaves having fallen weeks ahead of schedule.

The biggest takeaway from up north is just how fast the leaves that turn are falling. Any color is long, long gone.  

It’s a slightly different story in southern New Hampshire and coastal Maine, but the pattern is even more uneven. Early-changing trees shed quickly during last week’s warmth and wind, leaving many canopies thin and scattered. Wetlands are now largely bare, too. And yet, there are still scattered pockets of late-turning maples holding their reds and oranges. And the oaks, which remain stubbornly green, are waiting for the next cooldown to turn.

Farther south, color is still developing across much of southern New England. Here, the drought has been less intense, and while the same patchy, short-lived trends are expected, there’s at least potential for a pleasant late-season finale. We similarly expect areas to flash with vivid color before dropping quickly, followed by a more subtle, bronze-toned finish from the oaks, but perhaps the color will hold on the trees just a little longer than up north. But like earlier up there, for leaf peepers, this year’s best moments will come not from chasing broad peaks, but from appreciating the smaller, fleeting pockets of brilliance before the quiet of November.

Our pick to visit this week, Deerfield, Massachusetts, may be one of those pockets this coming weekend.  

Weekend Spotlight: Deerfield, Massachusetts

As fall color continues to settle southward, Deerfield, Massachusetts, offers a lot of both great foliage and other fall experiences in a year where options are needed. It’s a place where history is preserved and celebrated, and the Connecticut River Valley offers great landscapes. Deerfield’s climate is moderated by the water nearby, reducing the extremes in temperatures that have hurried the season elsewhere. While the maples and birches on the hillsides above town are showing their final bursts of color, the village canopy of maples, and especially the oaks, continues to turn at a slower, more graceful pace. The result is a patchwork of late-season hues this coming weekend, with pops of great color. 

Historic Deerfield, a living museum, is the centerpiece of any visit. Along its mile-long main street, dozens of preserved 18th- and 19th-century homes stand shaded by spreading hardwoods. The village experience offers an immersive walk through colonial and early American life, where history and autumn scenery blend seamlessly. The broad lawns and tree-lined lanes are particularly beautiful this time of year, with golden leaves collecting against weathered stone walls and white clapboard houses.

Surrounding the village, the Pocumtuck Range and Mount Sugarloaf provide some of the best nearby hiking overlooks. From these summits, visitors can look down over the Connecticut River Valley’s patchwork of fields and forest, where color lingers longer thanks to the region’s sheltered geography. Cyclists and paddlers will also find plenty of routes to explore, tracing quiet roads and calm stretches of river framed by changing trees.

To round out the day, Tree House Brewing Company’s South Deerfield location is a must. With its wide outdoor lawn and vast outdoor seating options, it offers comfortable views of the surrounding hills, making it a perfect spot to relax after a hike or an afternoon of exploring. Later, back in Historic Deerfield, there’s Champney’s Restaurant and Tavern at the Deerfield Inn, surrounded again by all the historic homes and century-old trees.  All together, the blend of landscape, history, and easy outdoor charm makes Deerfield an ideal stop for this stage of the foliage season.

Other Spots to Leaf Peep This Weekend:

· Alton, New Hampshire
· York, Maine
· Cornwall, Connecticut

October 10-12, 2025

The long weekend in October is traditionally the best time to celebrate the colors and events of autumn in New England. The wave of peak is usually at its widest, with great locations across the region to see fantastic fall color. But this year… let’s be honest. The areas typically at peak are now past, with a surprising number of bare trees. Bright spots do exist, but not in places we usually expect, so focus instead this weekend on the many fall fairs, festivals, and traditions happening regardless of peak color.

While there has been great color in northern New England this year, the drought has made this long weekend a tough one to recommend places to go. Trees are only becoming more stressed, and the color just isn’t lasting. In the far north, the show is already past its peak, with many ridgelines and valleys showing the gold and rusts of late autumn. The color is arriving this week in the Lakes Regions of Maine and New Hampshire and the river valleys of Vermont, but how long will it last? We simply don’t know this year. Coastal Maine seems like a safer bet with its mixed forests and microclimates.

Southern New England, meanwhile, is still in transition. Much of the canopy remains stubbornly green, with trees showing scattered flashes of color rather than broad sweeps of brilliance. The brightest leaves are seemingly the most fragile, falling quickly. And where leaves have changed in wetlands or higher hillsides, the wider hues are often muted, without their typical peak vibrancy. There’s still some hope in these areas if cooler weather and rain move in soon, but time is running out.

The result is a season marked by short-lived displays and uneven timing. A patchwork, if you will. Microclimates—shaded valleys, wetter lowlands, and sheltered slopes—are offering the best chances to find pockets of lasting color. But across the region, it’s clear this is a challenging year for leaf peepers, with the window for peak foliage unusually narrow.

On the bright side, there are no bugs! Frosts have killed them up north, and the lack of water has limited their breeding. Are we grasping at straws? Maybe. But fall in New England is always beautiful, so we hope this weekend you go to a pumpkin patch, grab a cider donut and a pumpkin spice latte, put on a sweater, and just enjoy some time outside.

Weekend Spotlight: Camden, Maine

As the foliage season continues to advance earlier and with a challenging patchwork of vibrancy across New England, Camden stands out as a destination where the forests may provide an opportunity during the long weekend. Chosen for its blend of mountain and coastal landscapes, Camden offers a striking mix of forests and microclimates that bring about a long season. A more Acadian forest of beech, birch, and maple cloaks the higher slopes, while mixed oak forests more typical of southern Maine dominate near the ocean. Because these forest types peak at different times, Camden stretches the season, giving leaf peepers more chances to catch autumn at its best, even (and maybe especially), in a challenging foliage year.

Scenic drives are among the highlights of the region. Route 52 winds along the eastern shore of Megunticook Lake, where maples and birches reflect brightly in the water, framed by the looming mass of Megunticook Mountain. Alternatively, the auto road up Mount Battie in Camden Hills State Park offers a striking contrast, with views eastward across the town’s harbor to the islands of Penobscot Bay. From this vantage point, the layering of oak forests along the coast and hardwoods on the hillsides creates one of Maine’s most memorable fall panoramas.

Opportunities to explore are plentiful beyond the road. Hiking trails in Camden Hills State Park lead through mixed forests to rocky ledges with sweeping bay views, and the Camden Snow Bowl has its chairlift spinning for autumn visitors. Alternatively, paddlers on Megunticook Lake or Penobscot Bay can watch the season unfold from the water. For a maritime perspective, schooner sails departing from Camden Harbor offer a classic coastal experience framed by the brightening hillsides.

Camden itself blends the surrounding natural beauty with classic New England charm. Camden’s historic downtown is filled with boutiques, galleries, and farm-to-table restaurants, all set between dual backdrops of surrounding mountains and bustling harbor. Starting the day with coffee and breakfast at a café overlooking the water is a simple way to enjoy the town’s coastal charm before heading out to explore. A short drive down the coast leads to lighthouses such as Owls Head and Rockland Breakwater, both offering postcard-worthy views and easy walks. Together, it’s a complete fall getaway where mountains meet the sea, and a great foliage location in a challenging year.

Other Spots to Leaf Peep This Weekend:

· Kent, Connecticut
· Great Barrington, Massachusetts
· Meredith, New Hampshire

October 3-5, 2025

There have been a few pleasant surprises in the past week with the New England fall foliage.

First, we anticipated that color would arrive early, but just how rapidly the leaves changed in the north country has been close to shocking. The warm sunny days, crisp cool nights, and even a few frosts definitely accelerated things in mid-September along the Canadian border.

Second, the intensity of the colors in some areas has been really impressive this year. Drought can bring about briefly bright colors, especially when paired with sunshine, and we’ve had more than an abundance of it this year. Strong reds and even purples are common in the areas that have turned (even if they don’t last long).

Third, and perhaps most surprising, is that we finally received a long, slow, soaking rain last week, which saturated the topsoil and pushed some water into the dry creeks and rivers. Did it save the season? No. But it surely didn’t hurt.

Peak colors will be found all over northern New England this coming weekend, with most ahead of schedule. Variation in the colors is to be expected in your travels, but the strong colors will be found in the Green Mountains of Vermont, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and the mountains of Western Maine. Coastal Maine is getting brighter, too, as are the Berkshires of Massachusetts and the Monadnock Region. Just remember that peak is likely to be brief, and the brightest leaves are proving the most fleeting.

Further north, colors are already fading, but “past peak” doesn’t mean a lack of color. Our pick last week, Lancaster, New Hampshire, will be similar to so many places in the far north, with falling leaves and less intense color, but still quintessentially representative of fall in New England. To the south, it’s mixed. There are pops of color, but still mostly green. The oaks seem to be in no hurry to turn, while some individual maples and birches are popping quickly, but fading fast. The best colors will be found in wetlands.

Weekend Spotlight: Killington, Vermont

In the heart of central Vermont, Killington is a grand peak to take in this year’s fleeting autumn show. The mountain’s dramatic changes in elevation and varied slopes create pockets of microclimates where colors shift at different rates, which is great for a season like this one! Already, the highest ridges are racing through and past peak, while lower valleys are just starting to glow. Further variations between north-facing forests and south-facing hills will add to the variety, with sheltered coves near lakes and rivers keeping their brilliance well into October.

While nearby Rutland offers plenty of services and dining options, Killington is our pick for leaf peepers to center their explorations. First (and not to be missed) is the resort’s gondola that carries visitors to the 4,241-foot summit for a 360-degree panorama that reveals everything from crimson mountaintops already shedding leaves to valleys still ripening below. Hiking trails, including the famous Long Trail, let you wander through these diversely colored woodlands, and mountain bikers can follow the resort’s downhill trail network.

Road cyclists are not to be left out, with classic hilly routes all around the region. And paddlers have options even in the drought, either on Kent Pond or Chittenden Reservoir, with morning mist adding drama to the landscape. There truly is something for everyone around this resort community.

Scenic drives like Route 100, Vermont’s iconic leaf-peeping corridor, cut through the heart of Killington, linking high passes that flash bright and valleys where color lingers. Detours along Route 4 toward Woodstock or down the Otter Creek Valley reveal classic barns, covered bridges, and mountain vistas painted in every stage of the season. With each bend in the road, expect some beautiful colors, some muted, and others still waiting their turn. It’s a theme this year.

When it’s time to relax, Killington pairs its natural beauty with a lively après-outdoors scene. Cozy lodges and slopeside bars serve local craft beers and hearty Vermont fare, while spots like The Foundry at Summit Pond or Killington Distillery offer meals with a view of the changing hills. And if you need more options, Rutland, just 20 minutes west, adds farmers’ markets, breweries, and historic downtown streets to round out a nice weekend escape.

With high peaks fading, valleys brightening, and every slope telling its own story, Killington captures the full experience of a Vermont fall weekend. The colors are fleeting this year, so take it in. The snow guns will be cranking before we know it.

Other Spots to Leaf Peep This Weekend:

· Stowe, Vermont
· Pittsfield, Massachusetts
· Moosehead Lake, Maine

September 26-28, 2025

Fall color is coming on very quickly in northern New England, but the season is unfolding in a way that feels more scattered and fragile than the sweeping wave of brilliance we hope for. In the northernmost forests of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, about a third of the canopy has already turned, with peak continuing this weekend. Leaf peepers can expect to see hillsides of fiery red and glowing gold, but the moment will be fleeting. Drought has accelerated the change, and once these leaves turn, they won’t linger long before dropping.

Elsewhere across the region, the story is more complicated. Almost everyone has noticed splashes of color along roadsides, on exposed ledges, or in dried-out wetlands. These trees are under stress with their roots too shallow or soils too dry to carry them into October, and their leaves are often crisping or browning before reaching their full brilliance. Yet just a few hundred yards into the forest, the deeper-rooted trees still hold their summer green, waiting for the southward wave to reach them.

This patchwork effect (vivid in one spot, muted in adjacent forests, and still green elsewhere) is the direct result of the summer drought, layered on top of the lingering effects of spring’s fungal leaf damage. Instead of a synchronized progression, every microclimate dictates its own pace. Shadier valleys, wetter soils, and healthier stands will still produce fine color, while exposed ridges and thin soils may be bare by early October. The contrasts are striking, and they’ll make the season feel shorter and less uniform than usual.

For those planning a trip north, this coming weekend is the moment to go. The best foliage will be concentrated in the far northern mountains and valleys, where the brilliance of sugar maples and birches is about to crest. But the show will move quickly, and by early October, much of the north will already be past peak. In the meantime, southern and coastal New England will be coming on, and should await leaf peepers for the coming weekends.

Weekend Spotlight: Lancaster, New Hampshire

On the edge of the Great North Woods in New Hampshire, where the White Mountains give way to rolling farmland of the Connecticut River Valley, you find the small town of Lancaster. The area’s historic feel, covered bridges, and surrounding ridgelines seem designed for leaf peeping, with maples and birches beginning to glow from every view. This weekend, the colors should be nearing peak, and you will be surrounded by a setting where the landscape itself takes center stage.

On your way into town, be sure to start at Weeks State Park on Prospect Mountain, where you can drive up to a panoramic view of the town, the river valley to the west, and the high peaks of the Presidential Range and Mount Washington to the east. A historic stone fire tower is a highlight of the park, but so is the mansion (although closed for renovations in 2025) where Weeks summered and fostered his conservationist spirit; he penned the bill that established national forests.

Around Lancaster, the season here is best experienced in motion. Cyclists can follow the gentle curves of the Presidential Rail Trail, passing meadows and streams dappled in color, while mountain bikers find thrills on trail networks in nearby Littleton and Gorham. Kayakers can slip into the Connecticut River for mirrored reflections of the foliage, but many other popular kayak routes are, well, a bit low right now, and that’s probably an understatement.

Those who prefer leaf peeping from the car will find Lancaster at the center of some of New England’s finest drives. Route 3 threads through town, branching into loops that wind past family farms, while a big loop around the Kilkenny Range through Routes 2 and 110 brings you past some of New England’s tallest mountains. And the increasingly popular Dixville Notch and short hike to Table Rock are within a reasonable drive.

Back in town, Lancaster boasts great local shops and restaurants, with a high recommendation for Copper Pig Brewery, which features outdoor seating along the Israel River. Morning coffee is great from The Granite Grind or Polish Princess Bakery. And for lodging, the nearby Mountain View Grand Resort offers both fine dining and casual tavern fare, all with views stretching out to the changing hills.

Other Spots to Leaf Peep This Weekend:

· Jay, Vermont
· Errol, New Hampshire
· Rangeley, Maine

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