Fall Foliage Scenic Drives in New England - Introduction

Fall foliage in New England really begins in August. TheEngland scenic drive. It has beautiful forests ablaze
shortening daylight hours trigger the deciduous treeswith autumn colors and plenty of photo opportunities
to begin the process of shedding their leaves. Itwith walks along gorges and streams, and with views
happens all around North America, and all around theof the highest mountains in the Presidential Range.
world.FALL FOLIAGE SCENIC DRIVE - CENTRAL
But in New England it's special.VERMONT AREA
Why is fall foliage in New England so different andIn Vermont nature planted all the high peaks in the
special?south - although the North Kingdom has great color
It's a factor of many things but mostly an abundanceas well. But arguably Vermont's best loved fall foliage
of different types of deciduous trees, warm autumndrive is in the Central Vermont area, around Killington,
days, and cool - but not freezing - nights. Whenand the towns and highways of Woodstock, Rutland
these and a few other conditions are all mixed in theand Ludlow. This is deep in The Green Mountain
right proportions, then you get the world famousNational Forest area, and not surprisingly offers
stunning shades of reds, yellows, oranges, andspectacular fall foliage color and scenery.
browns on the hills and mountain sides of NewFALL FOLIAGE SCENIC DRIVE - LAKES AND
England.LEAVES MAINE
Between mid-September to late-October, visitorsParts of Maine are the first to display peak fall foliage
flock to New England to see the fall foliage. Thesecolor in New England. With Maine's many driving loops
six scenic drives offer some of the best autumnto choose from, it's difficult to single out one. But the
views available from anywhere on the planet.Lakes and Leaves drive that touches the shores of
This is an introduction to a series of six articles thatMoosehead Lake on Route 15 before heading south
provide details and routes on each of these scenicon route 201 is ever popular. You'll see unparalleled fall
drives.foliage views of the tree-lined banks of the
FALL FOLIAGE SCENIC DRIVE - MOHAWK TRAILKennebec River, and the surrounding mountains on
MASSACHUSETTSthis Maine Scenic Highway.
The most popular fall foliage scenic drives inFALL FOLIAGE SCENIC DRIVE - RHODE ISLAND
Massachusetts are along the famous Mohawk Trail.COAST
This trail rolls out through the northwestern part ofFall vacationers in Rhode Island have open roads and
the state on route 2, and winds through the hills andcoastal drives to satisfy their leaf peeping. The
mountains of the Berkshires, touching picturesque61-mile Rhode Island Coast Scenic Drive follows the
towns like Williamstown, Deerfield, Shelbourne,coastline east from Westerly before turning north
Colrain, Charlemont, and Shelburne Falls.along Narragansett Bay, and eventually over Newport
Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts,Bridge on route 138. The drive finishes over the
offers spectacular views of the surrounding area andbreathtaking Ocean Drive in historic Newport. A
Mohawk Trail.pleasant seaside twist to a fall foliage drive.
FALL FOLIAGE SCENIC DRIVE - KANCAMAGUSFALL FOLIAGE SCENIC DRIVE - CONNECTICUT
HIGHWAY NEW HAMPSHIREROUTE 169
New Hampshire has many scenic drives in the WhiteNot to be outdone during fall foliage the state of
Mountain National Forest but at the top of the listConnecticut has in its own little corner of popular
has to be the 34-mile Kancamagus Scenic Highwayautumn leaf spotting sites, with some of the most
that runs along route 112 from Conway to Whitestunning scenic drives being on Route 169 in the
Mountains Visitor Center in Lincoln. This drive isglacial plains which are part of Quinebaug River
considered by many to be the top fall foliage Newbottomlands.