Finding (but not raking) ALL the pretty leaves

August 18, 2022 12:50 PM

If someone wanted to hit a bunch of different fall foliage hotspots, where (and when) would they go? For instance, Colorado at altitude can peak in mid-September, while other places are weeks later. If you could hop all over the U.S. for trees, where would you head, and when? Thanks!
posted by cyndigo to Travel & Transportation (9 answers total)

This map shows the U.S., with a slider you can move forward in time to see when leaves are predicted to change. It looks like it's a 2021 map, so the timing may be different this year.
posted by pinochiette at 1:00 PM on August 18, 2022

There are a lot of "leaf peeping" sites that talk about this... Here's one that has general times, but of course it varies year-to-year. This one also has a bunch of specific locations with general forecasts. But the real Leaf Peepers are following maps day-to-day and going where the leaves are best.
posted by brainmouse at 1:01 PM on August 18, 2022

Vermont and New Hampshire are prime peeping territory. Early October likely best based on this map
posted by emd3737 at 1:02 PM on August 18, 2022

We've gone to Western North Carolina (Boone/Blowing Rock area) in mid-October two of the last 3 years and the foliage has been spectacular.
posted by saladin at 1:20 PM on August 18, 2022

Vermont has had a very very very dry summer. All bets are off on what foliage will be like this year. We rely on wet augusts for good leaves and it just isn’t happening. Got 5/10ths of an inch of rain over the last 24 hours and other than a few very isolated thunderstorms that’s all we have had in months.
posted by terrapin at 3:15 PM on August 18, 2022 [4 favorites]

Skyline Drive in VA mid-late October
posted by maxg94 at 6:18 AM on August 19, 2022

The fall colors in the Keweenaw Peninsula in MIchigan's Upper Peninsula peak around the last week of September or first of October. Bonus views of Lake Superior! One of the ski mountains in the area runs the chairlift during the fall which I recall as pretty awesome.
posted by thatquietgirl at 7:38 AM on August 19, 2022

Eastern Sierras in California in early-mid October.
posted by bluesky78987 at 7:49 AM on August 19, 2022

The Fall Foliage Prediction Map for this season is ready.
posted by terrapin at 2:26 PM on September 7, 2022