Looking for fall foliage info? Leave it to us
By BDN Editorial Board
The weather this summer wasn’t always perfect. That’s an understatement. But, as it turns out, all the rain might help us rake in good fall foliage.
“This summer, Maine received a considerable amount of rainfall which will enhance the fall colors, unlike the past two seasons when the state’s forests were impacted by summer drought,” Gale Ross, the state’s fall foliage spokesperson, said in an initial foliage report, according to News Center Maine. “Minimal defoliation in certain tree species may impact color in some areas due to the wetter than normal summer, but it should not have a significant impact on our foliage season.”
We’ll leave it up to you to decide if enhanced foliage is a good trade for a rainy summer. Since those rainy summer days have already come and gone, however, we’ll be focusing now on ways to enjoy a colorful fall. And if you’re looking for help in that regard, our colleagues have already begun putting together an unbe-leaf-able resource with all sorts of leaf-peeping information.
The BDN’s leaf-peeping guide (courtesy of digital editor Leela Stockley) will evolve along with the foliage, providing updates on conditions by region and suggestions on places to enjoy them. With early color reported in Aroostook County and northern Penobscot County, those initial suggestions include Quaggy Jo Mountain in Presque Isle and the Deboullie Public Lands.
Many of the fall tips and suggestions come from years of adventuring experience from BDN Outdoors columnist Aislinn Sarnacki, including her input about timing trips right, extending the season by visiting different parts of the state, seeking out certain types of trees, planning for cold weather and storms, and getting out of your car (whether that means hiking, getting on a train or taking a boat ride).
“To truly embrace the season, many people plan special outings to find the most vibrant colors,” she wrote in 2021. “Whether you’re visiting Maine for the first time or you’ve lived here for many years, leaf peeping is a fun activity that brings joy to all ages.”
All of that remains true today.
Some tried and true statewide foliage suggestions from those of us on the editorial board include Borestone Mountain, a Maine Audubon preserve in Piscataquis County with a view at the top that, in peak foliage, will have you and your hiking partners saying, “Orange you glad we did this?” The moderate hike up Mount Kineo provides an expansive view of Moosehead Lake from atop a firetower, though the ferry from Rockwood out to Kineo stops in mid-October, so keep that in mind.
A fall trip Down East offers a chance to see the stunning reds of blueberry barrens, and a drive along parts of the Golden Road connecting Millinocket to the Quebec border can be, well, golden (depending on road conditions).
Generally speaking, the foliage in northern Maine tends to peak in late September while peak conditions are expected in coastal areas mid- to late October. Impacts of climate change are expected to push peak conditions in Acadia National Park later than normal, meaning peak there might not happen until the third week of October.
No matter where or how you choose to get out and enjoy another crisp Maine fall, we hope you have fun and stay safe. And we hope the BDN’s leaf-peeping guide leaves you with plenty of colorful suggestions.