Red leaves

[viajero465]

Please see the pic below. I took it in fall 2018 and cropped it for this post to show the red tree. During my past fall foliage trips throughout New England I have never been able to find more than one or two such red trees in the same place. All the ones I found are like the one you see here: isolated in a forest of yellows, golds, oranges and a few purples.

Everybody I ask tells me that I will not find a concentration of trees with red leaves in New England. Give up, no such thing, they say.

Do you agree?

[edmcguirk]

In the area around Island Pond Vt, along Rt.s 114 and Rt 105 there is a high concentration of red maples. The shoreline of nearby Jobs Pond in Newark has a lot of red maples too. The hillsides in this general area have a lot of red. get lost exploring the back roads in this area and I'm sure you will find what you are looking for....

[viajero465]

Great! Just what I wanted to know, thank you.

[ctyanky]

I concur with Ed. We were ambushed with reds there on 114 the last two years. Phil, our local VTer and forum moderator, was dancing the jig. It was like the golden chalice of color and we were speechless! Also, if you drive 106 out of Woodstock (heading south), turn east on 44 towards Ascutney. Not only a cluster of reds but a phenomenal tree tunnel (not sure exact locale) to add to your tree canopy/tunnel bucket list for 2020. CT

[viajero465]

Wow! Better and better. I'm glad I asked, despite all the negatives I had received elsewhere. I felt them reds had to be somewhere!

Thank you.

[edmcguirk]

I would explore Rt. 114 for 10 or 15 miles both north and south of Island Pond, and like I said wander around the back roads that go off from Rt. 114 as well. It was a bonanza of red maples in 2018.

[viajero465]

Thank you. You know, I was wondering about that, not sure how far to drive to/from Island Pond, and was going to ask, but your post cleared that nicely.

[Andy]

Part of the reason for the "lack" of reds is timing. Another part is the fact that unfortunately, Vermont Maple trees have been accosted with a "rust" disease over a few of the past years, causing them to turn brown and fall early. In my experience the maples tend to turn earlier than other species (Oak, beach and birch) which for whatever reason remain more hardy. What gives Vermont, New Hampshire, Northern Maine and Canada the "rep" is the large concentration of maples. But as I noted in my response to you on another thread, timing is everything.