Seeking Tunnel/Canopy locations

[viajero465]

ctyanky: Indeed I have. I first learned of Cloudland Road on Jeff Foliage's Scenic Vermont Drive on Cloudland road:

https://www.jeff-foliage.com/2016/02/sc ... ont-drive/

At the time I just wanted a general scenic drive though, and it was great for that. Now that you mention it as a canopy candidate I think it's time to revisit.

Thank you!

[edmcguirk]

Great! Now all I have to do is to keep looking for those elusive tunnels.

CT, I know this is off-topic but given your expertise I'm going take the opportunity to ask if in your opinion it makes any sense to head west, or south, after VT. Or just call it a day, go home, settle back and savor the memories.

I have been to the Adirondacks, ME, MA, CT PA and all of the Appalachians before, but always in summer or early-mid september, and obviously all of it was green; lovely for sure, but green.

In other words, if I were to keep on chasing peak foliage during the first half of november, is there a region in New England that would make sense, in terms of color and cost? (no point in spending big $ to see bare trees, at least not this time).

Thanks

In 2020 Columbus Day is 10/12/20. In normal years I would say you are fine in Northeast Vermont and slightly south of there from about 10/01 to 10/8. Don't buy into the late September hype, with global warming the past 5 years good colors haven't even begun until 10/1 or later in the Northeast Kingdom. The southern half of Vermont is usually good from about 10/7 to 10/15. The area immediately around the Connecticut River in southeast Vermont can run a little longer than that due to the river moderating temperatures.

From 10/15 to 10/30 your best bets for fall color are :

Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, ME, the ocean moderates temperature and it peaks later, the peak is usually 10/12 to 10/18 IMO this is the best post-Columbus Day foliage location in New England.

Week three of October is usually good foliage in Central Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut. These areas are similar to Vermont. They are mostly rural, with rolling hills and farmland. Not quite as good as Vermont, but still nice. Berkshires MA, Litchfield CT, Quabbin MA areas

By week 4 of October the foliage is usually mostly finished everywhere, except for small pockets along the seacoast of Massachusetts, and Cape Cod. The exceptions are secondary subjects such as Larch trees in northeast Vermont (pines that have needles turning yellow), and the Salt Marsh grasses of eastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod.

Week 1 of November, it's all done more or less, you would be better off in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

[viajero465]

Thank you, edmcguirk, for such useful and comprehensive advice.