Tamarack Trees

[edmcguirk]

I'm interested in visiting the Northeast Kingdom to photograph tamarack (larch) trees once they have turned yellow. I'm looking for any reports from Vermonters on the tamarack color progression. I believe the first two weeks of November are usually a good time, but don't know if they too are running late this year. Also does anyone know of locations with particularly large stands of tamaracks. When I was in the NEK in the first week of October, I saw lots of them scattered around here and there, but saw a lot in Victory Basin. Thanks in advance for any help.

[ctyanky]

Hi Ed: not sure if you would like to use this resource but they list all the county foresters in VT. I have used them in the past in different locations and they are incredibly helpful and on the spot with loads of information (i.e. when I went into Lewis Pond and needed updates on the road conditions). They should have a good idea where the biggest stands of tamaracks are as well. CT

https://fpr.vermont.gov/forest/your_woo ... /who_where

[edmcguirk]

Carol, thank you for the report. Your photos of the tamaracks look great. What appeals to me about them is they turn color after everything else is done, so the their color really stands out from the rest of the landscape. I had some other obligations this past weekend, so I did not go up. But based on your report, I will probably go up on either Tuesday or Thursday this week for a long day trip.

For future planning, ctyanky sent me a link to this site, which has a map showing locations of tamarack trees in Vermont. There seems to be larger concentrations around Groton State Forest and the Worcester range, northeast of Montpelier and south of Hardwick.
https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/16414

[From_the_NEK]

Sorry I missed this post and didn't get a reply in earlier.
The Tamaracks of the NEK are starting to fade. The best time to get them here is the last week of October through the first weekend of November.
They are fickle as are most leaves as once they change a strong wind will blow the needles off quickly.

The tamaracks really add that nice last pop of color to the landscape as stick season starts. They are usually found in clusters in semi-swampy areas. Sometimes you can find them scattered among other trees on hillsides as above Exit 23 in Lyndon (see below).

Here are a few photos from around the Lyndon area during the last couple of weeks:

Tamaracks and Church-6205 by Tim_NEK, on Flickr

Tamaracks-6003 by Tim_NEK, on Flickr

Hillside above Exit 23 in Lyndonville-
Tamaracks-6480 by Tim_NEK, on Flickr

This last one is from last Thursday, across the road from my house.
Tamaracks-6459 by Tim_NEK, on Flickr

[edmcguirk]

Tim thank you for the report, and advice on timing. If I want to catch the tamaracks in prime condition, it sounds like I may be batter off waiting until next year, and going during late October. But again, thank you very much for the information and locations.

[Meggson]

Tim thank you for showing everyone great MK-677 results and the report, and advice on timing. If I want to catch the tamaracks in prime condition, it sounds like I may be batter off waiting until next year, and going during late October. But again, thank you very much for the information and locations.

The pics that are full of tamaracks almost always look like paintings to me. Beautiful trees.