North Western Connecticut At Peak! Frost and Recent Rains! The state is rockin' it this week! Go to these towns now!

[ctyanky]

Sunday, 10.18

Hello foliage friends, looking for some great color? Head to the NW corner of CT and along the west side adjacent to the NY border! Color is on fire and we are approaching or at peak in the following towns. I knew when I woke up this frosty morning, that today was the day to return to my favorite towns and villages in extreme NW CT! And Mother Nature answered my foliage prayers due to the cold last night and all the rains we had last week. This week promises blue skies, near 70 and no rain or wind! This is the week to get out there!

Here are the towns and main routes to visit this week! Tomorrow I will add some enchanting back roads, historic sites and vistas that were mind blowing! I'm just too exhausted from being on the road all day AND hiking to the summit of my favorite land trust preserve with views out to Mt. Greylock!

I had some gut feelings that the Barkhamsted Reservoir was nearing peak and it did not disappoint. Route 319 out of New Hartford was stunning with water reflections galore with peak foliage, lots of reds. There are two pullouts south of the construction for photo ops. From here head west on route 44.

Here are the towns:

East Canaan route 44 w
North Canaan route 44 w
Salisbury route 44 w
Lakeville route 44 w
Sharon route 44 w
Falls Village route 128
Lime Rock route 112
Route 41 South from Salisbury to Sharon

Tons of prep schools, horse farms and colonial estates along the way! SO NEW ENGLAND!!!!! Top it off with stunning fall foliage and you got yourself one heck of a road trip. I'm sure route 7 is equally amazing!

We took a ton of back roads and I will list them tomorrow. The one that stood out in my mind was Taconic Road off route 44 in Salisbury. The hike we did was in Sharon at the intersection of Gay St and Williams Road at the Sharon Land Trust's Mary Moore Preserve. OMG the long views at the summit, well if you can, go there! We did this hike in the summer and said we would come back in the fall. It was a dream like walk in the woods with cool fall air, leaf strewn trails, stone walls, ponds and farms in the foreground, and COWS! We only did half the hike due to the fact that the conversation went like this, "Stop here", "Stop here", "Turn around!" "Take this road"! We never got to Sherman and Lake Waramaug! But I will be day tripping all week with more foliage finds!

Stay tuned! Autumn Bliss in Connecticut! CT

[Colorado Mom]

I remember being just a little north of Kent but south of Kent Falls. While on 7 we turned off on a road to the left. There was a small lake and houses around it. It was beautiful back in there! Someday I would like to explore Connecticut. BTW Kent has a wonderful chocolate store if anyone is in that area Have fun CT, glad you are getting to see some great colors!

[ctyanky]

Hi Colorado! So nice to see you here on the forum, I hope you and your family and your daughter's family in NH are well! Belgique chocolates closed a few years ago but Kent Coffee and Chocolates is what is in town now. I did go once to Belgique so I know what you are referring to! Any time you come to CT I would be happy to be your guide. My NH friends from this forum may be coming to CT this Thursday and I can't wait to show them my state and all the exploding color and back roads! See you in Vermont next fall for sure if you come and we can meet at the brewery this time! Wear your fall plaid coat again!

[loafer89]

I miss Belgigue, they had really good cakes and pastries. Expensive, but good.

[ctyanky]

ANOTHER amazing foliage drive today in the Farmington Valley with crazy peak colors in the following towns, you can't go wrong no matter what road! Simsbury, Canton, Avon, North Canton! Connecticut is experiencing the best color that I can remember in several years!

Here are the roads I took:

185 out thru Bloomfield into Simsbury past Penwood State Park and Talcott Mountain State Park, blazing colors of red, orange, gold and ruby! Avon Mountain is peak with similar brilliant foliage and Nod Road in Avon to Simsbury has the best color on Talcott Mountain with Hublein Tower at the summit that I have ever seen. When we went by Sunday there were so many people spread out on the fields below (near the State Police Shooting Range) and today I was the only one. It is an afternoon shot so if you are in the area it is a must stop!

Stratton Brook Road into Simsbury, just gorgeous and then I took route 179 into North Canton. OMG, really, never saw color so good before. I took 179 right into the Barkhamsted Reservoir and it has colored up significantly since Sunday and in two days, I expect peak. No crowds, just me and one other person gawking! Route 219 and 318 are at peak with brilliant colors.

I took 318 to route 44 thru Winsted and up to Norfolk town green. Lots of peak color but some pockets of sticks due to the past storm. Once I got into Norfolk the colors came back in full force. I drove down Mountain Road out of the town center on route 272 south (designated scenic road). There is a criss cross fence line the whole length of the road across from Yale's writer's college campus. I returned to route 272 and drove to my favorite reservoir for photo ops. Route 272 heads to Torrington thru parts of Goshen and Drakesville. The initial part of 272 was somewhat past peak but when I got lower and more southerly, wow. Don't forget to stop at Dennis Hill State Park on 272, narrow winding road to the summit with outstanding long views. I met a delightful retired couple at the pond and we shared routes and thoughts on the color and where we grew up. It was just great. We've been on similar roads and I gave them TONS of new places to explore. They agreed that this CT season is the best in years!

I'm out again tomorrow because the New Hampshire Boys from this forum are coming to CT Thursday and I want to show them the best of the best I have discovered in the past week. I'm so excited!!!!

Best color of the day? Avon, Simsbury, Canton, North Canton, route 318, 219 around the Barkhamsted Reservoir! Farmington Valley at peak and I'm sure the CRV (CT River Valley) the same.

Hope y'all can come to CT and travel all the back roads I've mentioned. Friday I hope to get to Sherman and Roxbury and around Lake Waramaug and after that, Fairfield County and the shoreline.

Stay tuned! I still have to post my favorite back roads in the NW corner!!!! CT

[Colorado Mom]

Kent Coffee and Chocolate is it. My hubby loved the chocolate pumpkin seed bark....Yum!!
I am hoping we make it to Vermont next year, I really missed it. Other trips have been canceled due to Covid so we will see what happens. I will definitely wear the plaid jacket CT at the brewery Wasn't that a neat place!!
Oh and I dont have a daughter that lives in New Hampshire but I sure wish she did!! Kids and grandchildren are probably the only reason we are not back there for good. Although I will tell you when her and I were there last year, there were a couple of places she said she could live! I feel like there is so much to explore and I can't wait.

[ctyanky]

Colorado Mom, why did I think you had a daughter in NH? Maybe I have you mixed up with someone else on the forum, but I swear one of your kids moved there! Maybe I was dreamin' a little dream for you! Next year you WILL be in VT!!!!

[Colorado Mom]

Nope Idaho and Texas but thanks for dreamin for me lol. We have several milestones coming up for our family and I was hoping to get everyone together, in Vermont of course. Maybe that would do it OK now you have me excited and I think I will see if our little place in Woodstock is available next year !! Thats the best part......planning and oh have I missed it!

[ctyanky]

If anyone is interested in hikes with 360 views in our peak areas, I would recommend Haystack Mountain in Norfolk on route 272 - the views from the stone tower of the Canaan Valley below is outstanding as well as views into 3 states (on a clear day). You can go to Campbell Falls just up the road a piece as well or visit Bash Bish Falls on the NY border. I would rate the hike as easy with some small steep inclines but you would need good hiking boots due to rocks and ruts in some areas. It is really a short hike. The Haystack Tower is open.

Also, hike up Talcott Mountain in Simsbury on route 185. Views below of the Farmington Valley will be excellent with peak conditions. Not sure if the Hublein Tower is open due to Covid restrictions. I would rate it easy to moderate with a steady incline and level at the summit all the way to the tower. Soap Stone Mountain in Somers CT has a tower with great long views and wonderful trails! CT

[loafer89]

I'd say the foliage color in Northeastern Connecticut is the worst I've seen since moving to Connecticut in 2006. The severe drought seems to have stressed the tree's. Very little color and trees going bare early. By comparison, Northwestern Connecticut has beautiful color. Here in Enfield, we are kind of in the middle. Some areas of great color, some areas are not so nice. Last year was much better around here and in the quiet corner.

I did Soapstone Mountain yesterday, not nice at all, tree's going bare and very little color left. Great color going to the mountain on Route 190. Really nice foliage color in fact from 1-91 to Soapstone Mountain on Route 190.

[ctyanky]

Kevin, you are exactly correct in your observations. wtnh website had a photo of the gradients of drought in CT. NE CT had 1/2 the pockets in red zone for extreme drought while the bars of drought got considerably lighter as you headed west. NW CT got all the rains this summer and early fall as well as this month that crossed over from lake effects from the north and rains from the west and never made it to NE CT. So there was adequate rainfall in the NW and all the factors came together for peak colors from CRV to the NY border. It coded it abnormally dry. I'm seeing it first hand, and so are you in your reports for the NE CT region. Here is the link that clarifies exactly what you are seeing!

https://www.wtnh.com/weather/extreme-dr ... nnecticut/

I hope you can get back out to the western sections before the end of the weekend. After next Monday, it will be gone and it will be time to head to lower areas of western CT.

I'm leaving tomorrow morning with calguy from NH from this forum who is driving down from NH, to go to the NW corner and will show him all the hotspots! It is going to be 75 and blue skies. Perfection! Will post a report tomorrow night!

[loafer89]

Mohawk Mountain webcam link, still looks like nice foliage color there. Unfortunately the Ski Sundown webcam isn't working.

https://www.mohawkmtn.com/the-mountain/webcam/

[ctyanky]

Thanks for all the pics Kevin. It is really appreciated! Just finished an 8 hour tour of the NW and Western sections of CT with Calguy from NH from this forum. I am so tired I will write a report up tomorrow. After the rains next week, the area will be approaching past peak and sticks. I'm glad we took today to go. Many highlights from the journey with perfect perfect fall weather, blue bird skies, 75 degrees, no wind and velvety air. Not to mention the excellent company from Calguy who drove safely and turned around at every "Stop Here" from the passenger side!!!! Stay tuned as he will post his best shots from the day hopefully tomorrow.

Get out there and explore Connecticut, the foliage peak is heading south to the shoreline! CT