Foliage

About New England’s Foliage

Every autumn throughout New England, diminishing length of daylight and falling temperatures induce trees to shed billions of tons of leaves. Preceding this preparation for winter the trees present a spectacular color show. Leaves that have been green all summer turn to brilliant shades of yellow, orange, and red.

These color changes are caused by transformations in leaf pigments, primarily the green pigment chlorophyll. During summer, the leaves of trees are producing sugar from carbon dioxide and water by the workings of light and chlorophyll. Chlorophyll causes the leaves to appear green.

The shorter days and cool nights of autumn set off changes in the tree. One is the growth of a corky membrane at the base of the leaf stem, which interrupts the flow of nutrients into the leaf. This stops the production of chlorophyll in the leaf, and the green color of the leaf fades, allowing the reds, oranges and yellows to burst forth. The best autumn colors are produced when dry, sunny days are followed by cool, dry nights.

Color may begin to appear in isolated spots in far northern New England the first week in September. Typically, the color change begins at the higher elevations and in the northern part of the region mid-September and moves southward through mid-to-late October, ending in southern New England coastal areas at the end of October.

Visitors who travel to see our spectacular foliage are known as, “Leaf-Peepers.” While on your excursion do stop at country stores, orchards, local restaurants and shops. We have suggested some routes for you to drive. We also suggest that you try some backroads. Get a local map, and don’t worry about getting lost. You’ll always bump into a main road sooner or, hopefully, later.

Foliage Maps and Reports

Use the New England Foliage Map to determine where and when you are likely to see the best foliage. Once foliage season begins the Foliage Reports will be regularly updated.

Massachusetts Foliage Map

Massachusetts Foliage Report

Massachusetts State Map

Scenic Drives

Berkshires and Pioneer Valley

The Berkshires
Follow Route 7 north from Sheffield near the Connecticut border, to Williamstown. Route 8 runs from Sandisfield to Dalton, between two state forests. Route 183 takes you from Great Barrington to Lenox, follows the Housatonic River. Take Richmond Road, off of Route 183, just south of Tanglewood, and stop at the overlook for views of Stockbridge Bowl and the southern Berkshire Hills. Route 43 east, off Route 7, is the lower road to Williamstown. Enjoy the scenic farmland, as well as more mountainous terrain.
Sheffield - Lenox - Williamstown

The Mohawk Trail
Route 2 from Orange to Williamstown is known as the Mohawk Trail, one of America’s first designated automobile tour routes. Along the way you will come upon no less than 14 state parks and forests. How’s that for leaf-peeping potential?

Upcountry views include the Whitcomb Summit. There, you will negotiate a needle-eye turn, but not before taking advantage of the scenic overlook that offers a near-to-heaven view of hills, valleys, fields and farms, and the winding road to yet another summit, that of Mount Greylock.

Other sites along Route 2 include French King Bridge, Millers Falls; the Bissell Covered Bridge, Charlemont; and the enchanting Bridge of Flowers and Shelburne Falls.
Orange - Greenfield - Williamstown

Western Massachusetts
Colorful tours through small villages and college towns await you. Massachusetts Routes 116 and 9 wind through rolling country hills and towns. Take Rte. 116 through scenic Conway and AshfieId. Pittsfield, on Route. 9, is the first of several picturesque villages you'll travel through, including Amherst, Northampton, Goshen and Cummington. Keep your camera handy.
Pittsfield - Amherst - Northampton

Boston

Minuteman Route
From Boston, follow Massachusetts Routes 2 and 4 to Lexington. From Lexington use Rte. 2A to Concord. The road winds through brilliant autumnal countryside, and past Concord's famous Old North Bridge and Minuteman Monument. Pass through Concord Center and bear left at the fork on Sudbury Road. At the Sudbury line, this becomes Concord Road; follow it through Sudbury Center to Rte. 20. Return on Rte. 20 through Waltham, and back to Boston. Lexington - Concord

Central

Enjoy a slow and leisurely drive in sparse traffic, on the route to Quabbin Reservoir:

From Route 128, follow Route 117, or from Route I-495 take Exit 27 and take Route 117 heading to Stow from either direction. This is Massachusett's apple country. At Stow, pick up Route 62 south and west to Princeton. Go north to Wachusett Mountain Reservation, (this road has no number) where you can drive or hike to the summit for a splendid panorama of the countryside.

Return to Route 62 and head west to Barre, then south on Route 32 to Old Furnace. Follow the unnumbered road west to Hardwick, or continue on Route 32, and either way then go north on Route 32A, which runs along Quabbin Reservoir to Petersham.

In Petersham, follow Route 101 east through Templeton, Gardner, and the Ashburnhams to the junction with Route 119. If your looking for a quic drive back to Interstate 495, or route 128/I-95 you can pick up Route 2 East a few places along this stretch. Otherwise, travel east on Route 119 through the Willard Brook State Forest in Ashby and Townsend, where the brook and road run parallel. Get back on I-485 in Littleton. Traveling south on I-495 will soon bring you to the Route 2 exit. Stow - Petrersham - Ashburnham

North Shore

A tour of Cape Ann is a wonderful drive, and can be especially so during a storm. Take Route 128 North to near its end and exit onto Route 127 heading toward Halibut Point. This is a great birding spot. It is also a magnificent place to view and feel the fury of a North Atlantic nor’easter, the powerful storms centered offshore that pound the New England coastline. Wet or dry, continue to Rockport where you may view that most painted and photographed shed, “Motif #1.” Leaving Rockport continue on Route 127, or closer to shore, Route 127A. Both will bring you to Gloucester and Gloucester Harbor, America’s most famous fishing poRoute When you’re ready to leave town continue on Route 127 through the beautiful small communities of Manchester-By-The-Sea, Beverly Farms and Beverly, then back to Route 128 and the reality of life on the highway (sigh). Rockport

South Shore

Cranberry Country
The foliage of Plymouth and Bristol counties, provide unique leaf-peeping with historic towns, farms, cranberry bogs, and seaside views. From Interstate 195 East of New Bedford take the exit for Route 105. Travel north through Rochester, past the lakes to Lakeville. Leave Lakeville by going north on Route 28 to Bridgewater. In Bridgewater pick up Route 106 going east. You can take this all the way to the shoreline town of Kingston, just north of historic Plymouth. Or just before Halifax turn right on to Route 58 South, which will take you through Carver and to I-495 just outside or Wareham.
New Bedford - Plymouth - Wareham