With 81 percent of its land cloaked in forest — some 34 billion trees — New England is the gold standard for glowing fall foliage.
That's the good news for "leaf-peepers" in waiting.
The bad? There are so many options for seeing nature at its most kaleidoscopic in the region that firming up an itinerary can be bewildering.
This guide clears away the underbrush of confusion and spotlights the must-see routes and stops in the six New England states famed for their fiery displays.
We put pins in the map for the "Leaf Peeper's Super-Highway", the most coveted covered bridges, iconic mountain panoramas, perfect waterfall picnic spots and towns with historic homes framed by cascading colors.
We also show you where to stay and how best to reach your chosen leaf-peeping havens.
The six classic New England leaf-peeping states
1. Vermont
With 75 percent of the state forested, Vermont is often considered number one for fall foliage.
When?
Between the second and third weeks of October is fall foliage o'clock. Though some radiant colors are still visible at the end of the month.
What to expect
Maple-clad mountains and rolling hills in shades of fiery pink, deep crimson, blazing orange and dazzling yellow.
Where to go
Hit Vermont's National Scenic Byway Route 100, known as the "Leaf Peeper's Super-Highway".
It meanders through charming towns from Wilmington in southern Vermont to Newport near the Canadian border — almost the entire length of the state — with local radio stations revealing the best places to view the color on any given day via fall foliage "hot spot" updates.
For 360-degree views of fiery leaves, take a gondola ride at Stowe, the "Ski Capital of the East" in the winter, or visit the four-season mountain resort town of Manchester and drive or hike to the top of Equinox Mountain for views of a landscape resplendent in fall colors.
You can also enjoy a cruise on Lake Champlain's Spirit of Ethan Allan for 360-degree painted landscapes.
How to get there
The state is connected to New York City via the I-87 and I-90, and with New Hampshire via the I-89.
Most people arriving by air fly into Burlington International Airport, which serves several major cities including Washington, D.C, New York, Philadelphia and Chicago.
The state can also be reached easily by train. The daily Vermonter service runs from Washington, D.C., through New York City, and makes nine stops in Vermont, while the Ethan Allen Express travels daily between New York City and Burlington.
Where to stay
Outbound Stowe is nestled alongside the tranquil West Branch Little River, four miles from the Mt Mansfield State Forest, with guests at the 73-room property enjoying direct access to picturesque trails, an outdoor pool and free wifi. Leaf-peeping tales can be exchanged around the fire pit as marshmallows are roasted.
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2. New Hampshire
Breathtaking autumnal views greet you at every turn in the Granite State.
When?
Late September to early October, with northern areas peaking first.
What to expect
An autumnal cast of sugar maples, red maples, eastern white pines, paper birches, eastern hemlocks, ashes, American beeches, balsam firs and red spruces put on an unforgettable show across valleys, through river gorges and over mountainsides. And for company, some 3,000 to 4,000 moose.
Where to go
Jump in your car and program New Hampshire's finest foliage routes into your navigation app of choice.
If time is not on your side, then make the Kancamagus Highway (known by locals as the "Kanc") your priority. The 34-mile road cuts through the 800,000-acre White Mountain National Forest.
Highlights en route include the 40-foot-tall Sabbaday Falls on the Kancamagus Pass (perfect for a picnic); the aerial tramway that ascends to the 4,080-foot summit of Cannon Mountain; and the one-mile hike through the Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves in North Woodstock.
Another route with ravishing vistas is the 100-mile Pinkham Notch Loop, which offers immense views of the Presidential Mountains and passes through the town of Jackson, home to a beautiful 19th-century covered bridge known as the Honeymoon Bridge.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, a drive along 75-mile-long Moose Alley will give you the best chance of mixing moose sightings with tapestries of mesmerizing fall tones, while the Mount Monadnock Loop deposits drivers at the starting points of moderate hiking trails up 3,165-foot-tall Mount Monadnock.
For leaf peeping sprinkled with cute farmsteads, navigate the Concord to Loudon to Pittsfield Loop.
How to get there
New Hampshire's Manchester-Boston Regional Airport is the state's main commercial airport, though many travelers opt to fly into Boston Logan International Airport, an hour south of the border, and drive.
Interstate 93 is the primary north-south route, while New Hampshire is linked with Vermont via the I-89 and Maine using U.S. Route 2.
Rail options include taking the Amtrak Downeaster from Boston and Brunswick, which stops in Exeter, Durham and Dover; and the Amtrak Vermonter from Washington, D.C., which stops in Claremont.
Where to stay
The Omni Mount Washington Hotel is an iconic property set dramatically in New Hampshire's mountainous Bretton Woods. The property features indoor and outdoor pools, and a prohibition-era speakeasy.
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3. Massachusetts
Massachusetts is the third-most densely populated state in the U.S., but is also gloriously forested, with around 60 percent of the land, or three million acres, covered in trees.
When?
Early October to early November.
What to expect
Maples, oaks, birches and ashes exploding in color across rolling mountains, along dreamy coastlines and in historic streets.
Where to go
The Mohawk Trail, which runs 63 miles from Orange to North Adams, is one of the state's most renowned foliage routes, with premium leaf-peeping opportunities in Rocky Mountain Park on the Connecticut River; the pretty town of Shelburne Falls; Mohawk State Forest; and the Natural Bridge State Park, home to North America's only natural white marble arch.
The views from the top of 3,489-foot-tall Mount Greylock will also leave you spellbound — and there's a paved road all the way to the summit.
The 50-mile-long Connecticut River Scenic Byway in the Pioneer Valley is also a mesmerizing experience. The drive itself is beautiful and there are hiking opportunities along the way in Mount Holyoke Range State Park and Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation.
Slots in the itinerary should also be assigned to a tour of the Cape Ann peninsula in northeastern Massachusetts, home to Gloucester, the oldest seaport in America; and the Greater Merrimack Valley, northwest of Boston. It's peppered with farmstands, orchards and the town of Lexington, with its classic New England town green.
How to get there
Boston Logan International Airport is the main hub for flyers, with Worcester Regional Airport serving the central Massachusetts area.
A scenic and relaxing way to arrive, though, is by train, with Amtrak running several services that benefit those from the Northeast and Midwest. High-speed Acela trains connect the state with New York City and Washington, D.C., the Lake Shore Limited runs between Boston and Chicago, and The Vermonter connects D.C. with Greenfield and Springfield in Western Massachusetts. There's also the Downeaster, which links Boston with Maine and New Hampshire.
The major interstates for drivers are the east-west I-90 for the New York State border; the I-95 for access to the eastern part of the state; the I-93, which links Massachusetts with New Hampshire; and the I-84 and I-91, which travel to Connecticut.
Where to stay
Luxurious Berkshires Untold offers rooms with private bathrooms, air-conditioning, and free wifi, plus it's only 20 miles from the fall foliage hotspot of Mount Greylock State Reservation.
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4. Maine
Maine is the most heavily forested state in the U.S., with 89 percent of the land covered in trees. That’s 17.5 million acres of leaves to peep.
When?
Last week of September to the end of October.
What to expect
Crisp beach walks, riverside rambles, and oaks, birches and maples saturated with heartwarming autumnal hues.
Where to go
The short answer is “almost anywhere”, but let’s spotlight some of the most sensational leaf peeping locations across the state’s regions.
In Southern Maine, take the scenic Midcoast Ramble drive, which starts in coastal Brunswick and heads Downeast along Route 1. Be sure to make detours down the multitude of peninsulas to explore charming towns and lighthouses. At the end, in Camden, ascend Mount Battie in Camden Hills State Park for a sensational summit-to-harbor foliage display.
In Central Maine, the serene Old Canada Road National Scenic Byway follows the Kennebec River and passes through intensely picturesque autumnal landscapes flecked with lost-in-time towns, such as Bingham, where classic clapboard homes line the streets.
In Eastern Maine, you're spoiled for choice for scenic drives, with the aptly named Million Dollar View offering scintillating views of the Chiputneticook chain of lakes and rolling hayfields, and the 12.5-mile-long Blackwoods Scenic Byway winding through gorgeous glacially formed lakes.
In Western Maine, the six covered bridges there make for truly memorable fall photos: Babb's Bridge, over the Presumpscot River; Hemlock Bridge in Fryeburg; Lovejoy Bridge in Andover; Parsonsfield-Porter Bridge over the Ossipee River; Bennett Bridge, which spans the Magalloway River; and the Sunday River Bridge in Newry.
Venture to Northern Maine, and a canvas of colors awaits along the Katahdin Woods & Waters National Scenic Byway, with views of the leafy lower slopes of Mount Katahdin, Maine's highest peak, the summit of fall-foliage perfection.
How to get there
The main airport is Portland International Jetport, which serves New York, Washington D.C., and Chicago, while the main driving artery is the I-95, which runs the length of the state.
Rail travel is also a good option, with the Amtrak Downeaster running from Boston, Massachusetts, to Brunswick, Maine, via several stops in Southern Maine, including Wells, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Portland, and Freeport.
Where to stay
Ledges By the Bay offers views of Clam Cove, an outdoor pool and free wifi.
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5. Connecticut
Over half of Connecticut is covered in trees. That's 1.75 million acres of fodder for fall foliage.
When?
Late September through mid-November.
What to expect
A feast for the eyes, with quaint houses nestling amid bright-yellow quaking aspens, bronze beeches, purple dogwoods and maples dressed in red.
Where to go
For dramatic panoramas from hilltop farms, drive from North Stonington to Sterling on Route 49. Take to the Norwich-Woodstock Turnpike and you'll find yourself in a world of pre-1855 homes and historic churches.
The drive along the tidal Mystic River on River Road, meanwhile, is always beautiful, but especially magical during fall, while the Last Green Valley Scenic Byway in northeastern Connecticut passes through pristine woods and pretty town greens.
Linger into the night and you'll get a show from above, too. The Last Green Valley has one of the darkest skies on the Eastern Seaboard.
The Essex to Guilford Shoreline Loop Drive is another gem, with the beautiful towns of Essex, Old Saybrook, Guilford and Deep River wrapped in a vibrant symphony of colors in autumn.
If you’ve packed your hiking boots, Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden is an excellent choice for hikes with wow-factor views in every direction, though the most iconic panorama is from the summit of Mt. Carmel.
How to get there
Bradley International Airport is the main airport, while for drivers, the I-95 runs along Connecticut's shoreline from the New York state line. The I-91 is a direct link for travelers coming from Massachusetts, Vermont, and other northern destinations.
Arriving by rail would be an excellent choice, with Amtrak's Acela high-speed service running from Washington, D.C., New York and Boston to the Connecticut cities of Stamford and New Haven.
Where to stay
The Mayflower Inn & Spa is located amid 58 acres of landscaped woodland in the idyllic town of Washington and features 30 rooms bedecked with feather-topped mattresses, antique oriental rugs and marble baths.
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6. Rhode Island
Rhode Island packs a fall foliage punch, with almost 420,000 acres of woodland.
When?
October is when the leaves glow brightest.
What to expect
Top-tier leaf peeping, particularly in the heavily wooded western and northern areas, with golden birches, deep-red oaks and warm-orange American sweetgums on hand to savor.
Where to go
Kick off your leaf-peeping expedition by navigating Route 1A along the Rhode Island coastline, which meanders from one cute cove to another and offers ocean and countryside vistas.
The itinerary should also include the delightful Scituate Loop. This takes in parts of the Scituate Reservoir, which beautifully reflects the autumnal foliage. There’s also the opportunity to stop at Salisbury Farm in Johnston, which celebrates fall with pumpkins, a corn maze and hay rides.
Newport Scenic Byway gives leaf-peepers views of historic mansions framed by sun-kissed leaves, while a drive along the roads of Conanicut Island means you’ll be soaking in Narragansett Bay and idyllic rolling fields wrapped in a kaleidoscope of color.
The inland Route 3 is an adventure into the delightfully rural western part of the state, including the villages of Hopkinton and Hope Valley.
Then there’s Goddard Memorial State Park in East Greenwich, something of a local favorite thanks to open fields peppered with huge trees, serene horse trails and a swimming beach.
How to get there
The main commercial airport is the Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport in Warwick, just south of Providence.
It’s a popular alternative to Boston Logan Airport. But you might like to take the train, with the state on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor route. The calling points are Providence, Kingston and Westerly.
Driving? There are plenty interstate options, with the I-95 traveling north-south through the state, the I-195 connecting Providence to southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod, and U.S. Route 6 connecting Rhode Island to Connecticut.
Where to stay
The Margin Street Inn in Westerly is a bed & breakfast with a white-washed wooden façade and an interior adorned with floral wallpaper and elegant country-home furniture.
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