It’s an annual New England rite-of-passage: taking a drive through orange and red forests, snapping pictures and appreciating the show that the trees put on in the autumn.
Now that temperatures have started to cool, foliage will start to come out in northern Maine.
Some trees have started to develop orange leaves due to stress from the ongoing drought, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that Maine won’t see picturesque mountainsides this fall.
Overall, the foliage this season is still “expected to be terrific, with brilliant reds, oranges and golds that draw visitors every year,” according to Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry spokesperson Jim Britt.
The fall foliage forecast by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry is released weekly on Wednesdays, and is broken down into seven zones. Maine’s foliage typically starts to turn first in the northernmost regions of the state, zones 6 and 7. Zone 5 encompasses central-western Maine, including Greenville, Rangeley and Bethel; Zone 4 encompasses Houlton, Millinocket and Calais; Zone 3 covers central and southwestern Maine including Bangor, Augusta and Fryeburg; Zone 2 encompasses Down East Maine; and Zone 1 covers midcoast and the southern coastal regions of Maine.
Mainers can expect the foliage along the crown of the state to peak in late September and early October. Central and western Maine will typically peak around Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and coastal and southern regions reach peak conditions in mid to late October.
“Although this summer’s drought may temper vibrancy and shorten the season in some areas, Maine will still deliver beautiful color statewide. Weather in the coming weeks will play the biggest role, as cool nights, warm sunny days, and shorter daylight drive the color change,” said Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry fall foliage spokesperson Gale Ross.
With peak foliage coming in the next few weeks, get ready to plan for your fall outings. We’ve got some tips on how to best plan for your outings, and we’ll be following along with the weekly foliage report to give you insight on where peak leaf peeping opportunities will be.
The forestry department also has introduced an interactive map that allows you to see where and when foliage peaked in Maine communities in the past, in order to better plan your leaf peeping trips.
We’d love to see and share your photos this fall.
Email your best pictures of Maine’s fall foliage to web@bangordailynews.com, or tag us on Facebook or Instagram.