No two autumn leaves are the same. Similarly, everyone who loves fall (whether they call themselves a leaf-peeper or not) has their own way of appreciating the most colorful of seasons.
As days shorten and mornings become brisk, it’s time to say one last hurrah to your favorite outdoorsy pursuit before winter sets in. A Sunday afternoon drive may satisfy some, but for others, Fall is the time to paddle a canoe, sail a boat, tear up the highway on a motorbike or hike in the woods just one last time.
Botanically speaking, there are two kinds of fall color. Maple tree specialist Abby Van Den Berg, Ph.D., research associate at The University of Vermont, explains: “Anything with a yellow or golden leaf, like aspen, green ash or poplar is simply losing the green chlorophyll pigment to reveal the accessory pigments that have been present all year round.” An altogether more mysterious process is how the red and deep purple hues are created. “Even though these leaves are dying they still need to stay alive for as long as possible to let the tree reabsorb the nutrients. The theory about the color change is that the red color helps protect the leaves by being less absorbent to light. It’s basically a form of sunscreen that stops the tree from getting overstressed due to too much sun. It’s also a powerful antioxidant,” says Van Den Berg.
Contrary to popular belief, leaves start to turn at a fairly predictable time each year and are completely unaffected by full moons, tides or gypsy curses. “My favorite crackpot theory is the proximity to power lines,” says Van Den Berg. “Trees change as a result of a simple combination of temperature, moisture and weather.”
For roads, trails and rails resplendent in the deep reds that characterize fall foliage it makes sense to head to Vermont’s verdant forests, where, according to University of Vermont maple expert Tim Wilmot, nearly one in three trees are sugar maples. Vermont’s splendor is spectacular, but well traveled territory for leaf-peepers. For a less visited view of the countryside it may be time to head further north. Canada now produces 80 percent of the world’s maple syrup (which naturally translates to abundant maple forests). Evidence also suggests that climate change is pushing the best displays north of the border.
For our guide to fall foliage we consulted experts well versed in getting the most out of the sometimes fickle season and applying it to their chosen activity. While hiking all 6,288 feet of Mount Washington may bring commanding views over New Hampshire, the maples tend to peter out by 2500 feet leaving much of the uphill slog to be completed in a forest of green (best to go by train). The breezy conditions that make fall the perfect time to charter a windjammer along Maine’s spectacular coast, make it an unpredictable time for balloon pilots. “A wind speed at ground level of ten miles per hour translate to twenty miles per hour at 3000 feet. When you land at that speed it’s too dangerous”, says Erik Nickerson, a balloon pilot of 17 years and owner of Liberty Flights, New Hampshire. Even on the roads, drivers and motor cyclists have different agendas. “If the road is crowded with leaf-peepers it can be quite difficult for a motorcycle,” says Harold Nesbeth, who wrote the first definitive guide to motorbike touring in his native Nova Scotia. Before you head to the hills, rivers and coasts this Fall, check out what our experts have to say about how to get the most out of the season — no matter how you roll.
1. CANOEING
While it may be tempting to run one of the great rivers listed on the American Canoe Association website, Jean-Ellen Trapani, the organization’s chairperson for New England, suggests sticking to lakes. “There can be quite a bit of unpredictable rain in the fall which can turn a quiet stream into big water virtually overnight,” she says. A representative from River outfitter and guiding company Saco Bound recommends Umbagog Lake on the border of New Hampshire and Maine. Apart from the spectacular fall scenery there is a nesting pair of resident pair of bald eagles.
www.americancanoe.org
www.sacobound.com
2. DRIVING
New England abounds with classic drives through adorable townships peppered with white painted neo-classic houses. Carl Richardson, director of auto travel for AAA Southern New England says that there are many overlooked areas throughout the region. “Head towards the Connecticut River Valley near the southern coast along route 82. Gillette Castle stands on the hill overlooking the river and in peak foliage season the view is spectacular. From there, drive on to Essex along route 148 west to route 154,” he suggests. Further north, Vermont’s scenic route 100 may well be popular, but just as beautiful and far less crowded is route 9 running east-west from Brattleboro to Bennington through the Green Mountains. In Massachusetts it pays to follow the Mohawk Trail (route 2) through the Berkshires between Greenfield and Williamstown.
www.visitnewengland.com
3. GLIDING
“I prefer to do my leaf-peeping from the cockpit of a glider,” says Eric Frere
president of the Greater Boston Soaring Club. “In the Fall the best places to launch from are Sterling, Massachusetts near Mt Wachusetts or Gorham, New Hampshire, at the foot of Mt Washington. Fall winds bouncing off the nearby White Mountains can take gliders up as high as 25,000 feet,” he says. From the air the landscape is a tapestry of color but it’s not just this unique perspective that Frere loves. “There are hundreds of migrating hawks at this time of year. One time I was happily enjoying a thermal when a hawk cut in front of me. We spiraled upwards together for about thirty seconds. The hawk was so close I could see it adjusting its feathers. It was truly incredible”.
www.soargbsc.com
4. HIKING
Tim Smith, a veteran guide with global hiking outfit Country Walkers, suggests that the four-mile (three hour) Daniel’s Pond Loop is northern Vermont’s equivalent of John Denver’s Country Roads. “You’ll see many different facets of Vermont’s renowned foliage season like pastoral areas, rolling hayfields, thriving wetlands, apple orchards, sugar maple farms, dairy farms, all in a doable distance suited to every grade of hiker.” Smith recommends hikers head out early (the gentle morning light accentuates the colors in the foliage) and take some field glasses and a camera for the occasional moose sightings. “Don’t be tempted to choose a walk that’s too difficult,” says Smith. “Walking in fall is about noticing how the environment changes, and you can’t do that if you’re hiking flat out,” he says.
www.countrywalkers.com
5. CYCLING
It’s not the complete lack of bears that makes Atlantic Canada’s Prince Edward Island a perfect place to ride (although it does help.) The national Rails for Trails program has turned the 180 mile long Confederation Trail into a cyclist’s dream.” I always tell people to pick a segment of the trail that suits and combine it with some coastal road rides for the sweeping views,” says Ardelle Hynes, who owns Prince Edward Island-based cycle touring and adventure company Outside Expeditions. “The stretch between Mount Stewart and Saint Peters is particularly beautiful. During the first half you ride along the Hillsburough River then in the second half you’re next to Saint Peter’s Bay. It’s only 16 miles so you can do the whole ride in a morning, have lunch there at the Trailside Inn, and return in the afternoon,” she says. Fall is long and gentle on Prince Edward Island, meaning no nagging headwinds. “Historically the storm seasons kicks in on Canadian Thanksgiving around October eight,” says Hynes. “It blows all the leaves to the ground and heralds the end of the good cycling weather.”
www.getoutside.com
6. MOTORCYCLING
The cooler days of fall are the perfect time to don a set of riding leathers. In New England inattentive motorists looking for the perfect country vista may be a minor annoyance for other road users, but for a motorcyclist, crowded roads can be life threatening. Harold Nesbeth, co-founder of Nova Scotia (and North America’s) first free motorcycle touring guide, says that fewer cars and a biker-friendly attitude are just two components to Nova Scotia’s winning formula. “Historically the area was wealthy due to fishing and shipbuilding, so a network of more than 3000 miles of roads offer many touring alternatives. The roads themselves are clean and well maintained and car drivers will actually pull over to let you pass or stop to help if you’re broken down,” he says. One of his favorite Fall rides is the Cabot Trail which winds its way across rolling mountain tops to the tip of Mount Breton. “It’s spectacular coastal riding scenery. There are lots of bends so it’s fairly demanding for a rider — which is always appealing.”
www.motorcycletourguidens.com
7. Ballooning
While the best season to go ballooning may not be fall, that doesn’t mean you can’t get a bird’s eye view of the season’s most stunning display - you just need to do your homework. “Summer and winter are both great in the Northeast but fall can be far too windy,” says Erik Nickerson, balloon pilot of 17 years and owner of Liberty Flights, New Hampshire. “Customers don’t like it when I have to cancel due to high wind, but you have to consider that we’re landing a thing with no brakes — so it’s important to put safety first,” he says. During fall the best chance of getting aloft is to find an operator whose launch site is well clear of wind-causing obstacles like coast lines and mountain ranges. Nickerson suggests that Derry, New Hampshire is a good fall launch site. “Regardless of the weather, riding in a balloon is completely calm because you’re traveling at the same speed as the air. It’s serene but also quite surreal,” says Nickerson.
www.hotairballoon.org
www.libertyflights.com
8. QUAD-BIKING
Cyclists and quad-bikers rarely agree on what defines a good trail system. Quad-bikers are after pace, mud, tight turns and rugged terrain. New Hampshire Trails Bureau can recommend many such routes. The Sugar River Rail Trail is particularly spectacular for Fall scenery and runs for nine miles from Newport to Claremont. It also connects to 55 miles of trails maintained by the Sullivan County ATV Club. For those quad bikers with fuel to burn, a spokesperson from the Great North Woods ATV Club suggests that the club’s 60 miles of trails (which vary from graveled roads to tight wooded switchbacks and muddy bogs spread over 8000 acres) are sure to please even the most jaded rider. Also, don’t miss the newly opened Jericho Mountain State Park with 40 miles of trails.
www.nhtrails.org
www.jericholakeatvpark.com
9. SAILING
Sure, you might need a cable knit pullover for the crisp evenings aboard a classic Maine windjammer, but fall is the perfect time to enjoy the coastal views and huddle around the ship’s wood stove at night. Meg Maiden, marketing director for Maine Windjammer Association says that Maine’s coast, while not traditionally known for fall foliage, has its own spectacular palette at this time of year. “There are beautiful, brilliant hardwoods throughout the Camden Hills, which is the backdrop for most of our windjammer cruises,” she says. The Fall breezes allow the giant boats to cover more ground and on the six day excursions they often sail as far as Acadia National Park. Other notable pockets of color are Maplejuice Cove near Port Clyde and Fort Point at the head of Penobscot Bay. Their colorful display is made all the more remarkable for their contrast against the blue water and clear sky.
www.sailmainecoast.com
10. TRAIN
You don’t get a more spectacular perspective than the view from the top of Mt. Washington: at 6288 feet it’s the highest peak in the northeast. For railway enthusiasts, getting there is the ultimate thrill. The Cog Railway, which runs from the base to the summit, was built by Chicago meat-packing entrepreneur Sylvester Marsh, after he became lost on the mountain while hiking. In 1869 “Old Peppersass” (so named because of its resemblance to a bottle of pepper sauce) became the first steam engine to crawl the three miles to the top. Today steam engines are still used and the ride is a popular and worthy tourist attraction.
www.thecog.com
Words by Adam McCulloch. Originally published on ForbesTraveler.com. The format has been altered to suit Tumblr.
