Maine Foliage Report: Fall Colors are Advancing in Northern and Western Mountains of Maine

September 29, 2021 – The Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry’s (DACF) Foliage Report for September 29 to October 6 indicates low to moderate color change (less than 50 percent) throughout most of the state. As of September 29, Maine Forest Rangers in northern Maine have reported high color or less than 70 percent color change, with moderate leaf drop.

Typically, northern Maine (zones six and seven) reach peak conditions the last week of September into the first week of October. The rest of the state’s progression of color will start occurring from north to south in mid-October. Coastal Maine typically reaches peak conditions mid-to-late October.

This Week’s Foliage Outlook

“The environment is playing its role in protecting and putting the trees to bed for the long winter ahead. As the days have become shorter and we see the decline in sunlight, Maine’s leaf-bearing trees have begun the process leading up to fall.  I’m happy to report that Maine is right on track with the color progression this year! The chlorophyll which gives our trees their green color is breaking down, and thus, our autumn colors are revealed,” said Gale Ross, Maine’s Foliage Report spokesperson.

Fall Foliage Trip Ideas

The beginning of October brings many fun-filled annual events and foliage-seeking opportunities.

• The Freeport Fall Festival starts this Friday with a packed schedule through Sunday. This three-day festival includes 175 New England makers, artists, and food producers, live music, a scavenger hunt and crafts for the kids, and more.
• Maine-made product enthusiasts can also look forward to the statewide Maine Craft Weekend this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, October 2 and 3. Check their website for the lineup of participating studios and special events.
• Maine’s Garlic Fest, October 2 and 3, includes a lineup of fall activities and outdoor fun, music, food, vendors, and art exhibits.
• Maine’s agricultural Fryeburg Fair, starting Sunday through October 10, features a long list of livestock, events from a pig scramble to tractor pulls, and exhibits from a garden center to a farm museum.
• Travel to Maine’s Kennebec Valley this week as the colors start to pop. For a low-key road trip, start in Solon and make your way to the Canadian border along the 78-mile Old Canada Road Scenic Byway. Areas of interest include Robbins Hill for panoramic views of the valley, a perfect spot for a picnic, and the Moxie Falls Scenic Area in The Forks. Enjoy foliage by foot on the two-mile hike to the 92-foot drop of the falls. Leisure peepers enjoy the fairytale-like trail system of Vaughan Woods in historic Hallowell, and for a few more days, adventurers can take on the rapids of the Kennebec River and view the foliage from the water.

Autumn enthusiasts can visit the state’s official foliage website at www.mainefoliage.com to sign up to receive weekly Foliage Reports reports by email and can share their photos from throughout the state as the progression of color begins. Our Facebook page will include statewide events throughout the foliage season, and our Instagram account (@mainefoliage) will also feature colorful fall shots. For more information about fall activities and events in Maine, go to www.visitmaine.com.