Maine Fall Color Changes

Maine - The Way Life Should Be

Maine Fall Color Changes

by Mike
(Tucson, AZ)

Sandy Stream Pond, near Mount Katahdin - Baxter State Park

What dates do you anticipate the Maine fall color changes this year (2010)?

Liz's Reply...

That's a great question Mike, as each year the dates of peak foliage season in Maine can change dramatically, based on a number of factors - but are primarily Maine weather related.

For instance, the summer rainfall amounts in Maine, along with the temperatures during those months (and recent nights), will play an important role as to when the 2010 Maine fall foliage will begin, as well as to its intensity.

Although always gorgeous, some years the weather pattern produces an even more brilliant and stunning foliage than other years.

If you do visit Maine in the fall, keep in mind that the foliage may be at peak in certain areas before others. The southern coast of Maine is usually the last to reach peak season, while mountains such as...

...Cadillac, Mount Katahdin, the White Mountains, Saddleback, Sugarloaf, Mount Abram, Sunday River...

...and other higher elevations - in the northern and western part of the state - will begin to enjoy autumn sooner.

I get my up-to-date annual Maine foliage information from the Maine.gov website, which actually bills itself as...

..."Maine's official fall foliage website", and rightfully so!

You can go directly to their official Maine foliage site section at MaineFoliage.com. It is loaded with great info, including...

...Maine Foliage Reports, Maine Fall Foliage FAQ, When and Where to Visit in Maine for Foliage, Photo Gallery, and...

...a Kid's Page with Maine Forest Facts, Maine Tree Guide, Maine's Register of Big Trees, Glossary of Tree Terms, General Tress and Forest Facts, and a Fall Foliage Video.

As you visit their site, keep in mind, that as of this writing, some of their pages still contain information about the 2009 Maine foliage season. However, the website indicates that their first report for fall 2010 will be available on September 15.

MaineFoliage.com also provides a contact email and phone number for more information about the upcoming season...

gale.ross@maine.gov, or...

...the Maine Fall Foliage Hotline at: 1-888-MAINE-45.

In the next week or two I plan to be in the western lakes and mountains areas of Maine, with an overnight stay in Bethel. If there is more to report here, I will update this post.

I hope you enjoy your visit to see the Maine fall color changes. Before you go, you may also be interested in my pages on...

Activities and Events in Maine
Best Time to Visit Maine
Maine Scenic Drives and Byways
Places to Visit in Maine

Best regards,
Liz

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Maine Fall Color Changes

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Sep 15, 2010
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Response to Drought Affect on Maine Fall Foliage, Rivers and Streams
by: Liz

With so many variables factoring into when and how leaves change colors, seasonal predictions can certainly be difficult.

The USDA Forest Service website offers a good explanation of how leaves change color, as well as how weather affects autumn color. Anyone reading this who has an interest, may want to check out their article.

And, as I suggested to a previous question, Maine.gov - "Maine's Official Fall Foliage Website", has a wealth of up-to-date Maine foliage information..

As for rivers and streams affected by drought...

I just spoke with a woman at the Northern Outdoors Adventure Resort, in The Forks, Maine. She said that since their tours are on dam release rivers, they are not affected. If you are planning on a guided tour for canoeing, moose sightings, etc. I would check directly with the tour operator.

On the other hand, if you a going it alone...

According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, there are many lakes and streams that are unusually low right now.

However, there is no statewide resource that they are aware of, whereby you can obtain information for specific areas. The best they could recommend is that you contact the regional Fisheries and Wildlife office, of where you are planning to visit in Maine.

Please be sure to check back here periodically, as hopefully others will share information they have on any drought affect on 2010 Maine Fall foliage and rivers and streams.

Best regards,
Liz

Sep 15, 2010
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Drought Effect on 2010 Maine Fall Color and River Conditions
by: gary krane

I would be so grateful if anyone with experience can give me their guess as to...

1) From 1-10 how colorful the fall will be this fall compared to past falls, with 10 being the best in past 20 years; or feel free to just say "probably pretty brown" or "not that impressive"

2) Whether streams nice for fall color canoeing are likely to be too low during peak fall color (eg otter, moose, etc.}

Thanks so much in advance.
Gary Krane, currently in Colombia, SA

Sep 13, 2010
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Liz's Update September 13, 2010
by: Liz

Mike, I just returned from three days in the Western Lakes and Mountains Region of Maine. From what I saw, and what locals told me, it may still be a few weeks before peak Maine foliage.

The routes I traveled were...

...Route 113 (a Maine Scenic Byway) from Fryeburg to Gilead, and then Route 2 over to Bethel, which is where I called home for a couple of nights,

While there, I drove from Bethel...

...up Route 26, through Baxter State Park (another Maine Scenic Byway) and by Umbagog Lake, then connected with Route 16, which I took out to Saddleback Mountain.

After visiting Saddleback I retraced my steps by several miles so that I could return to Bethel by way of Route 17, from which Rangeley Lake and the Heights of Land are visible. Portions of 17 are also a Maine Scenic Byway, with parts of it designated as a National Scenic Byway.

As I drove through the northern most part of my route there were enough trees just beginning to change that it gave the landscape an early autumn look, but it appears to me that it will still be awhile before there are significant fall color changes in Maine - at least in the Western Lakes and Mountains Region.

You may be interested in reading about...

...Maine scenic drives and byways, all of which make great fall foliage drives in Maine.

Sep 07, 2010
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Email Address
by: gale

Hello,

Please change my email address to read: gale.ross@maine.gov insteadn of gayle.ross.

Thank you,
Gale

Liz's Reply...
Thanks Gale!

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