Maine Fall Colors 2011

Maine - The Way Life Should Be

Maine Fall Colors 2011

by Ann
(Minneapolis, MN)

White Mountain National Forest in Maine Fall Foliage

When do the leaves start to turn in Maine? I am planning a Maine vacation in September or October, 2011, to see the fall colors, and would like a best guess when to be in Maine.

Liz's Reply...

During both September and October you will be able to enjoy the Maine fall foliage.

However peak dates for fall foliage in Maine vary each year depending on what recent weather conditions have been and where you visit in Maine.

Hot and cold weather, along with rainfall amounts and the number of days with sunshine, all factor into when leaves change colors - and the brilliance of the colors when they do change.

Also, keep in mind...

...that Maine's peak fall foliage occurs earlier in the northern and western parts of the state, and areas with higher elevations, than it does in the lower lying coastal areas of southern Maine.

As I told another visitor who had a similar question about Maine fall color changes...

The best resource that I have found for up-to-date information on Maine fall foliage is at the maine.gov website...

...which bills itself as "Maine's official fall foliage website", and rightfully so!

You can view their Maine foliage section at MaineFoliage.com. It is loaded with great information. They can also be contacted by phone or email...

...1-888-MAINE-45, gale.ross@maine.gov

I hope you enjoy your fall 2011 Maine foliage visit! Before you go, you may want to check out...

Maine Scenic Drives and Byways
Maine Tourist Attractions
Places to Visit in Maine

...and, my activities and events for October 2011 page. Of course it isn't ready yet - but you can get a sense of Maine fall events on my 2010 pages...

Activities and Events in Maine September 2010
Activities and Events in Maine October 2010

(Update, September, 2011)

The original 2011 Maine fall foliage question was sent to me in the fall of 2010. Since that time 2011 events pages have been posted...

Activities and Events in Maine September 2011
Activities and Events in Maine October 2011

Best regards,
Liz

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Maine Fall Colors 2011

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Sep 29, 2011
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Maine Fall Colors
by: Paul

Thanks Liz for the information. Acadia is our destination and we are looking forward to exploring in the park. We will be in Maine from October 19-23 and hopefully the fall colors will still be present along the coast. Thanks again for your advice.

Paul in Minnesota

Sep 28, 2011
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Maine Coast Fall Colors
by: Paul

I am planning a visit on October 19th-24th to the Maine Coast. Planning to travel up the coast to Bar Harbor. I would appreciate any information on the colors along the coast.

Thank you.
Paul in Minnesota

Liz's Reply...

Hi Paul, The best source that I have found for up-to-date Maine fall foliage reports is on the Maine Official Fall Foliage Website.

The site is very comprehensive and includes regional Maine foliage information. You will see that coastal Maine, including Bar Harbor, are in Regions 1 and 2. As of the September 28, 2011 foliage update, both of these regions are still in the Low 10-30% category. However, at this time of year things change quickly!

The "Past Reports" link on the website provides insight into what has happened historically. But keep in mind, the Maine fall foliage peak can vary from year-to-year. Checking reports regularly will give you a good idea of what to expect for the 2011 Maine foliage.

I hope you enjoy your trip along the Maine coast and while you are in Bar Harbor you have time to visit Acadia National Park - it is absolutely stunning at this time of year...

...as is watching the sunrise on Cadillac Mountain in Acadia.

For information on other things to do on the Maine coast, you may want to check out my Maine Coastal Vacations page.

Best regards,
Liz

Sep 16, 2011
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Where is the Color?
by: Newdaawn

As of today (Sept. 16, 2011) here in Bangor we have zero color. I haven't seen even one branch of orange or yellow as yet. I find this very unusual. My huge maple in my back yard and many others in my neighborhood have leaves that are turning brown and seem to be shriveling and falling. No mention of this has been made by any media which I also find strange.

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