Fall Foliage Report

Foliage Report for September 29, 2026

Autumn continues to rapidly unfold across New Hampshire, with shades of seasonal colors deepening from the northern valleys to the southern hills.  

Great North Woods:  65-80% Color Change 

Now that most of the weekend rain has cleared, the colors can truly shine in the Great North Woods. Across the region, the foliage is vibrant and bold—with decadent shades of amber, burgundy, and lime glittering in the canopies from Pittsburg through Berlin. There are still green leaves shimmering in the mix, but the landscapes are absolutely mesmerizing and changing quickly. Through Dixville Notch, hillsides are coated in a swirl of auburn, coral, and scarlet for a showstopping display of color. Peak foliage is not far off along Route 26 between Colebrook and Errol, so make time to hit the road this week for a scenic ride to take in the dreamy fall colors!

White Mountains Region: 35-55% Color Change 

North of the notches, forests are studded with opulent shades of auburn, gold, and crimson along the treetops. Flames of roaring color are igniting landscapes more and more each day, rapidly burning off the last of the remaining green leaves. Travelling north along Route 3 from Carroll will be a colorful route this week, and we hear conditions along the western side of the Kancamagus Highway aren’t far off from peak! Further south in Thornton and surrounding areas, the colors are still making their slow arrival with lots of emerald and lime green still in the mix. The eastern side of the White Mountains around Conway tends to turn a little later than the rest of the region, and with foliage hovering around 30% for now, even richer color is still on the way.

Lakes Region:  20-30% Color Change 

Plymouth and surrounding areas are beginning to see sparks of bold color peeking through a sea of green leaves within the forests, and those early red and orange colors are truly dazzling. Traveling north from Tilton along I-93 is a good color gauge for the region, where roadsides are displaying soft shades of yellow and forests are beginning to lighten, but conditions make it evident that widespread change has not yet arrived. Higher elevations in the region showcase landscapes in the early transitional phase, where pockets of eager trees are blushed in fall color but the majority of the forests remain green at this stage. Along the eastern side of the region, similar conditions persist, though the existing colors are bright and bold which bodes well for the full transition to come!

Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region: 25-40% Color Change

Vivid foliage is percolating along New Hampshire’s western border, where forests are bursting with deep shades of plum, orange, and gold mixed with unchanged green leaves. Along Route 4 from Andover through Grafton, roadsides are reportedly lush with a medley of autumn colors—and should make for a nice seasonal ride this week as the foliage continues to develop. From Hanover north along the Vermont border, the landscapes are awash in golden tones slowly muting the last of the summer greens along treetops, but vivid colors have not quite made their appearance just yet. With color building quickly across the region, the Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee region is poised for an even more vibrant display in the coming weeks ahead as autumn continues to deepen.

Monadnock Region: 35-45% Color Change 

The Monadnock Region has welcomed even more color over the weekend, and the region’s rolling hillsides are decorated with pops of bold foliage just about everywhere. The lingering green leaves of summer are softening into bright shades of lemon and lime, hinting at the first gentle stirrings of the season’s shift arriving to the Charlestown area. Route 9 has exploded with brilliant and bold shades of red and orange this week, where winding roads display the region’s budding foliage display. We hear the summit of Mount Monadnock is showcasing landscapes locked in shades of green, and while a widespread change has not settled in quite yet, the cool nights and warm days predicted over the next week will help further the transition along.

Merrimack Valley: 25-35% Color Change 

Colors in the Merrimack Valley continue to develop, and landscapes across this central region are becoming more vivid with each new day. Roadsides along Route 106 are peppered with early shades of honey and amber, though the majority of trees have not yet transitioned. Landscapes in Londonderry and surrounding areas have welcomed new shades of autumn this week, and the backroads are slowly transforming into havens for early foliage. We hear reports of peach and orange colored leaves shimmering in landscapes along the Massachusetts border, but widespread change has not yet arrived to the southernmost towns of the state at this stage in the season.

Seacoast: 15-30% Color Change 

Foliage has begun to arrive in waves along the Seacoast, and while the transition is still in its early stages—the colors are excitingly vivid. Roadsides along Route 101 have been washed in blushing shades of orange and yellow, making autumn’s arrival that much more evident in the landscapes. The best color has been spotted along the eastern border of Maine, where eager branches have already begun to display shades of vibrant foliage hinting at the transition that’s to come. Rochester and surrounding towns continue to show off the best early shades of color at this stage, but stay tuned for more updates as the leaves continue to change!