Category Archives: Foliage

Foliage in Northern New England (Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont).

Cadillac Mountain/South Ridge Trail/Mt. Desert Island, ME

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Miles of open ledges and picturesque views await you when you beat the crowds and take the journey by foot along the South Ridge Trail to the summit of Cadillac Mountain.

Acadia National Park, located on Mt. Desert Island, is one of the most visited National Parks in the United States.  Many of the park’s points of interest can be reached via vehicle including the summit of Cadillac Mountain.  Cadillac boasts the tallest summit on the Eastern Seaboard at 1532 ft. and is well known as the place where the sun’s rays first touch the continental US.

To access the South Ridge Trail travel outside the park on Rt. 3.  Approximately 5.5-5.7 miles South of Bar Harbor following the signs for Blackwoods Campground.  Once you come to the entrance of the campground on the left, the trail head will be 50yards more on your right.  You can park along the shoulder of the road.

The South Ridge Trail begins its 3.5 miles as an easy ascent through the forest.  Just shy of a mile the trail begins a more moderate climb and at the mile mark a spur to the right will take you to Eagle’s Crag.  This lookout is a nice place to linger and take in the sights of the first clear view you have over Frenchman’s Bay and Otter Creek.

Soon you will reach the granite ledges with pine trees growing in available soil.  You will wind your way up granite ledges for almost all of the next 2 miles to the summit.  As you reach higher elevations, stopping to look behind you at the amazing view is irresistible.  At the 2.3 mile mark you will have  a short descent in to what is called the Featherbed, a high elevation bog.  At this point you will also come across a trail intersection with the Canon Brook Trail.Once past the Featherbed you will reach the steepest part of the trail, a small climb out of the Featherbed and beginning of the last mile to the summit.  This area is all open ledge with cairns to guide you along the way.  You will soon see the road in front of you and a junction with the Bubble Pond Trail as the trail takes a right hand turn and parallels the road as you have a .5 mile hike through the forest again.  Immediately you will encounter a rock that has some rungs in it to assist you in climbing over it.  Follow the trail across a fire road and you will come out of the forest in to the hustle and bustle of the summit.  Many well known pictures are taken from this vantage point.  There is a gift shop and bathrooms here as well as a parking area for those who drove up.  While the summit will be crawling with people, it is easy to get a space to yourself for a snack and drinking in of the beauty that surrounds you.  Once finished, you can return back the trail you took up.  This will make for a 7 mile round trip hike that will take you approximately 4 hrs depending on how long you linger.

Caribou Mountain, WMNF, Evans Notch, ME

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The White Mountains on the Maine side are the lesser known and less traveled hikes of the White Mountain National Forest.  However, if it’s a quality hike without the crowds, this gem is your ticket.  Located in the Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness, Caribou offers a 2840 ft elevation with an open summit allowing you an unobstructed 360 degree view.

To get there, enter Evans Notch on RT 113 from the South.  There are many hikes along this road, some marked better than others.  Caribou is located approximately 5.8 miles from the Maine Border entering the White Mountain National Forest.  From the North from the Junction of Rt 2 head South 4.7 miles.  The directions in Best Loop Hikes by Jeff Romano (affiliate link) are highly recommended.

The Caribou-Speckled Wilderness includes 14,000 acres of wilderness area with 25 miles of maintained hiking trails within the White MountainNational Forest.

This trail is a loop, so you can start in either direction.  If you choose to climb up the steeper trail and take the more gradual trail down, then choose the Mud Brook Trail at the trail head.  The trail is easy to follow and begins under the cover of many deciduious trees.  As you climb the Mud Brook Trail you will cross over the stream 3 times before reaching the boundary with the Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness.  Once you cross the boundary you have one last stream crossing.  There is a viewpoint at approximately 2.75 miles up that is worth the stop now that you are above tree level.  The last .5 miles becomes steeper and rockier.  The summit affords a 360 degree view and is expansive.  In the Fall the foliage across the mountains and the view of Kezar Lake is very colorful.

The trail continues over the back side to a left on to the Caribou Trail.  The decent is more gradual than the ascent and slightly longer at 3.6 miles.  In the beginning the trail is fairly wide and rocky.  The middle section follows Morrison Brook and offers a slimmer trail but lovely views including a waterfall.  At the bottom the trail crosses Morrison Brook via a bridge and you will arrive at the parking lot.

Notes:  It is important to note that you do need to obtain a pass or pay at the trail head.  When we were there 10/08 the bridge across Morrison Brook was not there so we had to cross by walking through the brook.   The view is truly spectacular and the day we were there we arrived just after 8am and the first people we saw were 2 couples at the summit.  As we descended we passed a few more groups of people and there was a tent pitched at the trail head.

More Information:

How to find peak Maine autumn foliage

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autumn foliage leaves by Eric Holsinger

Maine Autum Maple Foliage. Copyright © 2003 Eric Holsinger

Foliage in Maine is difficult to predict, but usually reaches peak sometime around the last week of September through the first weeks of October. The difference between peak foliage in northern Maine and southern Maine can be weeks. And once the leaves turn, it may last only a few days before they’ve passed.

So how does a visiter to Maine plan a fall foliage tour?
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Fall Foliage Scenic Drive – Mohawk Trail Massachusetts

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By Cliff Calderwood

This is my favorite Massachusetts scenic drive, but especially during the fall foliage season.

Stretching for 63 miles from the Massachusetts-New York border to Millers Falls on the Connecticut River is a stretch of road known as The Mohawk Trail. It offers one of Massachusetts most beloved and popular fall foliage scenic drives area.

Attractions in the region of the Mohawk Trail are Mount Greylock, The Bridge of Flowers, Glacial Potholes, a natural marble bridge formed by erosion, state forests, old Indian hiking trails, and a plethora of country inns, gift shops, and arts and craft attractions.

The trail more or less follows the footpath trade and travel route used by the peoples in this part of the northeast since postglacial age. The path was well trodden and used to move between the Hudson and Connecticut River valleys.

Anytime of the year traveling this same path by road through this part of the Berkshire Hills is relaxing and inspiring… but especially during fall foliage season when everything is cloaked and carpeted in vibrant autumn colors.

This fall foliage scenic drive covers most of the major attractions and plenty of time for stopping and admiring the view or picking up an antique or two. The drive is approximately 65 miles but you should allow all day for viewing in an unhurried and gentle manner.

Start on Route 7 in Lanesborough, just south of Route 2. Follow Lanesborough one mile north to Rockwell Road on the right. This road leads to the summit of Mount Greylock.

The trip to the summit offers splendid view of the valleys and other peaks in the area. A few miles on Rockwell Road is the Mount Greylock Visitor center. Here you can get trail maps and general information about the area.

At the summit is the War Memorial Tower. The climb to the top of a 92-foot-tall tower at the summit provides magnificent views of five states. Once your summit viewing is complete take the Notch Road down to meet the Mohawk Trail on Route 2 in North Adams.

North Adams celebrates the autumn season with the North Adams Fall Foliage Festival and Parade. This is usually the last weekend of September or the first weekend of October. In North Adams is the Western Gateway Heritage State Park, which features an exhibit on the building of the Hoosac Tunnel. Close by east of North Adams off Route 2 and 8 is Natural Bridge State Park.

Follow Route 2 east out of North Adams ascending the Hoosac Mountain Range until Hairpin Turn and then onto the Western Summit. Here you can stop and admire the vistas of Mount Greylock, Vermont’s Green Mountains, and the valley below.

How fast or slow you take the next part of the journey depends on time. Continuing on Route 2 east takes you though Charlemont where the famous “Hail to the Sunrise” statue stands in Memorial Park.

The eastern end of this scenic drive on the Mohawk Trail on Route 2 takes you out to Shelburne Falls where you can view The Bridge of Flowers – a transformed trolley bridge – and the Glacial Potholes below Salmon Falls, where time has produced interesting geological pools.

Scattered throughout this drive are state parks, hikes along ancient trails, scenic views, and of course specialty shopping and dinning opportunities. So as you wind your way around on this tour take time to enjoy this area of a window into the area’s heritage.

For more information and details on the Mohawk Trail region visit the trails official web site at www.mohawktrail.com.

Look for other articles in this series of fall foliage scenic drives. Or if you can’t wait you can pick up the complete scenic drive free report containing these and other New England scenic drives, along with detailed route coverage and attractions, at his New England vacation site.

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