When And Where To Expect Maine’s Fall Foliage To Peak This Year
With summer on its way out we’ve got all eyes on a beautiful fall! The weather might still be warm, but soon enough we’ll be enjoying cozy sweaters and drinking a warm beverage. And whether that warm beverage involves pumpkin spice (you know who you are!) or it’s the same one you drink all year, you can’t deny that there’s some excitement that comes with the change of seasons. One of our favorite things to look forward to is fall foliage and we just learned what to expect for 2021! The team at smokymountains.com has a proprietary algorithm and using special data points they’re able to predict the arrival and movement of fall foliage across the country. Here’s what to expect for Maine!
Here in Maine, we might be seeing changing color here and there, but in many parts of the country, they've already reached peak change! Not to worry, we'll be there sooner than you think.
Those in areas from Bangor to Millinocket will certainly be seeing some significant change. With this in mind, a simple road trip north on I-95 might be a great way to take it in without too much route planning.
If you'd like to see fall foliage changes without hopping in the car to go find it, wait until the week of September 27th when all of the state should be guaranteed a show.
We're thrilled that things are getting more colorful, but the real fun will be the week of October 4th when The County and surrounding areas will be experiencing peak color.
To reliably travel to any corner of the state and see trees awash in color you'll need to wait until the week of October 11th when northern Maine will be just past peak. The center line through the state is likely to be smack in the middle of the most beautiful part of autumn and even the coast will be near peak.
In addition to road trips, be sure to take some time during these weeks to wander around locally. A walk can be the best way to take in the sights, sounds and smells of this leafy season.
By the week of October 18th, things will probably be fading. While the coast will be enjoying its peak color, much of the rest of Maine will be past their brightest.
If you haven't seen the colors change at this point, a hike at Camden Hills State Park might be a great way to see the last of it. This coastal region will be one of the areas experiencing the last of the fall colors this week.
The annual interactive map published by smokymountains.com takes into account a number of factors including historical weather, NOAA precipitation forecasts, elevation, temperature, and average daylight. Their team combines this information with their unique algorithm creating nearly 50,000 data points on the U.S. map. From all of this, we get their interesting weekly forecasts. These predictions aren’t 100% accurate all the time, but they’re a fun, reliable-enough way to start planning for weekend fall foliage journeys. This year they’ll be publishing their first-ever mid-season update so be sure to check smokymountains.com in just a few weeks.
Michelle has lived in many places, but counts Maine as one of the best. In addition to the smell of ocean water in the air on rainy days in Portland, she loves puppies, photography, funny people, the Maine Red Claws, traveling, fresh tomatoes, Cambodia and filling out forms. For questions, comments and inquiries please email: mstarin@onlyinyourstate.com.
