Every autumn, the legendary fall foliage in New England becomes the region’s most enchanting spectacle. It’s hard not to be immediately taken by the symphony of fiery reds, oranges, and yellows that has made New England in the fall a famous destination for leaf-chasing all around the world!
In this immersive 5-day itinerary, I’ll be taking you through the picturesque landscapes of Vermont and New Hampshire, capturing the very essence of fall. We’ll be hitting quintessential New England towns, breathtaking viewpoints with panoramic forest views, and plenty of fall foliage hikes! When you’re done with these 5 days of colorful autumn goodness, you’ll have experienced every shade the fall colors in New England have to offer.
When to Plan Your New England Fall Foliage Trip
The fall colors in New England are unpredictable and there and there are dozens of sources keeping track of the leaf watch as the fall season draws closer. However, there are so many factors that influence leaf color that it’s almost impossible to guarantee good foliage, so a leaf-peeping trip is always a surprise to some extent!
To aim for the best New England fall foliage, I recommend planning your trip between the last week of September and the first week of October. Any earlier and too many locations will still be wearing green leaves, any later and you risk having mostly dead trees.
Here are some good sources to stay up-to-date with the live leaf watch. I recommend bookmarking these and checking them obsessively as your trip gets closer. Colors can change within a day!
- New England Peak Fall Foliage Map: They have a great animated map that tracks the colors by the day.
- Jeff Foliage: Insanely detailed daily articles from a New England fall foliage enthusiast, including predictions for the year starting as early as February!
- Visit New Hampshire Foliage Tracker: Similar to the first link but specifically for New Hampshire, including more detail than the New England one.
How to Plan a Successful Fall Trip to New England
As for actually planning your New England fall foliage trip, there are two ways to do it: book everything in advance, or DIY as you go. Booking everything in advance is less expensive, but because you are committing to a location several weeks out, you run the risk of not experiencing the best foliage. When I say that the fall colors in New England are unpredictable, I mean that the foliage can literally change overnight depending on weather conditions!
DIY as you go is definitely more expensive because most hotels and lodging will be completely sold out, but if you have the time and flexibility you can hit wherever is peak on any given day. If you’re into camping or van life, this is also a good bet because many campgrounds are first-come first-served.
How to Get to New England
The fall foliage in New England is located in relatively more rural areas and therefore, it takes a bit of effort to access! You will definitely need to drive some, and potentially fly (depending on where you are coming from.)
Flying
If you’re flying into New England from out of state, these are good airports to fly into:
- Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, New Hampshire (MHT)
- Boston, Massachussetts (BOS)
- Burlington, Vermont (BTV)
- Montreal, Quebec (YUL)
If you’re starting your itinerary in New Hampshire, as I suggest, then MHT is your closest airport. If you want to flip the script and start in Vermont, then BTV or BOS are both fairly good bets (BTV is closer to the action, but you’ll have to do a bit of backtracking in the driving department).
I do not suggest flying into any of the New York City airports if you want to do this trip. While New York is arguably the best city in the world (and I’m not biased just because I live there, I promise), it’s around a 6-hour drive from the fall foliage scene and you’ll have to use up an entire day between flying and driving.
Speaking of driving, let’s talk about necessary drives.
Driving
You will need a car to make this road trip. The best fall foliage in New England is out in the countryside and there is no public transit of any kind. Here are approximate drive times from popular cities:
- New York City: 6 hours
- Boston: 2.5-3 hours
- Montreal: 3-4 hours
Keep in mind that traffic at this time of year can inflate drive times by an insane amount, and it’s very normal to be stuck in standstill traffic on major roads. If you can, I recommend making the drives early in the morning or late at night to avoid the worst of the congestion.
If you are looking for a rental car, there are plenty of options in this region. But I would suggest making your reservation well in advance because everyone else will also be vying for a car at this time of year no matter where in New England you are!
The 5-Day Stunningly Vibrant New England Fall Foliage Itinerary
Now that we’ve gotten all the logistics out of the way, let’s dive into the actual New England fall foliage trip itinerary!
5 days is a great amount of time for a fall foliage road trip. Generally, New Hampshire and Vermont are considered the best states to see the best fall colors in New England, so I’ll be focusing this itinerary on these two states. This is a tried-and-true itinerary that I’ve done myself!
If you have more than 5 days, of course you can either do this itinerary more leisurely or go explore the surrounding states as well. If you don’t have all 5 days to spare, you can shrink this itinerary into 4 or even 3 days by cutting out items that are lower priority. However, I would advise staying at least 3 days if at all possible, since any shorter means that you’ll have to skip some of the highlights.
This itinerary starts in New Hampshire and ends in southern Vermont. I recommend this route because it avoids too much backtracking and reduces the amount of driving you have to do. You can always do this trip in reverse (start in Vermont and end in New Hampshire), but I tend to find that the colors in New Hampshire turn a little bit earlier than in Vermont, which is why I think starting in New Hampshire is just a tiny bit superior.
Day 0: Arrive in New Hampshire
if you’re taking a flight, ideally you would take it the night before to settle in before the action starts tomorrow. Plus, you have to make the drive to New Hampshire, which depending on where you’re coming from, can be 3, 4, or even 6 hours.
We drove up from New York City and it definitely takes about 6 hours. This isn’t to say that you can do it on day 1 if you don’t have a day 0 (I know it’s cheating a little to include day 0 in a 5-day itinerary!), but you won’t have as much time on day 1 if you don’t square away all the New England arrival logistics early on.
🗽 Coming from a trip to New York City? I need to share the beauty of Brooklyn with you! Check out my must-visit Brooklyn Guide (from a New Yorker).
I recommend staying in Lincoln as it’s close to the center of all the action in New Hampshire. Unlike Vermont, which is a bit more spread out, most of the best fall foliage in New Hampshire is concentrated in the northern area. I prefer staying at the same hotel for the entire duration of New Hampshire so you don’t have to worry about changing hotels, checking in and checking out, and moving your stuff while you’re also trying to chase the leaves.
Day 1: New Hampshire
If you were able to sneak in the drive on Day 0, then you’re already waking up in New England amidst the gorgeous reds, oranges, and yellows. However, if you weren’t fortunate enough to have a Day 0, you’ll want to complete your drive to New Hampshire as early as possible to avoid congestion and traffic.
Just in case of any traffic mishaps, I didn’t include any super early morning activities (like sunrise) on today’s schedule.
Dixville Notch State Park
The first stop is Dixville Notch State Park. New England has a lot of “notches,” which are basically thin, wiggly paths between two mountains. They make for excellent winding roads lined with great foliage and towering hills on either side!
The most impressive spot in Dixville Notch is Table Rock Trail, which boasts some of the best fall colors in New England. This trail is only 1.5 miles but is decently steep with 700 feet of elevation gain. You don’t need to be an excellent hiker to finish any of the trails on this itinerary, but the trails might be a bit more tiring than expected. All the paths lead straight up!
The parking lot at Table Rock is extremely small. In fact, it’s not even a parking lot at all—you just park along the side of the road. You shouldn’t have much trouble if you arrive in the morning, but if you want to hike this trail at sunset, I recommend arriving 1-1.5 hours before sunset. That way, you should have enough time to find parking and also make the hike upwards.
However, I personally prefer the lighting in the morning. At sunset, the sun will set behind you, casting backlighting, and the surrounding mountains will cast shadows over the beautiful foliage in front of you.
The view from the top is nothing short of spectacular, with fiery-colored hills in every direction and a beautiful blue lake to your left. This is Lake Gloriette, which itself offers gorgeous foliage if you want to walk down to the lake.
Obviously, with 700 feet of elevation gain, you’re very high up and it can be windy at the top. The rock path leading out towards the viewpoint is also fairly narrow. Watch your step and be careful, especially if there are a lot of people around!
Crawford Notch State Park
Next, it’s time to drive out to Crawford Notch State Park. I recommend getting lunch somewhere along the way—you’ll pass through a few large towns on the way down. There are two great sights at Crawford Notch, and they’re basically right next to each other!
Mount Willard Trail
The first is Mount Willard Trail, a fantastically steep 3.2-mile trail with 950 feet of elevation gain. This is much longer and steeper than Table Rock Trail, so if you had trouble with the former, you’ll want to gear up for Mount Willard.
I’ve heard that the view from the top of Mount Willard has some of the best of New Hampshire’s fall foliage, and I’ve seen plenty of photos. However, it was raining when we arrived at the top and we couldn’t see a thing (literally, the only view was a vast expanse of white fog). So take it from someone who still decided to hike Mount Willard in the rain: it’s not worth it! But if you’re blessed with a clear day, you won’t want to miss this stop.
Conway Scenic Railroad
The other noteworthy stop is the Conway Scenic Railroad at Frankenstein Cliffs. Specifically, the Frankenstein Trestle is a relatively secret spot with amazing views! This is an elevated old railroad that overlooks a stunning orange-and-yellow valley.
Note that the Conway Scenic Railroad is an active railroad. However, the train only runs a few times a day. So if you want to catch the train as it passes by, you’ll want to schedule your visit specifically around one of the times the train runs. If you want to walk on the tracks, you’ll obviously want to avoid those times by as wide of a margin as possible!
To reach this spot, park at Arethusa Falls Trailhead as far up the trail as you can go. Then you’ll start walking along the railroad tracks to the right for around ten minutes until you reach the trestle’s expansive fall foliage view. Don’t worry, you’ll know it when you see it!
I’ve seen gorgeous footage of the sunsets here, but we got unlucky and just faced a lot of rain and fog! Thankfully, the fall colors are still gorgeous even without great visibility. And it’s so peaceful and quiet, I can definitely see this being one of my favorite spots in New England in the fall!
Then I recommend grabbing dinner and turning in early. You’re already tired from two hikes and tomorrow’s first hike is as early as it gets!
Day 2: New Hampshire
Day 2’s itinerary starts bright and early in the stunning White Mountain National Forest. If you’re like me and decided to stay in Lincoln, you should only be a 5-15 minute drive away from the first stop on today’s schedule.
Franconia Notch State Park
Franconia Notch State Park is extremely popular due to its easily accessible location. Artist Bluff Trail, a 1.9-mile hike with relatively little elevation gain, is one of the most popular fall foliage hikes in New England and gets extremely crowded during the day! Therefore, I recommend showing up early in the morning, ideally at sunrise or just past sunrise if you can.
Artist Bluff Trail
Artist Bluff boasts a famous view of Echo Lake, as well as the crisscrossing network of roads in the town below. It’s not very high up, but high enough to show off the spectacular fall colors in every direction. However, it gets very windy at the top, so I recommend packing an extra jacket or blanket if you plan to hang out at the bluff.
Echo Lake itself has a gorgeous beach with a beautiful shoreline covered in vibrant fall leaves. The lake offers incredible reflections in the morning when the lake is stillest. You’ll need to book a parking reservation in advance ($5 per person), but Echo Lake is the perfect place to have a picnic while admiring the New Hampshire Fall Foliage in peace.
Kancamagus Highway
The famous Kancamagus Highway is a gorgeous fall foliage scenic route in New Hampshire lined with trees and mountains for 35 miles. It starts in Lincoln and ends in Conway, though you can also drive in the other direction if you wish. However, there are no gas stations or food amenities located along the highway, so you’ll want to bring snacks and fill up on gas before you go.
The entire length of the Kancamagus Highway is stunning! It’s one of the best places to visit in New England in the fall for a reason and you definitely don’t want to miss this iconic drive. Here are some of the best stops located along the highway:
- Rocky Gorge: A stunning river lined with huge rocks and beautiful fall trees. There are also a few small waterfalls here and you can climb as close to the river as you wish. Be careful because the rocks here can be quite slippery.
- Hancock Overlook: One of the most famous stops on the Kancamagus Highway for its U-bend curve surrounded by stunningly vibrant New Hampshire fall foliage. This is a must-visit stop if you have a drone! Without a drone, it’s not as spectacular to look at, but still enjoyable.
- Falls Pond: One of the more hidden stops along the highway, near Rocky Gorge. The trees here are a bit greener because there are more evergreens here, but the reflections in the pond are gorgeous. I was ambitious here and attempted a drone shot as well; however, you have to fly much higher than I expected and I wouldn’t recommend this in even slightly poor weather conditions.
- Unnamed Pullout: Yes, that’s the actual name of this overlook. However, the foliage here is nothing short of stunning! You get incredible panoramic views over the fiery-colored hills and there are usually no people here.
- Sabbaday Falls: Another popular stop along the Kancamagus Highway for its set of picturesque waterfalls.
After driving the highway, I recommend stopping in whichever town you end on either side to have lunch.
Bear Notch
Bear Notch is actually connected to the Kancamagus Highway. About halfway through, you can pull off the highway and into this maze of smaller scenic roads, which are composed of winding mountainside paths with beautiful autumn trees and plenty of roadside pullouts for photo opportunities.
We were stunned that as soon as we turned off the Kancamagus Highway and into Bear Notch, the crowds completely disappeared! It was as if we had the entire area to ourselves. Bear Notch is much quieter and the roads are narrower, making it feel more cozy and rustic.
However, I will say that even though the Kancamagus Highway and Bear Notch are literally right next to each other, the foliage can vary a surprisingly large amount between the two. We definitely were enjoying peak fall colors on the Kancamagus Highway, but some of the roads in Bear Notch were still quite greenish.
After exploring so many fall foliage roads for the day, it’s time to head back to Lincoln to wash up and enjoy dinner.
Day 3: Vermont
Good morning foliage chasers! Today we cross the state border to admire the beautiful Vermont fall foliage.
Lake Willoughby
Lake Willoughby is situated right on the Vermont-New Hampshire border and is one of my favorite places to catch the fall colors in New England. The autumn foliage here is just fantastic, especially with the surrounding rolling hills and the contrast with the beautiful blue lake. If you have a drone like me, I highly recommend taking some drone shots here! The videos we captured were just beyond stunning.
Lake Willoughby is fairly long. I recommend first parking at the South Beach to step out of the car and admire the patchwork of red, orange, and yellow over the blue-green lake. The south shoreline is the most exposed part of the lake, whereas further up the lake you’ll have to contend with the roads and private vacation cabins. However, it’s definitely worth taking a drive up the length of the lake when you’re done exploring the South Beach!
Victory State Forest
On your way down from Lake Willoughby, you can drive through Victory State Forest if you have the time. It’s much quieter than the hot spots we’ve been to so far and the colors here are beyond beautiful. However, you can skip this one if you already went to Bear Notch or if you simply don’t have enough time (we accidentally spent an extra 2 hours at Lake Willoughby because it was just so gorgeous and had to cut Victory State Forest out of our itinerary).
I also recommend grabbing lunch before heading to the next location.
Burtt’s Apple Orchard
A fall trip to New England wouldn’t be complete without picking some juicy apples! Autumn is apple season in the northeast, and there are plenty of apple orchards available. However, Burtt’s Apple Orchard is one of the most popular options because they really have it all: a massive apple orchard with over a dozen varieties of apples, a smaller pumpkin patch, cider donuts, and fresh-pressed apple cider.
You pay for apples by the pound, not by the bag, so pick as few or as many as you like. We ended up not picking too many because a lot of the trees were already picked clean, but the apples we did get were delicious.
Burtt’s is one of the most popular apple orchards in Vermont, so expect to be sharing the space with lots of other people. Also, if you go in peak season like us, there may not be that many apples left. I’ve been to better (and more photogenic!) orchards, but Burtt’s is a safe choice. If you’re interested in other orchards, here are some other highly-ranked apple orchards in Vermont:
Nichol’s Ledge
Nothing like ending the day with a beautiful sunset hike over some of the best fall foliage in Vermont. Nichol’s Ledge is a very short 0.6-mile out-and-back trail that takes about 26 minutes to climb. The path is quite steep and can get muddy if it’s been raining recently.
The view from the top is just otherworldly! From the tiny ledge, you can see two stunning lakes, a vast expanse of vibrantly colorful New England fall foliage in every direction, and a beautiful sunset (if you’re lucky with the weather).
However, I will say that Nichol’s Ledge is extremely popular and the ledge is very small, so you’ll want to arrive early. The ledge is a bit of a hazard with many people—it’s a long way down—so be careful when navigating with crowds. But the sunset here is definitely worth it!
Day 4: Vermont
Day 4 of your New England fall foliage trip hits some of the most famous spots in Vermont for leaf-peeping, so let’s get going!
Hillside Acres Farm
If you know anything at all about Vermont fall foliage, you know Sleepy Hollow Farm—a tiny picturesque property in central Vermont that has become insanely popular due to social media. In fact, it’s become so popular that the road to the farm was closed to the public this year and there are talks about closing it off permanently during the fall foliage season.
So if you can’t go to Sleepy Hollow Farm, Hillside Acres Farm is my next choice for the most picturesque farm in Vermont. If the road to Sleepy Hollow is open, feel free to skip this one and save Sleepy Hollow Farm for Day 5 (see below).
Hillside Acres has a completely different vibe to Sleepy Hollow Farm but is iconic all the same. The long winding road to the property, the iconic red barn, and the rolling Vermont hills with lovely yellow and orange trees make it an autumnal beauty. We also flew the drone around a bit and the surrounding farmland was so gorgeous!
Of course, this is still private property, so don’t drive too close to the house. Stay far enough up the road and respect the people who live here.
Smuggler’s Notch
Smuggler’s Notch is an incredibly picturesque region of Vermont tucked between two mountains. While the whole route is beautiful, the most famous part is the section of super-windy road lined with gorgeous trees. You can’t quite grasp exactly what this part of Smuggler’s Notch looks like without an aerial view, though you’ll no doubt feel the effects from having to take the turns at 5 miles an hour!
However, the entire area of Smuggler’s Notch is really nice, including the boardwalk path at Barnes Camp that has beautiful trees and a view of the notch in the mountains at the end. We actually hadn’t planned to take this walk at all and only found out about it when talking to a ranger—according to him, it’s the best view in the area.
Sky Gondola
The famous Sky Gondola is located adjacent to Smuggler’s Notch and may or may not be your cup of tea! The repurposed ski lift, which only operates in the non-snow season, costs a hefty $40 per person. However, there are very famous panoramic views at the top, offering a sweeping viewpoint from which you can see all of Vermont’s fall foliage in its fiery, vibrant glory.
If you have the money and time to spare, I would definitely put the Sky Gondola on your list. They do offer online ticket reservations but you’ll still have to wait in line to pick up your ticket anyway, so the staff there recommended to us to just walk in early. They also run out of tickets quite quickly so make sure to at least arrive before lunch.
We didn’t know about the ticket situation and were hoping to get tickets for golden hour or sunset, but they ran out of tickets well before 4 PM and we didn’t end up going.
Stowe
The charming town of Stowe, Vermont is one of the must-see stops on any fall trip to New England. While there are plenty of cute local shops to explore, the most picturesque spot is the beautiful Stowe Community Church. This church is emblematic of white clapboard New England churches and has a lovely backdrop of fall foliage to boot!
To get the best view of the church, you’ll want to head to the Tangerine & Olive gift shop or simply type in “Stowe community church viewpoint” into Google Maps. The gift shop has a small parking lot in the back with a great view of the church and the nearby river.
I recommend getting lunch in Stowe and then heading to the church before spending the rest of the afternoon exploring the town and its charming shops.
Day 5: Vermont
Day 5 is sadly the last day of the New England fall foliage trip. It’s time to wrap up the leaf peeping and enjoy the classic charm of Vermont’s towns before heading home for the end of foliage season.
Sleepy Hollow Farm
If Sleepy Hollow Farm is open for the season, this is one stop you cannot miss. This privately owned property is so synonymous with Vermont fall foliage that for many people, it’s the only thing they know about fall in New England!
However, because the farm has gained so much popularity due to social media in the last few years, the authorities have been closing the road to Sleepy Hollow Farm to the public. You should definitely check to see if the farm is going to be open before leaving for your trip.
If Sleepy Hollow Farm is on your list, it’s definitely also on everyone else’s list. Come as early as you can to avoid crowds—as much as possible, anyway. Photographers might show up even before sunrise to snap photos, and visitors’ cars will clog up the road for miles on end during the day. Definitely block off some extra time if you want to visit!
Cold Hollow Cider Mill
Since you’ll be passing by the Cold Hollow Cider Mill, around 8 miles south of Stowe, you might as well stop by for a bite. You can check out the cider mill and also try their fresh-pressed cider and extremely famous cider donuts. Seriously, they are legendary status in New England.
Woodstock
After enjoying central Vermont, it’s time to drive 1.5 hours down to Woodstock, Vermont. Woodstock is one of the largest towns in this region of Vermont and also one of the most picturesque! The main street features a famous New England-style covered bridge and lots of stoops decorated with pumpkins and fall flowers.
Check out Pleasant Street, known for its super-cute houses and white picket fences, and the stores that line Central Street. You’ll probably hear about the Woodstock Inn as well, which I personally think is rather meh, but there are plenty of charmingly decorated shops and restaurants all around town.
Make sure to enjoy a proper meal in Woodstock in the fresh countryside air before packing up and making the drive home. Wherever you are headed back to, I wish you safe travels!
Conclusion
This stunning guide through the quintessential New England fall foliage experience passed through quaint towns and winding roads, each new area revealing fiery fall colors. New Hampshire truly features some of the best fall colors in the White Mountains and along the scenic highways! Meanwhile, Vermont’s fall foliage, with its rolling hills and charming farms, offers a picturesque backdrop straight out of a postcard.
Though every year I’m sad to see the end of the mesmerizing fall foliage season and say farewell to the magnificent fall colors in New England, I always find solace in knowing that next year’s ever-changing hues will be back! If you weren’t able to finish everything on this itinerary in one go, fear not: there’s always next year.
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