Ah, fall.
Sure, winter’s coming. But there’s that one last gift from Mother Nature before we all settle in to do battle with our own personal cabin fever demons: her brilliant display of autumn colors.
There’s plenty to see right in our own back yard, with the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe and the Morton Arboretum in Lisle providing the most spectacular nearby displays. But serious aficionados of the wonders of autumn may want to take this opportunity to combine their love of nature with a motor trip through some of the most magnificent scenery in the United States
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to get a precise timetable for when the leaves will be changing color this fall. It’s not possible any year, actually, and that’s because temperature and rainfall conditions during the year have an effect on the timing. It’s not even possible to make one general prediction for the entire United States. While some sections of the country have been extremely wet this spring and summer, others have been unusually dry.
The U.S. Forest Service says that autumn colors generally begin in late September in New England and move in a southerly direction, reaching the Smoky Mountains by early November. Individual states give more specific information for their own regions and the Forest Service provides a hot line (800-354-4595), starting in mid-September.
No matter what the weather, and that’s because the most important influence on autumn leaf color is really the steadily increasing length of the nighttime hours. It’s the shorter days and the long, cool nights of fall that kick off the biochemical processes that cause the leaves to change color.
In case you’re wondering why our colors here in the Midwest don’t quite measure up to what Mother Nature produces in the New England states, Jeffrey O. Dawson, professor of tree physiology in the Department of Forestry at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has the answer.
Dawson says it’s because the maritime climate in the Northeastern U.S. moderates the temperatures and that “reduces the incidence of killing frosts during peak color periods.” Those warm, sunny days and cool but not freezing nights needed for brilliant color changes are much more predictable in New England.
Our survey of fall color viewing we’ve decided to concentrate on the Midwest, because it’s easily accessible, and the New England states because they generally have the most spectacular displays. But it’s important to remember that other parts of the country-especially the Adirondack, Appalachian, Smoky and Rocky Mountains-also have beautiful color areas in the fall (see accompanying state-by-state list).
Many states offer driving tours and special events geared toward viewing the fall color display in 1993. Here are some of the best. But remember, all color times are approximate.
The Midwest
Illinois: A trip to western, central or southern Illinois will reveal more color than most Chicago area residents generally associate with their own state.
From Rockford, the scenic drive down Highway 2 along the Rock River from Rockford south to Dixon, or the Highway 20 drive from Rockford to Galena are both recommended for October. The Galena/Jo Daviess County area recommends the Great River Road Country scenic drive south from Galena toward the Quad-Cities or the Palisades State Park Palisades of the Mississippi River during the first and second weeks of October. Obviously any tours along the Mississippi may not be advisable this year. Conditions should be checked as Fall approaches.
Near Springfield, the New Salem area and the beautiful 77-acre Lincoln Memorial Garden on Lake Springfield’s southern shore are recommended for mid-September to mid-October.
For information: 800-223-0121.
Indiana: Indiana tourist officials recommend the Brown County area and Brown County State Park in the south-central part of the state as having the best color display. The park, the state’s largest, has hiking trails from which to view the trees, and there’s a lodge for overnight visitors. But book early; this is the most popular time, and nearby Indiana University at Bloomington has many autumn events, and IU parents love to stay at the lodge.
Nashville, a few minutes’ drive from the park, is a hub for art, music and theater. The town has more than 300 specialty and antiques shops, several small hotels and many restaurants.
For information: 800-753-3255.
Iowa: Many parts of Iowa were damaged by floods, but its Department of Tourism wants travelers to know that plenty of fall events are scheduled and the roads to see the colors are open.
For information: 800-345-4692.
Michigan: Michigan emphasizes that summer activities such as hiking, boating, fishing, camping still can be enjoyed during autumn. In addition, the state suggests autumn color tours by car, train, boat and hot air balloon.
The Brockway Mountain Drive in the Upper Peninsula and the Tunnel of Trees drive on Michigan Highway 119 between Harbor Springs and Cross Village in the northernmost part of the Lower Peninsula are beautiful. Three other driving tours are recommended, each circling Lake Michigan, Lake Huron or Lake Superior. Boat tours leave from Detroit, Flint, Munising, Saugatuck and other cities.
You can hop a train at Traverse City, Paw Paw, Sault Ste. Marie, Canada, or several other cities, and you can see the trees from a hot air balloon at Ann Arbor, Holland or Battle Creek.
Peak color times range from mid-September in the Upper Peninsula to late October in the southern part of the state.
For information: 800-MI4-FALL.
Minnesota: Mid-to-late September usually is best for viewing foliage in northern Minnesota; the first two weeks in October generally are best in the Twin Cities and the southern part of the state.
The state’s fall color tour map takes drivers past several of its many beautiful lakes but also suggests that the state’s prairies have a less-known beauty in the fall. The prairie grasses and flowers present vivid colors against the fall sky, and the monarch butterfly migration in mid-to-late September adds another dimension. Minnesota has several state parks, nature conservancies and prairie preserves that are worth visiting at this time.
For information: 800-657-3700.
Missouri: The Ozark National Scenic Riverways have 134 miles of rivers, caves, springs and bluffs amid some of the best foliage in the Midwest.
Some of the most spectacular foliage is along the Mississippi River in the southern part of the state near forests, hills, cotton fields and the oldest permanent settlement west of the Mississippi, Ste. Genevieve, founded in 1735. That town and others were damaged in the flood this year, so it’s best to check conditions before heading that way.
For information: 800-877-1234
Wisconsin: Wisconsin’s colors show stretches from mid-September in the north through October in the south. The state has a hot line for color news (800-372-2737) starting in mid-September.
Several scenic drives show off the beauty. Pattison Falls State Park in the North Woods has the state’s highest waterfall, and in southern Wisconsin at the Great Horicon Marsh in Fond du Lac County, visitors can see some 200,000 Canada geese and other waterfowl stop to rest and feed during their annual migration. The 300-mile Lake Michigan Circle Tour is another way to see the colors and includes a drive through picturesque Door County.
Bike and train tours are geared toward the colors. The Nicolet Scenic Rail Autumn Express Tour, for instance, is 54 scenic miles through the Nicolet National Forest. It provides views of wildlife as well as pine forests, bogs, streams and rivers. Lunch is available on the train, which departs at 11 a.m. from Laona and returns at 4:30 p.m. every day Sept. 18 to Oct. 9.
For information: 800-432-TRIP.
New England
Connecticut: The state’s picturesque little towns host a series of craft fairs in autumn, a great opportunity to roam the countryside at its most beautiful time.
Travelers can obtain itineraries with directions and listings of inns, bed-and-breakfasts and restaurants. Most fairs are held on weekends, and all are a short trip from New York City.
For information: 800-CT-BOUND.
Maine: Fall daytime temperatures in Maine are cool and crisp, around 60 degrees in September, 50 in October. Driving probably is the best way to see the state, with plenty of farm stands, fairs and harvest festivals to add to the color.
Maine’s foliage hot line (800-533-9595), starting Sept. 15, tells where the peak colors are. There are several good driving tours, including a lighthouse and coastal village tour.
A driving tour in western Maine offers lakes and the White Mountains dressed in autumn color. A shopper’s tour from Kittery to Freeport and then down the southern coast boasts 95 miles of antiques and crafts stores and outlet shopping. Driving through Maine’s Great North Woods and along Moosehead Lake takes about five hours and usually provides plenty of wildlife viewing.
For information: 800-533-9595.
Massachusetts: The Bay State has three fall foliage hot line numbers, updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday beginning in mid-September. The numbers are: 800-632-8038 (if you’re in Massachusetts), 800-343-9072 (if you’re in any other Northeast states) and 617-727-3201 (from anywhere else-including Illinois).
The peak color season is October, with Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard turning last, toward the end of the month. There are hiking and bike trails throughout most of the state, a scenic rail excursion from Hyannis to Sagamore with a stop at historic Sandwich village, boat rides from Long Wharf, Boston, and canoe trips along the Connecticut, Deerfield, Sudbury and Concord Rivers.
For drivers, the most famous foliage route in the state is the Mohawk Trail (Massachusetts Highway 2 from Orange to North Adams), and the best time is mid-week, when crowds are not so heavy.
The more adventuresome can view the changing leaves by chairlift, balloon or glider. Sports Center Airport in Pepperell also offers skydiving.
For information: 617-727-3201.
New Hampshire: The first two weeks in October are the busiest of the year in New Hampshire, so it’s wise to arrange for accommodations early. The fall foliage hot line, called the “leaf peeper” (800-258-3608 or 800-262-6660), is updated twice weekly and reports the progress of fall colors as well as particularly beautiful driving routes.
The state has many harvest festivals. The Seafood Festival at Hampton Beach (Sept. 11-12) is a little early for peak colors but might be a good beginning to a trip to see the autumn leaves. Inn-to-inn biking and llama trekking (at various places) are two great ways to view the fall show.
For information: 800-944-1117.
Rhode Island: The last week in September and the first two weeks in October are generally the best times for viewing here. The state provides a hot line as the season approaches (800-556-2484 or 401-277-2601).
The month-long Harvest-by-the-Sea in Newport is a grand celebration of autumn in October. The festivities include everything from whale watches to hay rides and plenty of fall foliage.
For information: 800-556-2484.
Vermont: The earliest foliage change in Vermont is in the northern part of the state, near the Canadian border and at the higher elevations, with red maples the first trees to change. The foliage hot line number is 802-828-3239. From mid-September through October nearly a million visitors come to the state. Reservations for lodging are recommended.
Lodging choices are better during the middle of the week and many community events, such as chicken pie suppers, are scheduled for weeknights. There are several annual fall festivals, such as the Harvest Festival in Shelburne and Apple Fest in South Hero, both in the Lake Champlain region. A Fall Foliage Special 54-mile train ride departs from the Bellows Falls train station at 10 a.m. on autumn weekends.
For information: 802-828-3236.
