When & Where to Visit

On this page:

  • Where to Visit
  • When to Visit
  • History of Peak Weeks

Maine's land parks, mountains, farms and declension provide wonderful settings for fall leaf peeping. We've put together some suggestions for the best locations in each region of Maine, and when to visit each 1 for the best fall colors.

When & Where to Visit

Where to Visit

  • Southern (ane) - Mid-Coast and S Coastal Maine, including Rockland, Camden, Portland, Kennebunkport and Kittery
  • Eastern (Downeast) (ii & 4) - Includes Houlton, Millinocket, Calais, Machias, Bar Harbor and Penobscot Bay
  • Fundamental (3) - Fundamental and Southwestern Maine, including Bangor, Augusta, and Fryeburg
  • Western (5) - Western Mid-Maine, including Greenville, Rangeley, and Bethel
  • Northern (6 & vii) - Northeastern & Northwestern Maine, including Fort Kent, Caribou and Presque Island

When to Visit

Color progresses from north to south. Generally northern Maine is at or near peak conditions the last week of September into the get-go week of October. Central, and western mountains of Maine are at or near peak Indigenous Peoples' Day week/weekend. Coastal and southern Maine generally reach top or most top conditions mid-to-last Oct.

Please note that this is a generalization of when you might await almost peak or peak conditions in the above mentioned regions.

September 24 - October 6: Regions: Northern (Zones half-dozen & 7)  , Zone five (Northern half)
Maine's hillsides are showtime to blush with more than one-half of the trees displaying fall colors. Leaf peep at locations like Aroostook State Park, Route 11, Eagle Lake Public Land, Mountain Kineo and Rockwood.

October 6 -13 : Regions: Western Maine (Zone five)
This is the best week for peak color in central Maine. Autumn leafage color is in full swing in western and cardinal Maine: Visit Grafton Notch Country Park, Route 17 nearly Richardson Lake, Bigelow Preserve, Road 27/16 in Carrabassett Valley, Cathedral Pines Residual Area in Eustis, Rangeley, the picket from Eustis Ridge, Mt. Blueish Land Park in Weld, Tumbledown Mountain Range, Greenville, Moosehead, Jackman, Lily Bay State Park, Rockwood, Sebec Lake and Dover-Foxcroft.

Oct 14 - xx: Regions: Central Maine (Zone 3) , Eastern (Zone 4)
All-time week for peak color in western and southern Maine This is one of the peak weeks for leafage peeping equally height conditions are coloring Maine hillsides. Visit Fryeburg, Skowhegan, Farmington, Rumford, north of Portland and the greater Augusta area.

October 21 - 27:  Regions: Southern (Zone 1) , Eastern Coast (Zone 2)
Best week for peak color in southern and littoral Maine. Find peak color south of Portland, Sebago Lake region, Bridgton, Limerick, Waterboro, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Wells and York.

Historical Superlative Foliage Weeks

Past weekly foliage reports from the last 5 years are available. Reports are posted on Wednesdays.

Historical Peak Foliage Weeks 2016 - 2020 (five year ascertainment)
ZONE 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
one 10/12 10/18 ten/x - 17 **10/23 10/vii
2 10/fifteen 10/18 10/x **x/23 10/7
3 10/12 10/eighteen 10/ten 10/nine nine/xxx
4 *x/v -12 10/11 *10/3 - 10 *ten/ii - 16 9/30
5 x/5 ten/11 ten/ten 10/nine 9/30
vi ten/5 10/xi 10/three ten/2 9/23
seven ten/5 ten/eleven x/3 10/2 9/30

* Represent acme weather condition from north to south in zones three,iv and 5 (north being the earlier date).
**Peak season occurred after concluding foliage study for flavour was released.