Fall Foliage Forecaster

Fall in Vermont unfolds across a spectrum of vivid color ranging from brilliant crimson, blaze orange, bright yellow, and the greens hanging on from late summer. Often, you can see this whole palette in one place as the seasons shift, depending on the variety of tree species in the area. Vermont’s high density of sugar maples, spread across forests that cover 70% of the state, gives the Green Mountains their signature bright autumn color.

It’s hard to predict exactly when that time-honored fall color will reach its peak saturation, because weather conditions like rainfall, temperature, sunlight, and wind influence overall tree health. However, visitors count on a general pattern year over year: Color tends to start in the northern regions of the state, at the highest elevations first, before moving down from the mountains and geographically into the central and southern regions.

This map’s animation is a good approximation of how Vermont’s fall foliage typically unfolds over the course of a handful of weeks between mid-September and late October. Toggle between weeks at the bottom of the map to see how foliage progresses throughout the state, from the early stage through mid, peak, and late foliage.