Connecticut Fall Foliage Report 2015

Connecticut's brilliant fall foliage season is right around the corner! The State of Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) interactive fall foliage report map is now available. It forecasts the progression of color across our corner of New England. According to current estimates, peak foliage will arrive in the northeast and northwest corners of the state around Columbus Day and extend to the lower Connecticut River Valley and shoreline through early November.

State foresters predict that, this year, Connecticut will have a magnificent foliage season, with vibrant colors.  Connecticut’s advantage compared to northern New England states is that its season typically runs longer into the fall season, offering travelers even more opportunities to see and experience the autumn beauty.

According to Christopher Martin, Director/State Forester, Division of Forestry, Bureau of Natural Resources, DEEP, “Connecticut’s woodlands are poised to present a brilliant display of colors this fall given spring and summer rainfall amounts and moderate temperatures. Continued moderate conditions will set Connecticut on a path toward an ideal foliage season this year.”

• The leaves will change in the northern parts of the state first, around Columbus Day, and then move down into the valleys and down toward the shore.
• It’s predicted that peak foliage will begin October 9 – 16 in Connecticut’s northwest and northeast corners, followed by eastern and western mid-state counties October 17 - 25. 
• The shoreline and lower Connecticut River Valley will peak toward the end of October or early November.
• A little known fact is that the Connecticut River, starting at the mouth of Long Island Sound (between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme) and going up toward East Haddam, will hold the foliage the longest – into the first week or so of November.

For those planning visits to Connecticut for the foliage season, a good resource is DEEP's Connecticut's Fall Foliage page. There you’ll find information on:

• Where to view the fall foliage
• The colors of fall - providing information on the leaf colors produced by different types of trees
• Why leaves change color

The diverse range of destinations and attractions across the state provide hundreds of interesting and unique vantages from which to view the gorgeous foliage. From Mystic Seaport’s harbor to a farm in the quiet countryside, from the top of Gillette Castle to the middle of a classic Connecticut corn maze, fall in Connecticut is not to be missed.

Here are several spectacular foliage driving tours which highlight our scenic Routes 1, 7, 9, 15, and 169. Be sure to check out our Travel Deals and book early to reserve your best dates.

For more fall ideas and activities, go to www.CTvisit.com and visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/visitconnecticut, Twitter page at www.twitter.com/ctvisit, Pinterest page at http://pinterest.com/visitct/ and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/ctvisit.