MASSACHUSETTS FALL FOLIAGE
Fall is a glorious time to visit Massachusetts. The trees wear
magical coats of crimson, gold, and scarlet leaves; hillsides
glisten under a pale pink glaze; dry leaves crunch underfoot; and
every farm stand boasts piles of fat orange pumpkins.
Foliage season begins in mid-to-late September and ends in
mid-to-late October. Peak color often coincides with Columbus
Day weekend. Beginning in mid-September, state foresters
report on the spread of color across the state.
FALL FOLIAGE TIPS:
1. Make hotel reservations as far in advance as possible; it's a
very busy time of year in rural areas and in Boston.
2. Try to plan a mid-week trip; you'll find fewer cars on the road.
3. Be adventurous and explore the state's back roads. You'll
treasure the vistas you find by chance.
4. Don't worry about the possibility of missing absolute "peak";
color; you'll find glorious color throughout the fall season. In fact,
many visitors enjoy seeing the full spectrum of colors from green
to crimson that can be found prior to "peak.";
5. Plan some time out of your car. There's nothing like a gentle
hike, a canoe ride, or a spin on a bicycle to experience the crisp,
sunny days. Check out Outdoor Adventures.
MASSACHUSETTS FALL FOLIAGE DRIVING ROUTES
Greater Boston/Merrimack Valley
From Boston, take Rts. 2 and 4 to Lexington, then Rt. 2A to
Concord's famous North Bridge and Minute Man statue. From
Concord Center, bear left at the fork on Sudbury Road. At the
Sudbury line, the road becomes Concord Road and takes you
through Sudbury Center and onto U.S. Rt. 20. Return via U.S. Rt.
20 through Waltham to Boston.
North of Boston
Route 133 is a gorgeous route that winds along charming country
back roads and the picture-perfect New England towns of Essex,
Ipswich, Rowley, and Georgetown. Route 1A from Beverly to
Newburyport travels through beautiful open spaces and farms via
Ipswich which boasts more pre-1725 houses still standing than
any other town in the USA. Route 127 winds along the coast
through Beverly, Manchester By-the-Sea, Gloucester, and up to
Rockport.
Bristol County
From the intersection of I-495 and I-95, head south on I-495, then
take Rt. 140 South through Norton and past Wheaton College.
Remain on Rt. 140 South to New Bedford. Then take Rt. 6 East or
West. Rt. 6 East takes you to the charming seaside town of
Fairhaven. From Rt. 6 West, take Rt. 177 to Westport, then Rt. 88
South to Horseneck Beach State Reservation
Plymouth County
Just south of Boston, pick up Rt. 24 South, then take Rt. 104 to
Bridgewater. Continue on Rt. 104, then Rt. 106 to Halifax. Rt. 58
South will take you to North Carver, where you'll see cranberry
bogs flooded with pools of crimson berries as the harvest gets
underway. From North Carver, continue south on Rt. 58 to Rt. 28
East to Rt. 6 West and the towns of Wareham, Rochester, Marion,
and Mattapoisett.
Cape Cod
From the Sagamore Bridge, take Rt.6A, the "Old King's Highway,"
which winds through the historic villages of Sandwich,
Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, and Brewster.
Central Massachusetts
Enjoy superb color at a relaxed pace when you drive along the
less frequently traveled routes to the Quabbin Reservoir: From Rt.
128, follow Rt. 117 to Stow, in the heart of apple country, then Rt.
62 South and West to Princeton. Turn north on the unnumbered
route to Wachusett Mountain Reservation. There you can drive,
hike, or take a "skyride" to the summit for a sweeping view of the
countryside. Return to Rt. 62 and head west to Barre, then south
on Rt. 32 to Old Furnace Rd. Follow the unnumbered road west to
Hardwick. Turn north on Rt. 32A, which runs along the Quabbin
Reservoir to Petersham. At Petersham follow Rt. 101 East
through Templeton, Gardner, and the Ashburnhams to the
junction with Rt. 119. Head east on Rt. 119 through the Willard
Brook State Forest in Ashby and Townsend.
Greater Springfield/Franklin County
The secondary roads of Rt. 116 and Rt. 9 wind through rolling
countryside and hill towns. Rt. 116 passes through the
picturesque towns of Conway and Ashfield; Rt. 9 leads through
the village centers of Cummington and Goshen and the college
towns of Northampton and Amherst. Scenic routes 143 and 112
travel through rolling New England countryside in the towns of
Goshen, Chesterfield, Worthington and Huntington.
The Berkshires
Follow Rt. 7 North from Sheffield to Williamstown. Rt. 8 runs from
Sandisfield to Dalton and is a superb route between two state
forests. Rt. 183, from Great Barrington to Lenox, follows the
Housatonic River and passes through small villages. Take
Richmond Rd., off Rt. 183, just south of Tanglewood, and stop at
the overlook for views of Stockbridge Bowl and the southern
Berkshire Hills. Rt. 43 East, off Rt. 7, is the lower road to
Williamstown, and passes through lovely farmland. Rt. 23, from
Great Barrington to Monterey, and then right onto Tyringham Rd.,
takes you through the Tyringham Valley and eventually to Lee.
Mohawk Trail
The Mohawk Trail, which runs 63 miles along Rt. 2 from Orange
to North Adams, is one of the state's most popular foliage routes.
Excellent "up-country" viewing sites include: the Whitcomb
Summit; the hairpin turn before North Adams; the 10-mile drive to
the summit of Mt. Greylock; the French King Bridge, Millers Falls;
the Bissell Covered Bridge, Charlemont; and the enchanting
Bridge of Flowers, Shelburne Falls.
Fall is a glorious time to visit Massachusetts. The trees wear
magical coats of crimson, gold, and scarlet leaves; hillsides
glisten under a pale pink glaze; dry leaves crunch underfoot; and
every farm stand boasts piles of fat orange pumpkins.
Foliage season begins in mid-to-late September and ends in
mid-to-late October. Peak color often coincides with Columbus
Day weekend. Beginning in mid-September, state foresters
report on the spread of color across the state.
FALL FOLIAGE TIPS:
1. Make hotel reservations as far in advance as possible; it's a
very busy time of year in rural areas and in Boston.
2. Try to plan a mid-week trip; you'll find fewer cars on the road.
3. Be adventurous and explore the state's back roads. You'll
treasure the vistas you find by chance.
4. Don't worry about the possibility of missing absolute "peak";
color; you'll find glorious color throughout the fall season. In fact,
many visitors enjoy seeing the full spectrum of colors from green
to crimson that can be found prior to "peak.";
5. Plan some time out of your car. There's nothing like a gentle
hike, a canoe ride, or a spin on a bicycle to experience the crisp,
sunny days. Check out Outdoor Adventures.
MASSACHUSETTS FALL FOLIAGE DRIVING ROUTES
Greater Boston/Merrimack Valley
From Boston, take Rts. 2 and 4 to Lexington, then Rt. 2A to
Concord's famous North Bridge and Minute Man statue. From
Concord Center, bear left at the fork on Sudbury Road. At the
Sudbury line, the road becomes Concord Road and takes you
through Sudbury Center and onto U.S. Rt. 20. Return via U.S. Rt.
20 through Waltham to Boston.
North of Boston
Route 133 is a gorgeous route that winds along charming country
back roads and the picture-perfect New England towns of Essex,
Ipswich, Rowley, and Georgetown. Route 1A from Beverly to
Newburyport travels through beautiful open spaces and farms via
Ipswich which boasts more pre-1725 houses still standing than
any other town in the USA. Route 127 winds along the coast
through Beverly, Manchester By-the-Sea, Gloucester, and up to
Rockport.
Bristol County
From the intersection of I-495 and I-95, head south on I-495, then
take Rt. 140 South through Norton and past Wheaton College.
Remain on Rt. 140 South to New Bedford. Then take Rt. 6 East or
West. Rt. 6 East takes you to the charming seaside town of
Fairhaven. From Rt. 6 West, take Rt. 177 to Westport, then Rt. 88
South to Horseneck Beach State Reservation
Plymouth County
Just south of Boston, pick up Rt. 24 South, then take Rt. 104 to
Bridgewater. Continue on Rt. 104, then Rt. 106 to Halifax. Rt. 58
South will take you to North Carver, where you'll see cranberry
bogs flooded with pools of crimson berries as the harvest gets
underway. From North Carver, continue south on Rt. 58 to Rt. 28
East to Rt. 6 West and the towns of Wareham, Rochester, Marion,
and Mattapoisett.
Cape Cod
From the Sagamore Bridge, take Rt.6A, the "Old King's Highway,"
which winds through the historic villages of Sandwich,
Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, and Brewster.
Central Massachusetts
Enjoy superb color at a relaxed pace when you drive along the
less frequently traveled routes to the Quabbin Reservoir: From Rt.
128, follow Rt. 117 to Stow, in the heart of apple country, then Rt.
62 South and West to Princeton. Turn north on the unnumbered
route to Wachusett Mountain Reservation. There you can drive,
hike, or take a "skyride" to the summit for a sweeping view of the
countryside. Return to Rt. 62 and head west to Barre, then south
on Rt. 32 to Old Furnace Rd. Follow the unnumbered road west to
Hardwick. Turn north on Rt. 32A, which runs along the Quabbin
Reservoir to Petersham. At Petersham follow Rt. 101 East
through Templeton, Gardner, and the Ashburnhams to the
junction with Rt. 119. Head east on Rt. 119 through the Willard
Brook State Forest in Ashby and Townsend.
Greater Springfield/Franklin County
The secondary roads of Rt. 116 and Rt. 9 wind through rolling
countryside and hill towns. Rt. 116 passes through the
picturesque towns of Conway and Ashfield; Rt. 9 leads through
the village centers of Cummington and Goshen and the college
towns of Northampton and Amherst. Scenic routes 143 and 112
travel through rolling New England countryside in the towns of
Goshen, Chesterfield, Worthington and Huntington.
The Berkshires
Follow Rt. 7 North from Sheffield to Williamstown. Rt. 8 runs from
Sandisfield to Dalton and is a superb route between two state
forests. Rt. 183, from Great Barrington to Lenox, follows the
Housatonic River and passes through small villages. Take
Richmond Rd., off Rt. 183, just south of Tanglewood, and stop at
the overlook for views of Stockbridge Bowl and the southern
Berkshire Hills. Rt. 43 East, off Rt. 7, is the lower road to
Williamstown, and passes through lovely farmland. Rt. 23, from
Great Barrington to Monterey, and then right onto Tyringham Rd.,
takes you through the Tyringham Valley and eventually to Lee.
Mohawk Trail
The Mohawk Trail, which runs 63 miles along Rt. 2 from Orange
to North Adams, is one of the state's most popular foliage routes.
Excellent "up-country" viewing sites include: the Whitcomb
Summit; the hairpin turn before North Adams; the 10-mile drive to
the summit of Mt. Greylock; the French King Bridge, Millers Falls;
the Bissell Covered Bridge, Charlemont; and the enchanting
Bridge of Flowers, Shelburne Falls.
MASSACHUSETTS HOTELS
MASSACHUSETTS BED AND BREAKFAST
MASSACHUSETTS B&B
MASSACHUSETTS HOTEL
MASSACHUSETTS INNS
MASSACHUSETTS BED AND BREAKFAST
MASSACHUSETTS B&B
MASSACHUSETTS HOTEL
MASSACHUSETTS INNS
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