Compare · 140 straight-line miles apart
McKinney Refuge vs Cherry Valley Refugefall color
McKinney Refuge or Cherry Valley Refuge: which comes first?
McKinney Refuge usually comes first (Oct 11–31), Cherry Valley Refuge about 5 days later (Oct 21–31), going by each place's own sources. Their usual windows overlap Oct 21–31. They're 140 miles apart in a straight line.
Checked Sep 28. Sources (4)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, A fall foliage tour of the Northeast ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge trails ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, A fall foliage tour of the Northeast ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Usual windows, side by side
McKinney Refuge · usually oct 11–31
Cherry Valley Refuge · usually oct 21–31
Shaded: Oct 21–Oct 31, in both usual windows.
Side by side
| McKinney Refuge | Cherry Valley Refuge | |
|---|---|---|
| Usually | Oct 11–31 | Oct 21–31 |
| This season | No official report yet | No official report yet |
| Elevation | -4 ft | 303 ft |
Elevation at the point we map (USGS). Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, the average first 32 °F night at the nearest station.
Where to go at each
McKinney Refuge
- Salt Meadow UnitHeadquarters in Westbrook on the Menunketesuck River; a 1.7-mile trail through forest, salt marsh, shrubland and meadow
- Great Meadows Unit421 acres of salt marsh and upland in Stratford, with two short trails, two blinds and two decks
- Milford Point UnitBarrier beach counted among Connecticut's best birding spots; deck at the entrance
Cherry Valley Refuge
- Cherry Valley Ridge Trail3.2 miles of dirt and gravel through oak and pine forest and fields on the Kittatinny Ridge; photo blind on the way
- Front Nine Trail1.7 paved miles past wetlands on Cherry Creek and grass fields
- Back Nine Trail1.7 paved miles over rolling hills
Sources (10)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, A fall foliage tour of the Northeast ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge trails ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, A fall foliage tour of the Northeast ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, A fall foliage tour of the Northeast ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Questions people ask
Which has fall color first, McKinney Refuge or Cherry Valley Refuge?
McKinney Refuge, usually Oct 11–31; Cherry Valley Refuge usually Oct 21–31. Each place's own sourced window, not a forecast.
Can I see both on one trip?
In a typical year, Oct 21–31 falls in both usual windows. They're 140 straight-line miles apart; roads are longer.
Which is higher?
Cherry Valley Refuge: 303 ft at the point we map, against -4 ft (USGS). Higher places often turn earlier, but latitude matters as much.