Compare · 123 straight-line miles apart
Nulhegan Basin vs Rachel Carson Refugefall color
Nulhegan Basin or Rachel Carson Refuge: which comes first?
Nulhegan Basin usually comes first (Oct 1–10), Rachel Carson Refuge about 10 days later (Oct 11–20), going by each place's own sources. Their usual windows don't overlap. They're 123 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, Silvio O. Conte NFWR, Vermont Divisions and Units ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Silvio O. Conte NFWR, Vermont Divisions and Units ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Silvio O. Conte NFWR, Vermont Divisions and Units ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Usual windows, side by side
Nulhegan Basin · usually oct 1–10
Rachel Carson Refuge · usually oct 11–20
Side by side
| Nulhegan Basin | Rachel Carson Refuge | |
|---|---|---|
| Usually | Oct 1–10 | Oct 11–20 |
| This season | No official report yet | No official report yet |
| Elevation | 1,821 ft | 25 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
Nulhegan Basin
- Nulhegan Basin OverlookPanoramic view of the basin, a short accessible walk from the visitor contact station on VT Route 105 in Brunswick
- Lewis Pond OverlookWide vista over the basin, 45 minutes' drive from the visitor station; trailhead for the Gore Mountain Trail
- Lewis Pond Boardwalk275-foot accessible boardwalk through mature cedars to a platform facing Lewis Pond and Gore Mountain
- Nulhegan River Trail1-mile loop from the visitor station's granite overlook down to the river and back
Rachel Carson Refuge
- Timber Point TrailBiddeford: past wetland and shrubland to marsh, river and ocean views; FWS suggests it mid to late October; Timber Island only at low tide
- Carson TrailOne-mile level loop through coastal forest with salt marsh views and 11 stops; wheelchair and stroller accessible
- Cutts Island Trail1.8 miles of easy upland walking with salt marsh views; foot traffic only
Sources (9)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, A fall foliage tour of the Northeast ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Silvio O. Conte NFWR, Vermont Divisions and Units ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Silvio O. Conte NFWR, Vermont Divisions and Units ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Silvio O. Conte NFWR, Vermont Divisions and Units ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Silvio O. Conte NFWR, Vermont Divisions and Units ↗ (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, Rachel Carson NWR, Trails ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Rachel Carson NWR, Trails ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Rachel Carson NWR, Trails ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Questions people ask
Which has fall color first, Nulhegan Basin or Rachel Carson Refuge?
Nulhegan Basin, usually Oct 1–10; Rachel Carson Refuge usually Oct 11–20. Each place's own sourced window, not a forecast.
Can I see both on one trip?
Not usually at their best: their usual windows don't overlap. They're 123 straight-line miles apart.
Which is higher?
Nulhegan Basin: 1,821 ft at the point we map, against 25 ft (USGS). Higher places often turn earlier, but latitude matters as much.