Mainefall foliage
No reports yet this season. Next up: Aroostook Refuge, typically Oct 1–10.
When is peak fall foliage in Maine?
No source we can use gives the whole state one date. At Acadia National Park on the coast, the National Park Service says the peak generally comes in mid-October. Inland Maine, from the western mountains to the North Maine Woods, is different country, so each place below shows its own timing and latest status.
Checked Sep 28. Sources: National Park Service, Acadia weather ↗ (opens in a new tab), Wikivoyage, Maine ↗ (opens in a new tab)
This week in Maine · Updated Sep 28
We haven't logged an official report for Maine yet this fall; the first places here usually turn around Sep 1. The forecast looks best on Tue–Sun, and no frost in sight: the coldest night is 34°F at Aroostook State Park. In New England's volunteer tree counts for Sep 15–21, red maple is ahead of a typical year; the rest are close to typical.
When each place peaks, and the week ahead
Best days to go: Tue–Sun
Wind up to 20 mph at Rachel Carson Refuge. No frost yet: the coldest night is 34°F at Aroostook State Park.
- Katahdin Woods and WatersNational Park Service says to plan a trip from September to mid-October for the best foliageTodayrain likelyTuedry and calmWeddry and calmThudry and calmFridry and calmSatdry and calmSundry and calm
- Aroostook RefugeUsually Oct 1–10Todayrain likelyTuedry and calmWeddry and calmThudry and calmFridry and calmSatdry and calmSundry and calm
- Aroostook State ParkStatewide: well under way by ~Oct 11Todayrain likelyTuedry and calmWeddry and calmThudry and calmFridry and calmSatdry and calmSundry and calm
- Bradbury Mountain State ParkStatewide: well under way by ~Oct 11Todayrain likelyTuedry and calmWeddry and calmThudry and calmFridry and calmSatdry and calmSundry and calm
- Camden Hills State ParkStatewide: well under way by ~Oct 11Todayrain likelyTuerain likelyWeddry and calmThudry and calmFridry and calmSatdry and calmSundry and calm
- Ferry Beach State ParkStatewide: well under way by ~Oct 11Todayrain likelyTuedry and calmWeddry and calmThudry and calmFridry and calmSatdry and calmSundry and calm
- Grafton Notch State ParkStatewide: well under way by ~Oct 11Todayrain likelyTuedry and calmWeddry and calmThudry and calmFridry and calmSatdry and calmSundry and calm
- Lily Bay State ParkStatewide: well under way by ~Oct 11Todayrain likelyTuedry and calmWeddry and calmThudry and calmFridry and calmSatdry and calmSundry and calm
- Mount Blue State ParkStatewide: well under way by ~Oct 11Todayrain likelyTuedry and calmWeddry and calmThudry and calmFridry and calmSatdry and calmSundry and calm
- Rangeley Lake State ParkStatewide: well under way by ~Oct 11Todayrain likelyTuedry and calmWeddry and calmThudry and calmFridry and calmSatdry and calmSundry and calm
- AcadiaUsually Oct 11–20Todayrain likelyTuedry and calmWeddry and calmThudry and calmFridry and calmSatdry and calmSundry and calm
- Moosehorn RefugeUsually Oct 11–20Todayrain likelyTuerain likelyWeddry and calmThudry and calmFridry and calmSatdry and calmSundry and calm
- Rachel Carson RefugeUsually Oct 11–20Todayrain likely, wind to 20 mphTuedry and calmWeddry and calmThudry and calmFridry and calmSatdry and calmSundry and calm
All the numbers
| Place | Usual peak | This week | Rain likely | Coldest night | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katahdin Woods and Waters | National Park Service says to plan a trip from September to mid-October for the best foliage | No report | Today | 37°F | 647 ft |
| Aroostook Refuge | Oct 1–10 | No report | Today | 36°F | 742 ft |
| Aroostook State Park | Statewide: well under way by ~Oct 11 | No report | Today | 34°F | 556 ft |
| Bradbury Mountain State Park | Statewide: well under way by ~Oct 11 | No report | Today | 41°F | 245 ft |
| Camden Hills State Park | Statewide: well under way by ~Oct 11 | No report | Today, Tue | 44°F | 194 ft |
| Ferry Beach State Park | Statewide: well under way by ~Oct 11 | No report | Today | 43°F | 19 ft |
| Grafton Notch State Park | Statewide: well under way by ~Oct 11 | No report | Today | 40°F | — |
| Lily Bay State Park | Statewide: well under way by ~Oct 11 | No report | Today | 40°F | 1,070 ft |
| Mount Blue State Park | Statewide: well under way by ~Oct 11 | No report | Today | 38°F | 721 ft |
| Rangeley Lake State Park | Statewide: well under way by ~Oct 11 | No report | Today | 38°F | 1,596 ft |
| Acadia | Oct 11–20 | No report | Today | 46°F | 51 ft |
| Moosehorn Refuge | Oct 11–20 | No report | Today, Tue | 39°F | 167 ft |
| Rachel Carson Refuge | Oct 11–20 | No report | Today | 48°F | 25 ft |
Solid bars: each place's usual window from its official sources; dashed: a regional or statewide timing, not the place's own. Stages from the latest official report. Weather: National Weather Service forecast for each place, issued Sep 28. A best day is dry and calm at most of these places.
New England, site by site
Color moving across New England
139 volunteer sites this week (seen in at least 2 of the falls 2020–2025)
- Green
- Yellow
- Orange
- Red
- Brown, leaves down
Typical year, not a prediction. Each dot is a real USA-NPN volunteer site: the middle stage its trees had that week across the falls 2020–2025. Green: under 5% of leaves colored · yellow 5–24% · orange 25–49% · red half or more · brown: leaves mostly down. Sites within a few hundred yards of each other (a research forest, a park) share one dot, with their number on it. Data: USA National Phenology Network (CC BY 4.0).
New England, Sep 15–21
11% this week (62 observations) · typical 6%
0% this week (56 observations) · typical 3%
4% this week (47 observations) · typical 0%
Black cherry
2% this week (42 observations) · typical 0%
Red maple is ahead of a typical year; the rest are close to typical. Only species with at least 15 observations that week; the line marks the typical share for the same week (2020–2025). Updated Sep 27. Data: USA-NPN. Which trees turn when in New England →
Planning a Maine fall foliage trip
In Acadia, driving Cadillac Summit Road to the highest point on the U.S. eastern seaboard needs a vehicle reservation on top of the park entrance pass. Reservations are sold online in advance at Recreation.gov, not at the park: thirty percent go on sale 90 days ahead and the rest at 10 am two days ahead. Connectivity is unreliable in the park, so save the confirmation code before you go.
The North Maine Woods are a remote, thinly settled boreal forest: Chesuncook Lake, the Allagash Wilderness Waterway and Baxter State Park's almost mile-high Mount Katahdin, where the Appalachian Trail ends. Public roads are rare north and west of Bangor; the few roads are private, with permits at checkpoints, and bicycles, motorcycles, ATVs and horses are banned.
Along the New Hampshire border, the Western Maine Lakes and Mountains region has high mountains, clear lakes, hiking trails and waterfalls. Grafton Notch State Park, 3,000 acres, covers most of Route 26 between Newry and Upton.
Sources: Wikivoyage, Maine ↗ (opens in a new tab), National Park Service, Drive Cadillac Mountain ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Official reports
- Sep 28Park ServiceFall color usually peaks in mid-OctoberSource (opens National Park Service, Acadia weather in a new tab)
- Sep 28Park ServiceReservations only for Cadillac Summit Road; none for the rest of the park, or on foot, bike or taxiSource (opens National Park Service, Acadia vehicle reservations in a new tab)
- Sep 28Park ServiceUsual peak by refuge: early October at Aroostook, Nulhegan Basin and Missisquoi; mid-October at Moosehorn, Rachel Carson and Great Bay (marsh)Source (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, A fall foliage tour of the Northeast in a new tab)
Show all 21
- Sep 28Park ServiceTree cover and trailsSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Aroostook NWR, Visit Us in a new tab)
- Sep 28Park ServiceHours, rules, biting insects May–September, two blindsSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge in a new tab)
- Sep 28Park ServiceThree-mile seasonal Auto Tour RouteSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Aroostook NWR, Tours in a new tab)
- Sep 28Park ServiceTrails from headquarters; auto tour vistasSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Aroostook NWR, Wildlife Watching in a new tab)
- Sep 28Park ServiceSki trails groomed November through AprilSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Aroostook NWR, Activities in a new tab)
- Sep 28Park ServiceForest typesSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge in a new tab)
- Sep 28Park ServiceInsects, winter cold, trails, Woodcock Trail, scenic driving loopsSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Moosehorn NWR, Visit Us in a new tab)
- Sep 28Park ServiceOrange clothing in hunting season; cell serviceSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Moosehorn NWR, Hiking in a new tab)
- Sep 28Park ServiceEagle platform, marsh blind, woodcock courtship flightsSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Moosehorn NWR, Wildlife Watching in a new tab)
- Sep 28Park ServiceParking, best hours, petsSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Rachel Carson NWR, Visit Us in a new tab)
- Sep 28Park ServiceCarson, Timber Point and Cutts Island trailsSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Rachel Carson NWR, Trails in a new tab)
- Sep 28Park ServiceSeasonal bird highlightsSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Rachel Carson NWR, Birding in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceBest foliage September to mid-October; Barnard Mountain, Orin Falls, Messer Pond, Lunksoos, American Thread Road; hunting in parts of the monumentSource (opens National Park Service, Katahdin Woods and Waters fall colors in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceEntrances and Katahdin Loop Road usually open to vehicles late May to late OctoberSource (opens National Park Service, Katahdin Woods and Waters hours and seasons in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceInternational Dark Sky Sanctuary since 2020Source (opens National Park Service, Katahdin Woods and Waters stargazing in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceWinter conditions from as early as October until April or May; North Gate parkingSource (opens National Park Service, Katahdin Woods and Waters winter activities in a new tab)
- Sep 26Park ServiceRoad to the 1,530-ft summit opens mid-April, closes by December 1; reservations mid-May to mid-October; summit crowded most of the summerSource (opens National Park Service, Drive Cadillac Mountain in a new tab)
- Sep 26Park ServiceThe 27-mile Park Loop Road, Jordan Pond Path, 45 miles of carriage roadsSource (opens National Park Service, Tour the fall colors of Acadia in a new tab)
Questions people ask
When is peak fall foliage in Maine in 2026?
It depends on the place. In a typical year it comes first to Aroostook Refuge (Oct 1–10) and last to Rachel Carson Refuge (Oct 11–20). Each place page has its own dates.
Where can I see fall foliage in Maine?
We track 13 places: Aroostook Refuge (usually Oct 1–10), Acadia (usually Oct 11–20), Moosehorn Refuge (usually Oct 11–20), Rachel Carson Refuge (usually Oct 11–20), Aroostook State Park, Maine, Bradbury Mountain State Park, Maine, Camden Hills State Park, Maine, Ferry Beach State Park, Maine, Grafton Notch State Park, Maine, Katahdin Woods and Waters, Lily Bay State Park, Maine, Mount Blue State Park, Maine and Rangeley Lake State Park, Maine.
How long does the fall foliage season last in Maine?
Across the places we track, from about Oct 1 (Aroostook Refuge) to Oct 20 (Rachel Carson Refuge). Each place's own window is shorter.
Why does color come earlier in some places?
Higher ground turns first. In the Great Smoky Mountains, color can start as early as mid-September at the highest elevations, develops above 4,000 feet from early to mid-October, and reaches the lower and middle slopes between mid-October and early November.Source: National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains fall color ↗ (opens in a new tab)
How do you track fall foliage?
Each place moves through 6 stages: Still green, First color, Moderate, High color, Peak and Past peak. Every stage we show comes from a dated report with its source, and every forecast lists its sources.