A loop from Boston north to New Hampshire's Kancamagus Highway and Mount Washington, then west over the Green Mountains to Stowe, its covered bridges and cider mills, and back. Colour peaks in the north from late September and moves south through mid-October.
Month by month
Best: June, July, August, September, October
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Avoid Poor OK Good Excellent Peak
Worth avoiding: January, February, March.
Shoulder season: June, September, good weather with typically fewer crowds and lower prices.
Weather and crowds
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Wet days | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3°C / 37°F | -5°C / 23°F | 10 | Quiet |
| February | 5°C / 40°F | -5°C / 22°F | 9 | Quiet |
| March | 10°C / 49°F | 0°C / 31°F | 11 | Quiet |
| April | 14°C / 58°F | 5°C / 40°F | 10 | Quiet |
| May | 20°C / 69°F | 10°C / 51°F | 11 | Moderate |
| June | 26°C / 78°F | 16°C / 60°F | 11 | Moderate |
| July | 29°C / 84°F | 20°C / 67°F | 14 | Busy |
| August | 27°C / 81°F | 18°C / 65°F | 12 | Busy |
| September | 23°C / 73°F | 15°C / 58°F | 10 | Moderate |
| October | 18°C / 64°F | 9°C / 49°F | 8 | Moderate |
| November | 11°C / 52°F | 3°C / 37°F | 7 | Quiet |
| December | 6°C / 43°F | -2°C / 29°F | 11 | Moderate |
Weather: averages of recent years from Open-Meteo historical data (CC BY 4.0). Crowds: estimated from the seasons and holiday periods, not measured.
How long to stay
5–9 days is the sweet spot.
Flight time
About 1.5h from the US East Coast, 6.5h from Europe, 14.5h from South Asia.
Good to know
- Foliage moves fast; check a New Hampshire or Vermont foliage tracker the week before and shuffle days if needed.
- Book places to stay months ahead for the mid-October long weekend (Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day), the busiest of the season.
- Mount Washington's weather can be wintry in October; the Auto Road closes in high wind.
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