Connecticut Fall Foliage 2020

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loafer89
Posts: 235
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2015 8:24 am
Location: Enfield, Connecticut

Connecticut Fall Foliage 2020

Post: # 23251Post loafer89
Sun Oct 04, 2020 8:21 pm

I figured that I would start a thread for Fall foliage conditions in Connecticut. I did the drive today through Granby and Route 20 to Riverton and return. Lots of nice early season color. I think peak foliage conditions in N Connecticut will be Columbus Day weekend

Granby
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bobbav
Posts: 54
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:01 am
Location: Woodbury, CT

Re: Connecticut Fall Foliage 2020

Post: # 23255Post bobbav
Tue Oct 06, 2020 1:30 pm

I live in Woodbury, and the weekend prior to this past weekend was INCREDIBLE in the Woodbury, Bethlehem, Southbury, Oxford areas. Although early, MANY trees were appearing as almost peak!

Heading to Devil's Hopyard State Park and Chapman Falls this weekend, and venture to think there will be an abundance of colors there as well.
Bob

Live life as if each day is your last!

ctyanky
Board Admin
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Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:22 am

Re: Connecticut Fall Foliage 2020

Post: # 23257Post ctyanky
Wed Oct 07, 2020 10:41 am

Hi Bob, nice to see you back here! NW CT should be a prime target end of this weekend. I feel certain northern CT will survive the winds this afternoon and tonight as much of the state including the CRV (Conn. River Valley) are in early to mid stages with patches of peak everywhere. I'm looking forward to your finds in the areas you mentioned.

I found new stunning back roads while hiking all summer in Sharon, Sherman, Salisbury, Kent, Litchfield and Lakeville that should be gorgeous in the coming days. This is in the NW corner and part of the west central part of the state. The hikes in the Steep Rock Preserve Association should present excellent views over Lake Waramug or the rivers below. BV from this forum and I hiked Macricostos Preserve in the fall a few years ago, peak foliage was amazing at the summit. It is part of the Steep Rock Association, I believe the headquarters are in Cornwall.

The Barkhamsted Reservoir is gorgeous but I believe it is in early color right now. Peoples State Forest is totally great for hiking to the rock cliffs above the reservoir. (Beach Rock).

It pays to have a CT Delorme. Even though I have been on most of the roads now in the NW hill towns, we needed the map guide in some off the beaten path locales, especially in Sharon, Sherman and Kent. I recommend getting off of route 7 or route 44 to find the most beautiful back roads ever. Route 20 over the top of the state is great, I'll be on it soon. You can loop down to the reservoir or continue on at Winsted to go to the extreme NW corner of CT in North Canaan. The mountains paralleling route 44 on the south side are similar to SW VT. The Cornwalls are amazing. The West Cornwall covered bridge is over the Housatonic (it is low now). Lots of photogs there all the time in every season.

I do frequent the Quiet Corner (NE CT) and have many back roads that were given to me by the roads department guys a couple of years ago. All you have to do is ask, they love their jobs and are proud of the work they do. The roads they recommended to me took me places I never imagined existed in CT. Woodstock and Pomfret are my favorites! That area is just a tad behind the NW corner but route 169 is amazing. I love the roads around the UCONN area as well. They are really rural and tree lined for excellent foliage viewing.

Any questions about Conn. ask away. Loafer has a lot of valuable input as always!

If you are a hiker, the views are worth the effort of the climb. ie. Lions Head in Salisbury, unreal. :wink:

PS I do believe much of North Granby near the MA border is in peak right now. For some reason, they got hit with that early frost awhile back and color came fast there. I was in the area 2 weeks ago in Southwick, MA getting my mums (and my HUGE cinnabun at the food truck) and was amazed at the early color! Right on Loafer!

CT

ctyanky
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Re: Connecticut Fall Foliage 2020

Post: # 23258Post ctyanky
Wed Oct 07, 2020 10:57 am

Bob: forgot to mention that I was at the Devils Hopyard with a hiking group a few years ago. Wow, what a place! Chapman Falls should be low due to our extreme/severe drought here in northern CT? Looking forward to your finds! CT

loafer89
Posts: 235
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2015 8:24 am
Location: Enfield, Connecticut

Re: Connecticut Fall Foliage 2020

Post: # 23259Post loafer89
Wed Oct 07, 2020 12:36 pm

I'm off to the Catskills tomorrow and I'll report back on the foliage along 1-90 in the Berkshires. I'm imagining that it must be near peak, especially close to 2,000' on the Pike. Here in Enfield, it's turning pretty rapidly, even my Oaks have a bit of Fall color. I'd say it's now close to 30% changed.


loafer89
Posts: 235
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2015 8:24 am
Location: Enfield, Connecticut

Re: Connecticut Fall Foliage 2020

Post: # 23262Post loafer89
Thu Oct 08, 2020 3:25 pm

There's some nice Fall foliage color on I-90 at the high point and for a few miles on either side. It must be nice along Route 20. The lower elevations are still mostly green. I-90 also has alot of Oak trees that are still green.

loafer89
Posts: 235
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2015 8:24 am
Location: Enfield, Connecticut

Re: Connecticut Fall Foliage 2020

Post: # 23265Post loafer89
Sat Oct 10, 2020 1:31 pm

I did the drive through Northeastern Connecticut today. Not very pretty, lots of bare trees and poor foliage conditions. There are some bright spots in town, but it's very scattered. Even Coventry wasn't any good.

MinnieB
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2014 7:12 pm

Re: Connecticut Fall Foliage 2020

Post: # 23269Post MinnieB
Sat Oct 10, 2020 7:26 pm

Has anyone been through MA? Just wondering how it's looking there. I've been wanting to go to Rock House Reservation for a while, but want to go when the color is good.

loafer89
Posts: 235
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2015 8:24 am
Location: Enfield, Connecticut

Re: Connecticut Fall Foliage 2020

Post: # 23270Post loafer89
Sat Oct 10, 2020 9:24 pm

MinnieB wrote:
Sat Oct 10, 2020 7:26 pm
Has anyone been through MA? Just wondering how it's looking there. I've been wanting to go to Rock House Reservation for a while, but want to go when the color is good.
I was in the Southern Berkshires yesterday. Route 57, 8, 23 in Massachusetts and Route 20 in Connecticut. Some areas of nice foliage color, but alot of bare trees also. Route 8 between 8/57 and 8/20 in Connecticut had some areas of nice foliage color. Route 8 between 8/57 and 8/23 is mostly bare.

I'm contemplating going towards Mount Greylock tomorrow, probably my last trip to see foliage outside Connecticut. This just isn't a good year with the combination of severe drought and the recent wind and rain events. Looks like more rain and wind early next week.

ctyanky
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Re: Connecticut Fall Foliage 2020

Post: # 23271Post ctyanky
Sun Oct 11, 2020 5:56 am

Loafer: Mt. Greylock might have leaf blowout at the summit if you are taking the toll road. I think you may find nice color around North Adams but probably not route 2, Mohawk Trail. I expect many parts of Stockbridge and Lenox to be gorgeous, just lower elevations.

Today we are spending the entire day in the NW CT area and west central CT along the Housatonic and around Sherman, Cornwall, Washington Depot and lotsa Kent back roads. Route 7 should be gorgeous in the coming days from Canaan south to New Milford. I was up in the NW hill towns near North Canaan Thursday and it was 90% green with bright sparklers appearing. I drove past the Colebrook Reservoir on route 182 and it was green. Then I took a wrong turn and ended up along the MA border and it was not such great color. Turned around and CT seemed to come alive again. I feel that the heavy rains that missed CT this past week trolled along the MA border and caused lots of leaf drop.

Apparently, the 75 degrees yesterday paused the show so expect this coming week after Monday's rain to be quite beautiful. All the way down to the West Cornwall bridge was green. I turned east on route 128 thru the Cornwalls and down into Litchfield on route 63 south to 118. Still early. Route 4 into Burlington was mid stage and gorgeous. No leaf drop in any of my travels except the higher elevations of route 20 over the top of Connecticut. Route 44 to Salisbury and Lakeville will be great if you decide not to go down 7 south and continue on 44 in Canaan. Avon Mountain is just starting to come into color and that is a higher elevation. Simsbury and Granby are beautiful!

I think Connecticut will be a wonderful foliage experience this year. Except for rain tomorrow, all is quiet. We survived a lot of rain storms and most of the CRV and the shoreline look like summer. Any questions, ask away! CT

loafer89
Posts: 235
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2015 8:24 am
Location: Enfield, Connecticut

Re: Connecticut Fall Foliage 2020

Post: # 23272Post loafer89
Sun Oct 11, 2020 12:01 pm

A big shout out to ctyanky for suggesting foliage viewing in Northwestern Connecticut. Compared to Northeastern Connecticut yesterday, it's like an ugly finger painting vs a Picasso. Just beautiful colors nearly everywhere. Definitely at peak.

I drove on Routes I-91, 20, 179, 318, 44, 41, 7A, 7, 4, 8 and return.I drove through Granby, Barkhamsted Reservoir, New Hartford, Winstead, Norfolk, Canann, Sheffield, Salisbury, Falls Village, Cornwall Bridge, Cornwall/Mohawk Mountain, Goshen, Torrington and return.

Norfolk, a double reflection is one of my must haves with Fall foliage. Someone was actually painting the pond scenery:
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loafer89
Posts: 235
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2015 8:24 am
Location: Enfield, Connecticut

Re: Connecticut Fall Foliage 2020

Post: # 23273Post loafer89
Sun Oct 11, 2020 3:41 pm

Mohawk Mountain and Canann.
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Last edited by loafer89 on Sun Oct 11, 2020 3:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

loafer89
Posts: 235
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2015 8:24 am
Location: Enfield, Connecticut

Re: Connecticut Fall Foliage 2020

Post: # 23274Post loafer89
Sun Oct 11, 2020 3:45 pm

Mohawk Pond, never been there before.
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loafer89
Posts: 235
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2015 8:24 am
Location: Enfield, Connecticut

Re: Connecticut Fall Foliage 2020

Post: # 23275Post loafer89
Sun Oct 11, 2020 4:42 pm

I'm going to Meshomastic Forest on Wednesday and the Glastonbury area. I go every Fall. Hopefully the foliage is still okay.

ctyanky
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Re: Connecticut Fall Foliage 2020

Post: # 23276Post ctyanky
Sun Oct 11, 2020 6:20 pm

Thank you for the compliment Loafer! The NW corner is my second home and I'm still finding more roads to travel! Where was the tree lined road you mentioned in Canaan? Did you go all the way on 44 to North Canaan because on Thursday, the south side of 44 in East Canaan was so early. The Cornwalls are so worth a drive, not just for the West Cornwall Bridge but roads like Cream Hill Road and others off of 128 are perfect! I recognized the town green in Norfolk. What a gorgeous hamlet! Next time you go, please go south of route 272!!! Scenic road past lots of ponds and reservoirs, I think it drops off into Winsted? I'll have to go recheck or you can head into Goshen.

Today we spent 6 hours on the back roads of Washington Depot, Washington, South Kent, parts of Roxbury and northern New Milford. West Meetinghouse Road out of New Milford into south Kent was unreal! Never been on this road before! We concentrated in these towns so I could determine when peak would arrive for those folks I plan trips for. South Kent was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!! The back roads (dirt) were narrow and fun and when I get a chance, I will list all the roads for folks planning on CT tours. Route 7 from Kent to Cornwall Bridge was early. We also went on tunnel road until the dead end in Washington in the Steep Rock Preserve area. Route 199 out of Roxbury was also gorgeous. Kent Falls was an absolute zoo, they DEEP must have opened it recently because it was closed due to pandemic restrictions. I can't imagine stopping there with the crowds and the falls must be really low. Whizzed right past that place! :shock: Coming home, route 4 from Cornwall into Burlington and Canton was almost peak.

I'm pretty wiped out (and didn't even drive) but map reading constantly for orientation is tiring and hard on the eyes. My Delorme fell apart in the car (every page came off the binder) and that added to my frustration not to mention to my ever patient driver. :mrgreen:

I will go back into the NW corner Wed or Thurs but will stay on 44. I want to check out the Barkhamstead Reservoir, isn't it early there? So many places to explore, it is crazy. And hardly anyone up there (except Kent).

Have fun when you get to Glastonbury. I go berry picking there in the summer sometimes, the colonial architecture is outstanding and so are the back roads.

I will get to all my roads this week before the weekend. I think my NH guys may be paying me a visit! I'm in the middle of a house remodel and need to get my act together pronto! :lol:

Please, if anyone needs help in the CT areas reach out to me or to Loafer! We are about to peak out soon, some areas reached peak in spots or are past in small areas. I think the best is yet to come. Onward! :wink:


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