" Peak foliage" as a concept in New England varies a whole lot. Put ten people in one spot and you'll get 10 different opinions on the show.

I work in Pinkham Notch NH at Mt Washington. For higher elevations in Grafton Cty, Coos Cty, and Carroll Cty NH, the last week of September and the first week of October are the 2 " good as it gets " weeks for foliage viewing, barring a tropical storm remnant that wreaks havoc on the leaf canopy.

This also coincides with a very traditional, very popular New England Agricultural Fair in Fryeburg Maine, which is smack on the ME NH border next to the Conways. Please, Please, Please, do not underestimate the amount of traffic into and out of Fryeburg in every direction. Be prepared for very slow travel and heavy traffic most EVERYWHERE in Grafton, Carroll and Coos Counties in New Hampshire. Be patient, you'll be affected, you've been warned. Dates for the Fair this year are Sept 29 to Oct 6.

You could choose to embrace the Fair for one day, it really is a true-blue New England experience, has a long history, and is a very full day in and of itself. I'm NOT kidding you when I say a one day ticket-sales count for the Fryeburg Fair can easily top 50 thousand people, and that doesn't count the other 50 thousand who have a week-long pass. I'm deadly serious and I'm not pulling those numbers out of my hat.

If you'd rather avoid as much of that particular crush as you can, stay on the western side of the Presidential range going north along the CT river to Colebrook, and then to Dixville Notch, then to Errol , then down 16 through 13 Mile woods to Gorham, pick up 2 west again and then to 115 back to 3 and 93 south to Lincoln, Ashland.


I think ( and no offense to anyone else) that you've timed your trip very well. You WILL get a good view of the fall foliage, you will follow it south, and you'll have a great time.



Breeze