When do the leaves change in Maine?
Maine's mix of maple, birch and coastal spruce gives Acadia National Park and the western mountains an early, crisp foliage season.
Peak: October 10–October 14
Color builds from September 27 · mostly bare by November 1
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures (Open-Meteo) drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model; terrain shifts timing ~1 day earlier per 300 m of elevation. Temperature alone can’t tell a maritime autumn from a continental one — two places at the same latitude and the same September can peak weeks apart, because the trees differ — so each region is also calibrated against published peak dates. Estimates, not promises: typically within a few days, occasionally a week or more out. Check locally before you travel.
Known for
Things to do in fall in Maine
10 iconic stops — scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
Acadia National Park (Park Loop Road)
National parkPeak October 15
The 27-mile Park Loop Road threads Acadia's granite coastline and Mount Desert Island's hardwood forest past Sand Beach and Thunder Hole to the summit road up Cadillac Mountain, where sunrise crowds and fall color both peak in early-to-mid October.
Don’t miss: Cadillac Mountain summit road · Thunder Hole and Sand Beach stops · Carriage roads built by John D. Rockefeller Jr.
Camden Hills State Park
State parkPeak October 16
A toll auto road switchbacks to the 800-foot summit of Mount Battie, where a stone tower frames the classic view of Camden Harbor, Penobscot Bay's islands, and the surrounding hills, one of the most reproduced fall-foliage panoramas on the Maine coast.
Don’t miss: Auto road to the Mount Battie summit tower · Views over Camden Harbor and Penobscot Bay · 30 miles of hiking trails
Height of Land (Rangeley Lakes Scenic Byway)
Scenic drivePeak October 8
The best pull-off on the 52-mile Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Byway sits at 2,300 feet on Route 17, framing Mooselookmeguntic Lake against layered mountain ridgelines. It's routinely named among the best fall foliage views in the country.
Don’t miss: 2,300-foot roadside overlook on Route 17 · Views of Mooselookmeguntic Lake · Part of the Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Byway
Treworgy Family Orchards
OrchardColor nearby peaks October 14
Branded Maine's Pumpkin Farm since the 1980s, this Levant orchard plows a new corn maze design every year (repeatedly voted the country's best by USA Today readers) alongside u-pick apples, a pumpkin patch, and a farm-animal barnyard.
Don’t miss: Corn maze voted best in the nation multiple years · U-pick apples and pumpkin patch · New maze design each season
Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks October 18
For two weeks each October, Damariscotta's Main Street fills with giant pumpkins grown from a single seed strain distributed to locals every spring. The festival peaks with the Pumpkinboat Regatta, where growers paddle hollowed-out 600-pound pumpkins across the Damariscotta River.
Don’t miss: Pumpkinboat Regatta on the Damariscotta River · Giant pumpkins from a shared seed strain · Runs roughly October 4-20, peaking mid-month
Kennebunkport
Historic townColor nearby peaks October 18
A working harbor village turned genteel summer colony, Kennebunkport pairs Dock Square's shops and lobster shacks with the Ocean Avenue drive past the Bush family compound at Walker's Point, quieter and more colorful once the summer crowds thin out in fall.
Don’t miss: Dock Square shopping and dining · Ocean Avenue drive past Walker's Point · Uncrowded harbor walks in autumn
Farmington Fright Fest
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks October 13
Western Maine's biggest Halloween event, staged at the Farmington Fairgrounds with three separate haunts: a sea-hag-haunted fishing wharf, a claustrophobic clown maze, and a sinister estate called Blackwater Hall. Food trucks and two dozen vendors set up around the haunts, and the last night ends in a costume contest.
Don’t miss: Three separate haunted attractions · Costume contest on the final night · Food trucks and 25+ vendors
Thompson's Orchard
Donuts & ciderColor nearby peaks October 16
A family orchard north of Portland that has fried apple cider doughnuts on site since 1906, still the reason most people pull off the road to stop here. The bakery now fills out a full menu of pies and baked goods, and live music plays most fall weekends.
Don’t miss: Cider doughnuts fried on site since 1906 · Live music on fall weekends · Open daily through Christmas Eve
Guides
2026 Fall Foliage Forecast: When Leaves Peak in Every State
Our 2026 fall foliage forecast for the US and Canada, region by region, built from ERA5 weather data and a phenology model, with live peak dates on the map.
The Best Fall Hikes in New England
Eight trail-tested fall hikes across Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts, from short overlooks to a full above-treeline ridge walk.
Understand the season in Maine
Short explainers on why and when the color arrives here.
Photography & Observation
Overcast Is Your Friend: Light and Weather for Foliage Photos
Clouds work like a giant softbox for fall color. How to read a forecast for photography instead of comfort, predict fog, and use the hour after rain.
2026-07-17 · 4 min read
Foliage Timing & Seasons
The Weather That Makes (or Ruins) a Great Foliage Year
Warm days, cool nights, and just enough rain make a vivid fall. Drought, wind, and an early hard freeze can flatten the same season fast.
2026-07-17 · 5 min read
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in Maine in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 10–October 14 (best estimate October 12). Color starts around September 27 and trees are mostly bare by November 1.
- How reliable is the Maine forecast?
- The forecast blends recent-year weather normals with photoperiod and elevation; it tightens as the season approaches. Against published peak dates the model lands within a few days for most regions, but it can be a week or more out — mountains and coastlines are the hardest. Higher elevations turn roughly one day earlier per 300 m.
- When is Maine's autumn season?
- Maine colors during autumn (September–November). Maine's mix of maple, birch and coastal spruce gives Acadia National Park and the western mountains an early, crisp foliage season.
- What are the best things to do in fall in Maine?
- The iconic stops: Acadia National Park (Park Loop Road), Camden Hills State Park, Height of Land (Rangeley Lakes Scenic Byway), Treworgy Family Orchards, Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta, Kennebunkport. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
- What are the best things to do in autumn in Maine?
- Autumn — autumn (September–November) — is peak season here. Pair the color with Acadia National Park (Park Loop Road), Camden Hills State Park, Height of Land (Rangeley Lakes Scenic Byway), Treworgy Family Orchards, Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta; each is on the map above with the window to catch it.
Nearby & similar
Season by season
2026 (forecast)
Peak October 10–October 14
September 27 → November 1