When do the leaves change in New Brunswick?
Sugar maple ridges along the Saint John River and the Bay of Fundy coastline make New Brunswick one of Atlantic Canada's earliest and most reliable color shows.
Peak: October 9–October 13
Color builds from September 26 · mostly bare by October 31
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 New Brunswick
7 iconic stops — scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
Fundy National Park
National parkPeak October 11
Acadian hardwood forest runs down to the Bay of Fundy's 12-metre tides, coloring through late September and early October. Trails like Dickson Falls and the Coastal Trail pair fall canopy with the world's highest tides at Alma's harbor.
Don’t miss: Dickson Falls boardwalk trail · World's highest tides at Alma
Salisbury Corn Maze
Corn mazeColor nearby peaks October 11
A corn maze behind the Green Pig Country Market in Salisbury, between Moncton and Fredericton, with a large maze that takes about ninety minutes and a shorter twenty-minute mini maze for younger kids. A pumpkin blaster and an after-dark haunted trail round out the fall lineup.
Don’t miss: Large maze (about 90 minutes) and a mini maze · Pumpkin Blaster on weekends · After-dark Haunted Corn Trail
Trueman Blueberry Farms
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks October 13
Better known for its summer blueberries, this Aulac farm keeps its stand and Adventure Farm open into fall, with pumpkins among the crops and a Fall Festival on the calendar. It sits just off the Trans-Canada Highway near the Nova Scotia border.
Don’t miss: Fall pumpkins alongside summer berries · Adventure Farm open daily · Just off the Trans-Canada near the NS border
Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks October 12
Downtown Fredericton's historic venues host this jazz, blues and roots music festival every September, with roughly 125 performances across more than twenty stages. It fills the riverside city for six days and doubles as a good excuse for a fall weekend away.
Don’t miss: 125+ performances on 20+ stages · Historic downtown Fredericton venues · Six-day September run
Hartland Covered Bridge
Covered bridgeColor nearby peaks October 11
The world's longest covered bridge spans the Saint John River at Hartland, stretching 1,282 feet since it opened in 1901. Walk or drive across for the view of the river valley, best once the hillsides along the water start turning color.
Don’t miss: World's longest covered bridge (1,282 ft) · Spans the Saint John River · National Historic Site since 1980
Verger Belliveau Orchard
OrchardColor nearby peaks October 12
This Memramcook orchard runs its u-pick by tractor: buy a pre-sized bag at the cabin, then ride out to whichever block is ripe that day and pick your fill of apples before riding back to the start. The season typically opens the first weekend after Labour Day and runs into late October, weather permitting, with a corn maze and cafe on site.
Don’t miss: Tractor-guided u-pick apple orchard · Corn maze and on-site cafe · Opens first weekend after Labour Day
Provincial Giant Pumpkin Festival
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks October 11
Growers from across the Maritimes bring their biggest field pumpkins to Neguac each October to be weighed in front of a crowd, with past winners topping fourteen hundred pounds. The one-day festival on the Acadian Peninsula has run since the 1990s and draws visitors from around the province for the weigh-off and the fall fair atmosphere around it.
Don’t miss: Giant-pumpkin weigh-off · Acadian Peninsula fall fair · Running since the 1990s
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in New Brunswick in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 9–October 13 (best estimate October 11). Color starts around September 26 and trees are mostly bare by October 31.
- How reliable is the New Brunswick 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 New Brunswick's autumn season?
- New Brunswick colors during autumn (September–November). Sugar maple ridges along the Saint John River and the Bay of Fundy coastline make New Brunswick one of Atlantic Canada's earliest and most reliable color shows.
- What are the best things to do in fall in New Brunswick?
- The iconic stops: Fundy National Park, Salisbury Corn Maze, Trueman Blueberry Farms, Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival, Hartland Covered Bridge, Verger Belliveau Orchard. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
- What are the best things to do in autumn in New Brunswick?
- Autumn — autumn (September–November) — is peak season here. Pair the color with Fundy National Park, Salisbury Corn Maze, Trueman Blueberry Farms, Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival, Hartland Covered Bridge; each is on the map above with the window to catch it.
Nearby & similar
Season by season
2026 (forecast)
Peak October 9–October 13
September 26 → October 31