Today's Foliage Report

This is the Fall Foliage report for Tusday, October 16.

Berkshires

Most of Berkshire County still has great foliage right now with most areas reporting in at near peak conditions. Here is a good foliage tour...Take rt. 2 west out of Greenfield to rt. 112 south in Shelburne Falls. Follow rt.112 through Buckland, Ashfield and Goshen. You'll intersect with rt.9...go west on rt. 9 for about 5-6 miles and rt.112 will be turning left in Cummington. Take 112 south to the Worthington town line. Just past the town line bear right on Cummington Road. Follow to the end where you will intersect with rt.143. Go left on rt.143 towards Worthington center. At the stoplight go straight...you'll be back on rt. 112 south. Take rt. 112 to the end in Huntington and go right on rt. 20(west). Follow rt. 20 through Chester, Becket, and Lee where you'll intersect with the MassPike(exit 2) to head back east.

Lower Pioneer Valley

There's great variability in the amount of color, ranging from 10% to better than 50%. Last week's rains have brightened the hues. Best places are along hill town roadsides and into the woods. A nice drive would be to take I 91 in Springfield to route 57 west. You'll pass through former farm fields in the valley bottom, and then begin a steep ascent into Granville. If you'd like to stretch your legs, take a walk along Hubbard Brook in Granville State Forest, on old woods roads. Afterward, continue west on Route 57 and north on Route 8 to Otis. Take route 23 toward Blandford, where you will begin a steep decent into the Westfield River Valley into Russell. In Russell, head east on Route 20. In Westfield, follow the signs for the Massachusetts Turnpike, which you will take eastbound, back to I 91.

Quabbin Reservoir/Upper Pioneer Valley

Overall color is at 60-70% with some scattered areas at 85%. The best exploring can be done on the roads off of RT 2. Take Rt 101 south/west in Templeton and visit Popple Camp Wildlife Management area. Then take Rt.32 into Petersham and head down Rt. 32A through Hardwick. take Rt 9 west in Ware and take a right at the East or Middle Quabbin Reservoir entrance to explore Quabbin Park. Or you can head further west on Rt 2 and head into Turners Falls. Even further west on Rt. 2, explore Shelburne Falls then back on Rt. 2 west very briefly, take Rt.112 south and enjoy the hill towns and stop at DAR State Forest.

Central Mass

Foliage in Central Mass is at 60% with maples and ashes at peak. For a nice foliage drive take Rte. 67 through Barre to New Braintree or Rte. 148 through the Brookfields past the Quabaug River to Rte. 67 up into Barre.

Blackstone Valley

Southern Worcester County is displaying about 40% peak foliage with best color along roadways, waterfronts and edges of fields. This region includes the Blackstone River Valley as well as the Quinebaug & Shetucket River Valley, both designated as National Heritage Corridors and offer a number of historic sites plus protected forests and farmlands. Leaving the Mass Pike between exits 9 and 11, route 20 will offer access to many back roads waiting to be explored from Sturbridge to Millbury.

Merrimack Valley

Color is 15-35% of peak. The oaks are just starting to change. Color is in the lowlands, and maples are dropping leaves quickly. A nice road trip is west on Rt. 119 from the Rt. 2 rotary or Rt. 495, out though Groton and past the Groton School. (A side trip could be Rt. 40 E to Rt.3 south to Rt. 495. There are some pretty rural visas off of Rt. 40.) Continuing west on Rt. 119 over the Nashua River, past Townsend’s picturesque town common to Willard Brook State Forest where there are roadside picnic sites next to a babbling brook.

North Shore

Though we’re still ahead of peak, there is now a good amount of color along most of the roadways (though the trees along the Charles River in Boston and Cambridge have only just begun to turn.) Head just a little further north and you’ll find bright yellows along the coastal beaches from Winthrop to Lynn. You’ll also find yellow, orange, and red along the roadways surrounding the Middlesex Fells Reservation in Stoneham, Medford, and Winchester. Despite the roadways now showing 20-30% foliage, we're still only at 10-15% on the more sheltered park interiors, so the scenic overlooks show mostly shades of green - but there are now some very colorful spots standing out along rocky outcroppings, roads, ponds, and fields. For a nice colorful stroll, try the 1.9-mile paved loop that runs through Breakheart Reservation in Saugus. Park maps are available at the park entrance on Forest St. (off of Lynn Fells Parkway).

Greater Boston

In the southern greater Boston area we are at approximately 45-50 % peak. At the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton there are over a hundred and thirty miles of trails. Just come to the park headquarters, located at 695 Hillside Street enjoy the beautiful sugar maples out front and talk to a park ranger for a suggested scenic hike.

The information in this report was provided by forest rangers from the Department of Conservation and Recreation.