By Kristi Palma September 9, 2022
Experts suggest a dozen of the best fall foliage destinations around Boston. Plus: Boston.com wants to know where you go leaf peeping.
Three million acres of Massachusetts forest make for plenty of opportunities to go leaf peeping near Boston each fall, according to Keiko Matsudo Orrall, executive director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism.
“We are renowned for beautiful views and vistas, especially this time of year, from late September to early November,” she said.
Ahead, local experts pick their favorite spots to view foliage in Boston and Massachusetts.
Boston Common, which Jim Salge, fall foliage expert for Yankee magazine, calls “the gem of the region,” offers spectacular colors in the fall. You just have to wait for them.
That’s because America’s oldest public park is among the last in the region to change colors due to factors like elevation, proximity to water, and how the city cools, he said.
“Everybody else is done leaf-peeping all over New England — and sometimes the mountains even have snow — before Boston Common turns,” Salge said.
But there’s something extra special about the foliage once it arrives, he said.
“The colors are beautiful against the backdrop of the city,” Salge said.
🍂
The Blue Hills Reservation just outside of Boston is an excellent place to admire fall foliage, Salge said.
“There’s miles of hiking, great views, and opportunities to be a little more remote,” he said.
Stretching across parts of Milton, Quincy, Braintree, Canton, Randolph, and Dedham, Blue Hills boasts 125 miles of hikes for all skill levels. Visitors can view the changing trees from the 635-foot summit of Great Blue Hill, the highest of the 22 hills on the 7,000-acre reservation.
🍁
The Emerald Necklace, the 1,100-acre chain of urban parks that links more than a dozen city neighborhoods stretching from the Back Bay to Dorchester, is well worth visiting during the fall season, Orrall said.
“It’s a great way to enjoy the foliage in the city of Boston,” she said. “It’s a very heavily treed area that has been preserved. There are great opportunities for walking and enjoying the mature trees.”
You can explore on your own or take part in organized activities such as guided bike tours and educational walks when they are available. Here is an Emerald Necklace map.
🍂
Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, America’s first garden cemetery, is an especially beautiful place when the leaves change, Salge said.
“There’s a great diversity of trees in the arboretum,” he said. “There’s a lot of oak, which turns this beautiful flame-orange, flame-red. You just get this beautiful view over the city.”
Visitors can also enjoy panoramic views of Boston from the 62-foot granite Washington Tower at the cemetery.
Great leaf-peeping destinations in Massachusetts:
Borderland State Park in Easton offers gorgeous colors and the historic Ames Mansion to boot, said Amy Wilmot, regional interpretive coordinator for the Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR).
“The grounds are beautiful,” Wilmot said. “The mansion is surrounded by woods, so during peak foliage it’s really just beautiful.”
🍁
The Essex Coastal Scenic Byway, a 90-mile roadway connecting 14 coastal communities from Lynn to Salisbury, was named among the 15 best fall foliage trips in the U.S. by Fodor’s Travel in 2021.
“Stunning displays of fall color greet visitors driving along the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway, but it’s the journey through coastal communities and porches prettified with pumpkins that sets the backdrop for this memorable drive,” wrote Fodor’s.
🍂
Over in Foxborough, F. Gilbert Hills State Forest, a 1,000-acre state forest with 23 miles of trails, offers great views, especially from its Acorn Trail, Wilmot said, where high spots offer an excellent foliage vantage point.
“Mother Nature is putting on her grandest art show,” she said. “The fall really is a special time.”
🍁
Lenox was named among the 25 best places to spot fall foliage in America by Reader’s Digest in 2021.
“Travelers flock to the Berkshire town of Lenox for its blend of heritage and natural beauty,” the publication wrote. “Starting in late September, the landscape is ablaze with red, yellow, and green. Admire the outdoor surroundings at Kennedy Park and Mount Greylock State Reservation. In addition to hiking, biking, and kayaking, go gallery hopping, browse antique shops, and catch a performance of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.”
🍂
Skinner State Park in Hadley is a fantastic place to see foliage, said Orrall, who noted its “breathtaking views of the Connecticut River.”
For great color, as well as plenty of history, head over to Walden Pond in Concord, Salge said.
“The pond is beautiful,” he said about the historic spot made famous by Henry David Thoreau. “Walking around the lake takes an hour, and you can just feel the history there.”
In North Adams, swing by the historic Wigwam Western Summit, Orrall said.
“It’s phenomenal on a green day, so I can only imagine it during peak foliage,” she said.
At the summit, visitors can take in spectacular panoramic views of Massachusetts, Vermont, and New York while enjoying drinks, food, and other items from the spot’s sky bar, coffee house, and bakery. There are also rental cabins for those who want to stay overnight.
🍂
Wompatuck State Park in Hingham is also a gem, Wilmot said.
“During peak foliage, it’s a wonderful place not too far from the city to go and see the fall colors,” she said.
