Leaf-Peeping in Maine and New Hampshire
~I wanted to be a leaf peeper~
As a Florida girl, this was my first time experiencing fall. I was OBSESSED. This article is mostly going to be me gushing about how beautiful this experience was and less about places to visit. Please enjoy my photography of my first fall experience. My overall goal is to leave you smiling and inspired to travel.
Wedding in New Hampshire
Our Stay
Leaf Peeping
Be sure to use the scenic overlooks they offer, there were a few stops we missed and regretted. Sugar Hill Scenic Vista is one we stopped at and it was well worth it! The Albany Covered Bridge takes you back in time to the 1800s, I was so happy to photograph all the scenes and capture the scenery. To experience driving along the beautiful Appalachian mountains in the fall and see the leaves in so many different colors is a blessing. Just a reminder, in Florida we get green and brown trees. Or there is one tree that changes colors out of the 20 half-brown half-green trees. So I was truly awe-struck and had tears in my eyes from the breathtaking beauty. We shopped in cute quirky mountain towns that had unique names like Sandwich New Hampshire, Norway Maine, Paris Maine, and saw the gorgeous Conway New Hampshire. All had unique gift shops and various small businesses. We stopped at a local market to pick up food for our condo. We stocked up with local goodies, coffee, maple syrup, jams, and other mountain comforts. We walked around the towns and took in the crisp mountain air while staring at the lush yellow, red, and orange leaves throughout the forest. Our road trip was filled with beautiful scenery, quirky stops, and a lot of us pointing and saying “Look at that!” “WOW” “LOOK AT ALL THOSE RED TREES!!!”
At our resort, they had nearby hiking trails and other outdoor activities as part of their amenities. We thought hiking would be a lot of fun and we would hike an “easy” 3-mile trail up a mountain and back. Sidenote: My mom is not an avid hiker and I’m a beginner/mediocre hiker but thought we could take the challenge. As Floridians, we underestimated the conditions and our strengths. We were hiking about an hour in and felt like we kept going in circles because the leaves kept falling and covering the trail path and eventually it all looked so similar. We thought we heard a moose but, it was probably us thinking it because we never experienced seeing a moose before and REALLY wanted to see a moose. An older lady passed us and mentioned that we weren’t even close to the top while my mom and I were huffing and puffing trying to figure out if we were still on the same trail or lost. We looked at each other and couldn’t believe an hour and a half already passed and we weren’t even close to the summit. We couldn’t find anything marked and the damn beautiful autumn leaves covered up the trail leading to the top.
After about another 20 minutes in we were humbled once again by Maine as the temperature dropped and it was the Floridians' last straw, so we decided to turn back around. As both of us would have loved to see the top we were unsure of where exactly the trail was and feared if we got lost we wouldn’t make it back with enough daylight. I’m glad we did see the evergreen trees, smelled the Douglas firs, had an “almost” moose experience, and the sun was shimmering through the colorful trees. This was enough of an enjoyable experience for me, we returned to warmth, hot cocoa, Maine goodies, and feeling safe. It ended up raining that evening and we had a nice cozy fall night enjoying the rainfall and quiet time. So be sure to plan, check the weather, be prepared, and be cautious when hiking in an unknown area. Don’t do what we did, us silly tourists.
If you haven’t been to Maine or New Hampshire I highly recommend it. Maine is one of my favorite states to visit as each region is different and all are extremely uniquely beautiful. Go to Maine in the Summer or Fall and you will love it! Rent an economy car so you can drive the whole state or multiple states. Now go pack a camera, fleece jacket, beanie, hiking boots, and hand warmers to plan a leaf-peeping trip in New Hampshire and Maine, enjoy exploring!
Peace & Love, ✌🏼💜
Erica