New England maples vs Colorado aspens: which US region has better fall foliage?

11.09.2024 - 21:43 / lonelyplanet.com

Sep 11, 2024 • 8 min read

Some destinations will always get pitted against one another. In this series, two passionate writers go head-to-head to explain why you should visit their chosen destination.

We're finally wearing sweatshirts in the morning, and you know what that means. It's time to book that fall foliage tour and soak in the cozy awesomeness that is nature putting on its biggest show of the year. But which cabin in the woods do you want to light that first fire in? Which woods do you want to spend your days hiking through?

Do you wear classic duck boots, jeans and a wool sweater to tromp through New England's red and orange-clad hills, or do you don your Patagonia puffer jacket and hikers to be bathed in Colorado's golden hues? Whichever captures your imagination, these two Lonely Planet writers will have you wondering, should you tap a maple or listen to the whispers of the aspens?

Growing up and currently based in Upstate New York has positioned travel writer Lauren Breedlove in an ideal spot to explore the entire New England region for many years…and that she has. After attending college in Burlington, Vermont, and becoming a photographer, she has road-tripped with her camera all over the northeastern region to capture the foliage display every autumn. She has written extensively on New England for several publications, including Lonely Planet. 

While New England is beautiful year-round, there’s one time of year that I make sure I’m not traveling elsewhere: fall. I’ve experienced autumn in numerous destinations, including Colorado, and although each foliage spot has its allure, there’s nothing quite like fall in New England. Crisp mornings at a picturesque lake, a layer of fog burning off as a vibrant foliage mirror appears in the still water. Hiking boots crunch fallen leaves on the summit approach to a high peak, my camera’s shutter attempting to keep up with palpable excitement over the endless sea of mountains cloaked in a rustic autumnal quilt. The crackle of the campfire while the sun tucks behind mountains dotted with zesty reds, deep golds and fiery oranges. Like I said, unbeatable. 

Look, I’m an aspen-lover, too. Those bright, sunshine-y beauties that come with the fall season in Colorado are stunners – but in New England, we have so much more variety in our fall foliage lookbook. Our vast forests and mountains burst with a vivid spectrum thanks to our maple tree collection; special shout-out to the red and sugar maples for gifting us all those red and orange hues. Other players that fill out the palette nicely range from beeches and birches to oaks and hickories. One tree can don a few different colors all at once, even. It’s not just about the variety in color, it’s also about