“Where we come from, trees only have two colours – green and dead,” said an amazed Australian, gazing at the blazing autumn brilliance of a Nova Scotian forest, snapping picture after picture.
From the fiery reds and oranges of the maple to the golden yellows of the birch and beech, nature puts on quite a fall show in Eastern Canada and the New England States. Even better, most of the bugs are gone.
We’re spoilt for choice, but here are three incredible places to take your family in October:
Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Nestled between two mountain ranges in Western Nova Scotia, it’s the province’s agricultural heartland, and offers tons of fun fall harvest events and leaf eye candy at the same time.
In October, the Valley Pumpkin Fest begins. Pumpkins aren’t big here, they’re giant. The town of Windsor is famous for producing monster gourds, some of which they hollow out, decorate and race on Lake Pesaquid. in the annual Pumpkin Regatta. It’s quite a sight and some 10,000 people come to watch the competition.
Blomidon Provincial Park provides some of the best autumn views in this region. 600ft red sandstone cliffs and pink- tinged beaches add even more colour to a landscape already bright from the flaming scarlet of the red maple. The Jodrey Trail reveals a stunning vista of Minas Basin shore, where the world’s highest tides surge in. If you prefer to stay closer to your car, the Look-Off, outside Route 358, yields a spectacular view of the valley in all its autumn glory.
Algonquin Park, Ontario
The Tamarack, or Larch, unlike other coniferous trees, lose their needles in the fall, but before they drop, they turn gold. At Algonquin Park, a 7,725 square kilometre wilderness haven in Northern Ontario, you can witness the Midas touch of the tamaracks transform the many waterways of the park to a shimmering yellow. This change occurs later in the season (mid to late October) about three weeks after the showy maples have had their time in the spotlight.
The Highway 60 corridor is the most accessible portion of the park and a number of trails that provide panoramic views and wildlife sightings run off of it, including the 1.9km Lookout Trail, which climbs up through a forest to the top of a high cliff. On the east side of the park, off Hwy 17, is Barron Canyon. An easy walk leads you to a spectacular view of the a 100m deep canyon.
Biking is another way to appreciate all the wonders of the park with trails to suit every level. For the adventurous, there’s the steep Minnesing Trail that packs plenty of rock, roots and obstacles into four loops ranging from four to twenty-three kilometers and for families and those looking for a more leisurely ride, the park’s Old Railway Bike Trail that follows ten kilometres of abandoned railway bed is ideal.
Ontario Parks fall foliage colour reports lets you know when leafs are at their peak. http://www.parkreports.com/fall/
White Mountains, New Hampshire
150 years ago, Victorian families would escape the cities for ‘autumn leaf parties’ in the White Mountains. Today, tourists continue to flock here and for good reason. Not only are the views spectacular, there seems to be no end to the ways to enjoy them.
At Franconia Notch State Park, you can ride the Aerial Tramway to the summit of Cannon Mountain. On a clear day you can see four states and Canada all dressed up in their colourful autumn finery. If the colours aren’t enough for you, combine them with towering glacially-sculpted rocks and cascading waterfalls at the Flume Gorge in the park.
The Kancamagus Highway, also known as Highway 112, takes you through the heart of New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest. If keeping your eyes off the scenery and on the road is difficult, there’s the Hobo Railroad that runs daily 80-minute train rides from the town of Lincoln until October 17.