HOME » SPECIAL FEATURES » FALL FOLIAGE » FOLIAGE VIEWING TIPS You Are Here
  
Where are the best spots to do some viewing? What type of film should you use? What else should I know?  On this page we will share some tips that we have gathered to help make your fall foliage experience the best possible. If you know of a tip that should be on this page, feel free to submit it to us. 
 
 
  • Make lodging reservations before heading out.  As a general rule, the further north you go, the higher the rates will be and the odds of not having a room increase. In northern parts of the state, plan on lodging establishments requiring a two night minimum stay.
     
  • Do your viewing midweek, if possible.  There will be slightly fewer people around so you will be able to slow down and relax a little more.
     
  • Want to know where the best spots are? Try asking a local who happens to be walking down the street.  Most people know of a least one good spot where there is a nice red and orange maple at the end of a white fence, with mountains in the background, of course.
     
  • If filming the foliage with a camcorder, bring your tripod and a spare battery. Try to get closer to what your filming rather than zooming in.  If you must zoom, use only your camcorders optical zoom, avoid digital.  Digital zooming can distort things horrifically.
     
  • Don't overcrowd your photos.  Even those of us who claim to be great a photography can fall victim to photo overcrowding.  When taking a picture, go for a lone standing maple, rather than taking nothing but huge panoramas. The detail will be finer and you better be able to distinguish individual colored leaves rather than just a blob of poorly defined color.
     
  • Don't just assume that New Hampshire's foliage only occurs in the White Mountains and points north. The Lakes Region and other parts of the state has just as many sugar maples and scenic spots as the north country. You'll be surprised how stunning your photos will be with still blue waters and mountains as opposed to just mountains. Take a swing by the seacoast, through the Monadnock region, around Lake Winnipesaukee, and then hit the mountains. 
     
  • For film, ASA 100 or 200 speed film will give you better color than the faster films such as ASA 400. They will also allow you to make higher quality enlargements.
     
  • Don't skimp on the camera.  Use a high quality camera and film that will provide the results you want.  Photos from a disposable camera or some Polaroid's probably won't please you.
     
  • Respect the Moose Crossing signs, as they are there for a good reason. A moose can weigh nearly a half ton, and you don't want to hit that.
     
  • Bring a polarizing filter for your camera. It will help bring the colors to life and help you get photos that will be suitable for National Geographic (Well, sort of).
     
  • Take your time. Rather than trying to cover the most number of miles possible, stop and picnic near a brook or at one the scenic spots in the White Mountains.  The north country is filled with picnic tables scattered all over the place. Some spots will require a small fee to utilize, pay it gladly, for the fees make maintaining the White Mountain national forest possible.
     
  • When taking pictures, morning and late afternoon light often yields good results.  Always remember to keep the sun behind you, unless a silhouette is what your shooting for. Don't let overcast days get you down, indirect light on an overcast day will often allow colors to show up clearer.  This is especially true with most digital cameras.
     
  • Bring at least twice as much film for your camera and tapes for your camcorder as you think you will need.
     
  • Take a hike up Mt. Major or one of the other nearby trails in the Lakes Region to get a firsthand view of foliage from above the trees.  Mt. Major has a great open rocky summit which allows you to gaze out over the lake. It's a popular climb, but that doesn't make it an exceptionally easy one.  The last stretch is fairly steep.
     
  • Try not to view all the foliage from your car! Get out and experience it by walking through the woods and enjoying the autumn breezes.
     
  • Yield to the locals.  Foliage season sends tourists to the back roads and all the places that locals go to bypass traffic and escape the busy summer noise. They know what your up to, and they really appreciate if you pull over and let them pass.  Nobody likes to get stuck behind a car going 10 miles per hour, especially if its on their own "secret" shortcut.
     
  • Don't forget about the definition of trespassing. Land belongs to somebody, and you may not always be welcomed into other peoples backyards. Ask before you pass through to avoid conflict.  Try to stay on trails if there are any, poison ivy grows around here and it will ruin your day. 
     
  • Try viewing the foliage early in the morning and then again later in the evening.  The difference in the shadows that are cast can really be amazing.
     
  • Beware of the wildlife. Pretty much everything in New Hampshire is harmless unless you provoke it, startle it, or come to close to a mothers young. Although it nowhere near as widespread as it has been in the past, Rabies does exist in New Hampshire, as well as pretty much everywhere else.  If you come across a skunk, raccoon, or fox during the daylight hours, keep as far away as possible.  It is also a good idea to always enter the woods with a friend, and a hiking stick which can be used for defense.  This isn't meant to portray the woods as a dangerous place, but contact with a rabid animal seems to happen at least once each year in this state. Don't let it be you.
     
  • Don't worry yourself about hitting the roads at the time of "peak" foliage.  Peak is a matter of opinion, and it can vary greatly even over short distances due to microclimates found around lakes and mountains.