Congratulations, autumnal enthusiasts: Fall is (almost) upon us! ’Tis (nearly) the season to sip pumpkin spice sporting sepia-toned sweaters whilst watching the leaves turn crimson and carmine. Finally. *throws air conditioning unit out the window*
…Okay, we know it might not feel like it’s time to apple pick just yet — and especially in most parts of the United States. Much of the East Coast is still experiencing temperatures into the high 80s (or 20s Celsius — point is, it’hot), so as New Yorkers, we feel your pain. We thought we left sweaty girl summer behind us, too — but! We’re almost there, we promise: We even have a graphic to prove it.
Yes, fellow fall fanatics at SmokyMountains.com created an interactive fall foliage prediction map to assuage our autumnal anxieties, allowing us to see (almost) exactly when to schedule our leafage-forward excursions throughout our respective regions. You can use the map below to determine when autumn foliage is peak in your area. Then, get ready for some leaf-shopping fun.
Just be sure to note that, quite like meteorological forecasts, leaf predictions aren’t necessary 100 percent accurate — though Smoky Mountains is optimistic. “After publishing our predictive fall foliage map for nearly a decade, we are quite confident in our data sources, process, and algorithm. Our experience combined with a scheduled mid-season update has us especially confident about this year’s predictions,” David Angotti is the founder of Smoky Mountain and a statistical expert.
Alternatively, if you’re more of an adventure type, might we recommend road-tripping to one of the following prime fall foliage destinations?
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina/Tennessee
Catskill Mountains, New York
Aspen, Colorado
Acadia National Park, Maine
The Poconos, Pennsylvania
For a comprehensive list of the best spots to see fall foliage in all 50 states, see Smoky Mountains’ round up here.
Happy Fall!