National Wildlife Refuge·Maine·7,337 acres
Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge
Forecast issued Nov 10, 7:57am ET
Roadsides and wetland edges turn first, and the woods behind them run a few days later.
Weather Hard frost Wednesday night. Peak may come early and go fast.
15 reports came in from Hancock County this week, 10 of them still green and 2 of them at peak. Our date held. See the county on the map.
When is peak fall foliage at Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge around Oct 14, and the four days to aim for are Oct 13 to 16.
| Week | In the refuge | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 28 to Oct 4 | Starting to turn | |
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Nearly peak | |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Peak color | -1,000 to 0 ft, 0 to 1,000 ft |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Just past peak |
- 0–1,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1466%
- -1,000–0 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1534%
Height off 3DEP inside the refuge’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the refuge stands in it.
If you can only come on certain days
Set the days you can be here. Everything under them answers for those days, not for peak.
Tuesday, October 13 to Wednesday, October 14
You’ll find it peak color.
That's the day our forecast puts peak color here.
- 0–1,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 14
- -1,000–0 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 15
- Where to drive
- Park Loop Road, about 8 miles
- What turns
- red maple, sugar maple, paper birch, silver maple, yellow birch
What turns, and when
- red maple24%
- sugar maple21%
- paper birch14%
- silver maple8%
- yellow birch7%
- American beech7%
Also named across Maine, outside what the canopy read measures here: White Birch, Red Oak.
Maine's fall is defined by the contrast of scarlet maples and golden birches against dark spruce, with the rocky coast adding a blue backdrop that makes every color more vivid.
Questions people ask about Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge
- When is peak fall foliage at Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge?
Our forecast puts peak color at Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge around Oct 14, and the four days to aim for are Oct 13 to 16.
- Where is the best fall color at Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge right now?
On Nov 10 the refuge is leaves down. The last band to peak was -1,000 to 0 feet, around Oct 15.
- How long does peak last at Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge?
About four days at the top, Oct 13 to 16, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive.
- Is Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 14, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.
- What trees turn color at Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge?
Sugar Maple, Red Maple, White Birch, American Beech, Red Oak. Maine's fall is defined by the contrast of scarlet maples and golden birches against dark spruce, with the rocky coast adding a blue backdrop that makes every color more vivid.
This forecast is built from the species that stand here, their elevation and this September’s weather, and corrected in season by cameras, foresters and our own crew. We score it here against 27 long-running forest cameras: two dates in three land within 10 days of the camera’s own peak. How this map is made
Nearby, and when they turn
- Peak Oct 15 best Oct 14 to 17
- Peak Oct 10 best Oct 9 to 12
- Peak Oct 15 best Oct 14 to 17
- Peak Oct 15 best Oct 14 to 17
- Peak Oct 18 best Oct 17 to 20
- Peak Oct 18 best Oct 17 to 20
Fall color roads near Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the refuge, so allow more by road.
- Park Loop Road
Acadia's one-way loop pairs ocean views with maple and birch color. Best in the second and third weeks of October.