Wilderness Area·Vermont·12,336 acres
Joseph Battell Wilderness
Forecast issued Nov 10, 7:57am ET
Higher ground turns first, so the slopes above the road lead the valley by a few days.
Weather Hard frost Friday night. Peak may come early and go fast.
No new reports from the ground here this week.
When is peak fall foliage at Joseph Battell Wilderness in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Joseph Battell Wilderness around Oct 5, and the four days to aim for are Oct 4 to 7.
The wilderness runs from about 1,504 to 3,013 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 5 days: the high stands around Oct 2, the low ground around Oct 7. That's 1 day earlier than our model alone would say, because this September has been running cool.
| Week | In the wilderness | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 14 to Sep 20 | Starting to turn | |
| Sep 21 to Sep 27 | Nearly peak | |
| Sep 28 to Oct 4 | Peak color | 2,500 to 3,000 ft, 3,000 to 3,500 ft |
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Peak color | 1,000 to 1,500 ft, 1,500 to 2,000 ft, 2,000 to 2,500 ft |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Just past peak |
- 3,000–3,500 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 26%
- 2,500–3,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 328%
- 2,000–2,500 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 537%
- 1,500–2,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 624%
- 1,000–1,500 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 75%
Height off 3DEP inside the wilderness’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the wilderness stands in it.
That’s 1 day earlier than our model alone would say. This September has been running cool, which shifts peak color.
Plan this tripIf you can only come on certain days
Set the days you can be here. Everything under them answers for those days, not for peak.
Sunday, October 4 to Monday, October 5
You’ll find it peak color.
That's the day our forecast puts peak color here.
- 2,500–3,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 3
- 2,000–2,500 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 5
- 1,500–2,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 6
- Where to drive
- Route 100, about 12 miles · Route 112 (Lost River Road), about 58 miles · Kancamagus Highway, about 75 miles
- What turns
- sugar maple, red maple, paper birch, yellow birch, American beech
What turns, and when
- sugar maple30%
- red maple20%
- paper birch20%
- yellow birch10%
- American beech10%
- quaking aspen10%
Also named across Vermont, outside what the canopy read measures here: White Birch.
Sugar maples turn brilliant orange and scarlet, birches go gold, beeches fade to bronze, and against the dark green of spruce the effect is iconic.
Questions people ask about Joseph Battell Wilderness
- When is peak fall foliage at Joseph Battell Wilderness?
Our forecast puts peak color at Joseph Battell Wilderness around Oct 5, and the four days to aim for are Oct 4 to 7.
- Where is the best fall color at Joseph Battell Wilderness right now?
On Nov 10 the wilderness is leaves down. The last band to peak was 1,000 to 1,500 feet, around Oct 7.
- How long does peak last at Joseph Battell Wilderness?
About four days at the top, Oct 4 to 7, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the wilderness's elevations the color moves over about 5 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 9 days.
- Is Joseph Battell Wilderness past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 5, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.
- What trees turn color at Joseph Battell Wilderness?
Sugar Maple, Red Maple, Yellow Birch, White Birch, American Beech. Sugar maples turn brilliant orange and scarlet, birches go gold, beeches fade to bronze, and against the dark green of spruce the effect is iconic.
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
Green Mountain is on the map above, with its own date.
- Peak Oct 7 best Oct 6 to 9
- Peak Oct 7 best Oct 6 to 9
- Peak Oct 17 best Oct 16 to 19
- Peak Oct 18 best Oct 17 to 20
- Peak Oct 18 best Oct 17 to 20
Fall color roads near Joseph Battell Wilderness
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the wilderness, so allow more by road.
- Route 100
Runs the full length of Vermont through the Green Mountains. The section between Stowe and Killington is the postcard version of New England fall.
- Route 112 (Lost River Road)
A less-trafficked alternative to the Kanc, running through Kinsman Notch with excellent birch and maple color.
- Kancamagus Highway
One of America's finest fall drives through the White Mountains, peaking early-to-mid October. The stretch between Lincoln and Conway is jaw-dropping.
- Mohawk Trail (Route 2)
The original scenic highway in America, crossing the Berkshires. The Hairpin Turn overlook at Florida, MA offers a 60-mile view of color.
- Route 30 (Great Northern Catskills)
Runs through Schoharie Valley and into the northern Catskills. Less traffic than Route 28 with equally stunning maple color.
- Route 28 through the Catskills
From Kingston to Margaretville through the heart of the Catskill Mountains. Best in the first two weeks of October.