Fall Foliage in Gorham Mountains

The Colors of Autumn in the White Mountains are DAZZLING! Every September and October, people travel from all over the world to view the region’s annual display of color.

While it may seem that the gorgeous colors of fall are painted on the landscape, it’, really an intricate chemical process that prompts leaves to change their colors in the early weeks of autumn. There are few places in the entire world where fall is so spectacular and each year, New Hampshire draws millions of visitors to see the color show, which plays out during the unique weeks of weather here, the variety of trees that undergo this transformation and the rugged terrain. Observers will note that sometime in mid-to-late August, the lush green leaves they have seen all summer will begin to fade and become dull. That’s a signal that trees have made enough chlorophyll, which gave them that rich green color, for the year. As the days grow shorter and the nights become cooler, there is an imperceptible trigger that makes the chlorophyll break down as the trees stop producing the food. The green disappears, replaced by the hues of red, yellow and orange as fall marches through September and October