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. Check out the map below to calculate when fall foliage is at its prime in your locality, and get ready to Instagram some leaves.
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,” Smoky Mountains founder and statistical expert David Angotti said.
Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
Shutterstock / Carolyn Franks
Catskill Mountains, New York
Shutterstock / Colin D. Young
Aspen, Colorado
Shutterstock / Peter Kunasz
Acadia National Park, Maine
Shutterstock / Skyler Ewing
The Poconos, Pennsylvania
Shutterstock / AJ13
For a comprehensive list of the best spots to see fall foliage in all 50 states, see Smoky Mountains’ round up here.
Happy fall!