Foliage map › Destinations › New Hampshire › Jackson
Jackson, New Hampshire fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in the Jackson area peaks around October 8, with the best viewing from roughly October 6 to October 14.
- Typical peak
- October 8
- Best viewing
- Oct 6 – Oct 14
- Color starts
- Around Sep 26
- Leaves mostly down
- Around Oct 21
- Elevation
- 970 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 8. Turn on JavaScript to see today’s estimated status and the five-week outlook.
The season at a glance
Bar height shows how good the viewing typically is on each day, from September 1 through November 30. Colors show the stage, from green through peak red to bare.
Open Jackson on the foliage mapWhere to see the color around Jackson
The classic way into Jackson village is through the red Honeymoon Covered Bridge, built in 1876 over the Ellis River and one of the most photographed covered bridges in New Hampshire. Just up the road on Route 16B, Jackson Falls drops over 100 feet in a series of cascades over granite ledges along Wildcat Brook, and much of it can be seen from the road. North of the village, Route 16 climbs into Pinkham Notch, where a short trail leads to Glen Ellis Falls on the Ellis River.
Scenic drive
From Jackson, follow Route 16 north through Pinkham Notch, between Mount Washington and Wildcat Mountain, past Glen Ellis Falls and on toward Gorham. Closer to town, the Route 16B loop climbs past Jackson Falls through the upper village and back. For a longer day, North Conway and the eastern end of the Kancamagus Highway are a short drive south.
If you arrive too early or too late
Too early? Still mostly green
Head higher or farther north
Franconia Notch, NH (25 miles away, higher up) typically peaks about 5 days earlier, and Rangeley, ME (63 miles away, farther north) typically peaks about 7 days earlier.
Too late? Already past peak
Head lower
Portland, ME (57 miles away, lower down) typically peaks about 11 days later, and Portsmouth, NH (77 miles away, lower down) typically peaks about 13 days later.
National park and forest guide
Scenic drive guide
Nearby destinations
- North Conway, NHTypical peak Oct 10, 3 days later. 7 miles away.
- Franconia Notch, NHTypical peak Oct 3, 5 days earlier. 25 miles away.
- Lincoln (Kancamagus), NHTypical peak Oct 9, about the same time. 25 miles away.
- Bethel, METypical peak Oct 8, about the same time. 26 miles away.
- Portland, METypical peak Oct 19, 11 days later. 57 miles away.
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Jackson?
In a typical year, fall color in the Jackson area peaks around October 8, with the best viewing from roughly October 6 to October 14. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
How long does peak color last in Jackson?
Near-peak color usually holds for about 9 days. Color starts to show around September 26, and most leaves are down by about October 21.
Is Jackson early or late compared with the rest of New Hampshire?
Jackson typically peaks about 3 days earlier than the New Hampshire average of Oct 11. It ranks 2 of 7 New Hampshire destinations from earliest to latest.
What trees color up around Jackson?
The main fall color in this area comes from sugar maple, red maple, paper birch, and American beech. See the leaf guide to identify them.
Estimates come from the Leaves.com model of typical years, based on latitude, elevation, and distance from large bodies of water. They are not live observations. How it works.