Foliage map › Destinations › Connecticut › Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in the Hartford area peaks around October 23, with the best viewing from roughly October 22 to October 30.
- Typical peak
- October 23
- Best viewing
- Oct 22 – Oct 30
- Color starts
- Around Oct 11
- Leaves mostly down
- Around Nov 5
- Elevation
- 60 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 23. 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 Hartford on the foliage mapWhere to see the color around Hartford
Hartford’s color comes late in the season, in its parks and the hills that rise just west of the city. Bushnell Park, in front of the State Capitol, is often called the oldest publicly funded park in the country, and Elizabeth Park, on the West Hartford line, has old trees around its rose garden. On the ridge to the west, Talcott Mountain State Park has a trail along the cliffs to Heublein Tower, which looks out over the Farmington River valley.
Scenic drive
US 44 climbs west from Hartford over Avon Mountain into the Farmington River valley, then follows the river northwest toward Barkhamsted, where the West Branch of the Farmington runs between the wooded slopes of People’s State Forest and American Legion State Forest. From there, back roads lead west into the Litchfield Hills and Litchfield.
If you arrive too early or too late
Too early? Still mostly green
Head higher
Litchfield, CT (26 miles away, higher up) typically peaks about 5 days earlier, and Lenox, MA (51 miles away, higher up) typically peaks about 9 days earlier.
Too late? Already past peak
Head farther south
Newport, RI (73 miles away) typically peaks about 6 days later, and New York City, NY (100 miles away, farther south) typically peaks about 8 days later.
Nearby destinations
- Litchfield, CTTypical peak Oct 18, 5 days earlier. 26 miles away.
- Lenox, MATypical peak Oct 14, 9 days earlier. 51 miles away.
- Worcester, MATypical peak Oct 19, 4 days earlier. 57 miles away.
- Shelburne Falls, MATypical peak Oct 17, 7 days earlier. 58 miles away.
- Providence, RITypical peak Oct 24, about the same time. 66 miles away.
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Hartford?
In a typical year, fall color in the Hartford area peaks around October 23, with the best viewing from roughly October 22 to October 30. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
How long does peak color last in Hartford?
Near-peak color usually holds for about 9 days. Color starts to show around October 11, and most leaves are down by about November 5.
What trees color up around Hartford?
The main fall color in this area comes from red maple, northern red oak, sugar maple, and shagbark hickory. 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.