Reading the peak

Color in the Merrimack Valley runs later than the mountains and earlier than the coast. The middle of October is usually the safe bet, but a warm fall pushes it back. Watch the tree reports, then be ready to move on a weekday when the call comes.

The drives

1. Route 119 and the Brookline hillside

A gentle loop of farm fields and old stone walls going full yellow and orange.

2. The river road north of Lowell

Follow the Merrimack as it widens, with reflected color doubling the show.

3. Apple farm country around Groton

Combine foliage with cider and a bag of just-picked apples from a roadside stand.

4. The switchbacks toward the New Hampshire line

Higher ground, earlier color, and a proper overlook at the top if you time it.

Making a day of it

Pick one drive, not three. Add a farm stand, a short walk along the river, and a late lunch in a mill town. The foliage is the excuse; the slow New England day is the point.

Pack a thermos, bring a paper map because cell service dips in the hollows, and give yourself the golden hour for the best light. Always grab a map before you chase color; the best overlooks never make the postcards.