Scenes of October, New Hampshire – The month of October is one of my favorite times of the year to be out shooting and exploring the White Mountains. As we came into the autumn season this year many, including myself, were unsure how the foliage was going to look here in the New Hampshire White Mountains. Well, it turns out the 2016 autumn foliage season was the best I have seen in years.
Like every other month of the year, my shooting schedule was planned out in advance for October. I had very specific locations this month that I needed to shoot in peak foliage. However, I did leave one day open just to roam around the White Mountains aimlessly with my camera, something I don’t usually do these days.
My travels took me all over Northern New Hampshire and the White Mountains this month. But I thought the autumn foliage looked best along the Route 302 corridor into Crawford Notch and into the Zealand Valley. The peak foliage seemed to hang around much longer than usual in these areas. The foliage from Wildlife Pond (above), along Zealand Road in Bethlehem, looked excellent. This a great pond to visit if you are in the area.
Along Old Cherry Mountain Road in Carroll is a picturesque pond (above). And when the conditions are right it offers an excellent reflection of Mount Deception, part of the Dartmouth Range. At one time, a trail, the Deception Trail, traveled over this mountain, but today the Dartmouth Range is trailless.
I spent one October day shooting along the historic Sandwich Notch Road. During the early nineteenth century, thirty to forty families lived in the Notch. But today, only one house, a private residence, is in the Notch. The foliage along the Notch Road was not great on the day of my visit, but the attractions along it looked incredible. I have always considered Upper Hall Pond (above) to be a classic New Hampshire autumn scene. The mountain reflection is great.
On my monthly hike to document the vandalism on Mt Tecumseh, I couldn’t help but admire the scenic beauty of the lower section of the Mt Tecumseh Trail. I have spent so much time documenting the human impact along this trail over the last few years that I have overlooked the sections that remain aesthetically pleasing. Even though I consider this trail to be the poster child for bad trail stewardship practices, some parts of it remain in a beautiful state (above). Next month I will be writing a “My Viewpoint” article on the summit cutting.
Up until last week, it has been easy to find foliage scenes (above), but windy conditions and snow have pretty much changed this. Most of the foliage is on the ground. And with October coming to an end so does the 2016 autumn foliage season in the White Mountains region. Wow is all I can say, what a great foliage season.
You can license any of the above images for usage in publications by clicking on the image you are interested in, and you can view more new images from the month of October here. And don't forget that my 2017 White Mountains New Hampshire calendar is available.
Happy image making..
Each month I do one blog post showcasing five or six images I created during the month. They are intended to help you understand my lifestyle as a photographer.
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Owner of ScenicNH Photography LLC
Erin Paul is a professional photographer, writer, and author who specializes in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the New Hampshire White Mountains. His work is published worldwide, and publication credits include: Appalachian Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Backpacker Magazine, and The Wilderness Society.
ScenicNH Photography LLC
Specializing in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the White Mountains region of New Hampshire, Erin Paul’s photography and writing focuses on the history of the White Mountains, and telling the story of abandoned places and forgotten historical sites.