We caught up with cyclist Peter Potaski high atop Castle Craig in Meriden, getting a work out in and catching some great views.
"It was the best summer of my life, weather wise. One perfect day after another, one or two sultry days, but the rest, perfect. Nice," he said.
A good growing season with just enough moisture is giving CT a jump start on leaf-peeping season. Healthy foliage is already starting to pop , and not just in the high elevations. Check out Route 17A in Portland, a scenic view made even prettier.
Amy Sarmiento says leaf peeping offers a calm, relaxing, great view. She says it's something that you don't have to think about.
So just why are we going to have a potentially great leaf peeping season? Remember that fabulous summer that just ended yesterday? You can thank it , it's going to pay dividends. To ensure a peak season, the past is important , but the current season is key. Sunny days and cool nights going forward could make this season one of the most vibrant in years.
With days getting shorter, trees are now producing less chlorophyll – that’s what makes leaves green.
Peak for CT is mid-October, as long as we avoid rounds of heavy rain that may wash some of the color. Leaf peepers eyes are already watering over the prospects of a great fall. For many, that helps stave off other, less than pleasant thoughts.
"It puts winter off for a couple of months, which help tremendously, because winter here is terrible," Sarmiento said.
- Macedonia Brook State Park, Kent – Cobble Mountain
- Mohawk State Forest, Cornwall
- Pachaug State Forest, Voluntown – Mt. Misery Overlook
- Peoples State Forest, Barkhamsted – Chaugnam Lookout
- Shenipsit State Forest, Somers – Observation Tower
- Sleeping Giant State Park, Hamden – Stone Tower
- Talcott Mountain State Park, Simsbury – Heublein Tower
- Mt. Tom State Park, Litchfield
- Dennis Hill State Park, Norfolk
- Goodwin Conservation Center, On Route 6 in Hampton