I don't know about you but I'm certainly not thinking a lot about autumn in mid- to late-August, or even the first few days of September. My foliage shoots are scheduled and booked nearly a year in advance so at this point I'm content to let summer have its final hurrah.
One of my favorite places to be as the season winds down is in New York City for the first two rounds of the U.S. Open. As both temperatures and the relative humidity soar at the Tennis Center, I can assure you that apple cider, pumpkins and Jack Frost seem very far away.
The tennis is great but the conditions are often oppressive. There's a reason so many New Yorkers leave the city on vacation at the end of summer.
Yet in Northern New England, lift your gaze upward beginning in the middle part of August and you might be in for a surprise: there are always a few leaves starting to turn. It's subtle and you must be paying attention to notice them - but they're there, waiting in the wings for the big show to get underway. Change is quite literally in the air.
In my little town one tree in particular liked to be the first to jump the gun. It was always a bit of a jolt to see some orange and yellow fluttering in the breeze way up at its tip. It didn't matter that the calendar said August and the weather was still sweltering and muggy. The next season wanted you to know it was already within reach.
Drive north toward the mountains and you'd see more signs of autumn's impatience up in the treetops.
In just a few weeks New England will be awash in fiery color: a magnificent spectacle the likes of which you won't see anywhere else. Acadia National Park, Downeast Maine, the Green Mountains, the Northeast Kingdom, the Berkshires, Cape Cod...it's all beautiful. That said, I'm partial to New Hampshire and the White Mountains specifically.
If you've never experienced autumn in New England - especially northern New England - put it on your bucket list. You won't be disappointed and it'll be something you will never forget.
In Local News
Moose-Wilson Road will close after Labor Day and remain closed until winter (construction).
The Jackson Lake Dam boat launch will close after Labor Day (construction).
Though Yellowstone and Grand Teton have both recorded reduced visitation for the summer, there are still quite a few people in both parks. After Labor Day that will change. If you enjoy a little more solitude this is the time of year for you! Be advised Yellowstone will close to vehicle traffic on November 7th in preparation for the winter season, so you've got roughly two months to take advantage of the additional elbow room.
Eastern Idaho is under a heat advisory through Labor Day weekend. Even Jackson, Wyoming is forecast to top out in the low 90s on Saturday and Sunday. Hydrate!