As we enter the fall season there are many ways to brave the chilly weather: pumpkin spice, Halloween costumes, warm pies, and my personal favorite, fall foliage. As we mourn the loss of summer weather, let’s find comfort in the beautiful New England art show put on every year by our own trees. The New York Times includes Boston in their list of best places to see fall foliage, and I deeply agree with their statement. In the past couple of weeks I have been scouting my local area looking for the best places to view the red, yellow, and orange display.
When examining the towns of Bolton, Lancaster, and Stow, one place immediately stood out to me is the Lime Quarry in Bolton. Easily accessible by Harris Farm road, the Quarry is just a quick half mile hike from the main road and the walk is nothing short of enchanting. Surrounded by tall trees you really get to see autumn in a pure natural way. Also in Bolton I highly recommend Baur Springs. This scenic loop is a great place to see the leaves reflected across a perfect body of water. The reflections are an amazing yellow, orange, and red impressionistic blur.
Moving on to the town of Stow, I recommend Delany pond. Right off of 117 this wild life protected area is a beautiful landscape all year round and most certainly in Autumn. The tall grass fields and strong oak trees really play the role of fall foliage in the most incredible way. Secondly, in Stow, I recommend simply driving down 117, passing the colonial style homes and small business really fuel that small town autumn aesthetic. Last but certainly not least an obvious place in my mind to see fall in full swing is Honey Pot Orchard. This classic Massachusetts apple orchard is beautifully decorated with Autumn trees scattered around their apple fields.
Last but certainly not least is Lancaster. Similarly to Stow, I recommend just taking a drive down the main street in Lancaster and admiring the colonial feel. The historical town library is made up of beautiful bricks that pair astonishingly well with fall foliage. Another Lancaster sight that is a fall must see is the Bolton Fair Grounds. Despite its location confusion invoking the name, this long stretch of open fields and border of tall beautiful trees is a must see if you are looking for an autumn picnic area.
I fully believe Massachusetts is best represented during the fall season. If you are lucky enough to be in town for those few weekends where the leaves are just absolutely breathtaking, you probably won’t be able to stop yourself from taking a few moments just to stare at their beauty. While fall brings a lot of sadness to our minds (the end of warm weather, start of school stress, and the pressure of college applications) it’s always nice to just look around and appreciate what nature has to offer us. Growing up in Massachusetts I can’t help but feel nostalgic every time I see fall foliage; the beautiful colors remind me of how we all change throughout the year and it’s okay to lose some of your leaves or pieces of your life for a little while- everything will always come back in the spring.
