Fall in Vermont · free in your browser
Find your next great foliage shot.
Maple is a photography-first foliage planner for fall in Vermont. Where to go, what to shoot, and what could get in the way — read fresh every morning.
No account. No download. Just a plan.
Today's read · Saturday, Oct 3
Northeast Kingdom
Color is building fast above 1,500 ft. Morning fog likely in the valleys — get high early, then work the village greens after it burns off.
Peak color in any one place lasts about a week. Maple exists so you spend that week shooting — not guessing.
How Maple works
Three steps to a better morning out.
01
Check today's read
One honest, editorial read on where the color stands across Vermont — region by region, updated with real weather and the timing model behind Maple.
02
Pick from ranked best bets
Curated locations ranked for the day you're going, each with what it's best for, why to go, and an honest heads-up about what could get in the way.
03
Go shoot — with a plan B
Every pick comes with a backup, so fog, wind, or a tour bus at the overlook never costs you the morning.
Today's read
Know where the color stands — before you leave the house.
Maple blends a foliage timing model with live weather and elevation to estimate each region's phase, from early color through peak window to fading. Then it tells you what that means for photographs: what to shoot, the best scene for the day, and what to watch out for.
Estimated phase
Near peak · Mad River Valley
Best scene: sugar maples along the valley roads. Watch out: gusty afternoon wind stripping exposed ridgelines.
Best bets · this weekend
Best bets
Ranked picks that tell you the truth.
Every location is curated and ranked for the day you're going. Maple says “best bet” when it means it — and “better for scouting” or “skip for now” when it doesn't. No hype, no generic top-ten lists: each card carries what it's best for, why to go, an honest heads-up, and a backup.
The map
The whole state, at a glance.
A clean map of Vermont's photo-planning regions, shaded by estimated foliage phase — green through gold, rust, and brown. Higher ground turns first; Maple accounts for elevation, so you can chase peak up and down the hillsides for weeks.
Foliage progression by region
Weekend planning
Saturday or Sunday? Maple compares both days' weather and tells you which one — and why.
Elevation-aware
Color turns first up high. Estimates shift with altitude, not just latitude.
Weather-tuned
Live forecasts feed every read — fog, wind, rain, and the light you'll actually get.
Five scene types
Mountain views, lakes, villages, waterfalls, woodland details — matched to conditions.
The locations
Curated by a photographer, not an algorithm.
Every spot in Maple has been shot, scouted, and written up by hand — from famous overlooks to quiet corners worth the back road.
…and more, across all of Vermont's photo-planning regions.
From the photographer
“I built Maple because I was tired of driving two hours on a rumor. Foliage season is short, light is shorter, and the difference between a good morning and a wasted one is usually just better information.”
Michael WoodPhotographer & maker of Maple
Follow on InstagramKnow when the color turns.
A few emails a season: when color starts building, when regions hit peak, and when Maple becomes a real app. That's it.
No spam, ever. Unsubscribe anytime.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Q.01Is Maple free?
Yes. Maple is free and runs in your browser — no account, no download, no credit card. Open it, check the read, go shoot.
Q.02Is it only for Vermont?
For now, yes — and deliberately. Maple covers Vermont deeply rather than the whole Northeast thinly: hand-curated locations, region-by-region reads, and local knowledge you can't scrape. More regions may come later; join the list to hear about it.
Q.03How does Maple know where the color is?
A foliage timing model built on how color actually progresses across Vermont's regions and elevations, tuned with live weather forecasts. It's an honest estimate, not a promise — which is why every read includes a “heads up” and a backup plan.
Q.04Do I need to be a real photographer?
No. Maple thinks like a photographer — chasing light, avoiding crowds, having a plan B — but that makes it better for everyone, including leaf-peepers who just want the best drive on the best day.
Q.05Will Maple become a real app?
That's the plan. Maple lives in your browser today, and a proper app is the goal. Joining the email list is the best way to hear when it lands.
Q.06Can I suggest a location?
Please do — there's a feedback link inside Maple, or email michaelwoodphotos@gmail.com. Quiet corners worth the back road are exactly what Maple is for.
The color won't wait.
Check today's read and find your next great foliage shot.