Peak Foliage

​​To put it simply, campus right now is absolutely gorgeous. Why? The answer is peak foliage. 

The leaves on the trees in this part of New England are in their most colorful stage. Interestingly, trees south of here, particularly those closer to the coast, such as Bowdoin, will not reach this stage for another few weeks. Thus, Colby is not only the most northern New England small college but also the first college each year to reach peak foliage. 

Consequently, Colby will also be the first college devoid of leaves, because peak foliage is a precursor to the annual shedding of leaves by deciduous trees. As the winter progresses into spring, Colby will also likely be the last college where the annual regrowth of deciduous tree leaves occurs. 

Students, faculty, employees, and visitors alike can admire the foliage nearly everywhere on campus, from the great red tree on the road to Bob’s parking lot to the view across the fields from Foss. 

Be warned, however, as peak foliage appears and disappears quick. In fact, some trees on campus are already shedding their leaves, leaving an array of wonderful bright colors on our campus grounds. Eventually these leaves will fade into the ground, a compost of sorts. Winter is coming. 

~ Rory Hallowell `24