Selfie-snapping tourists have overwhelmed New England’s leaf-peeping hot spots, causing dangerous traffic jams and concerns over visitor safety.
Shocking scenes of overcrowding were captured at the popular Artists Bluff Trail in Franconia, New Hampshire over the weekend, with locals reporting risky behavior and a lack of oversight.
Tamara Breau, an experienced hiker from Milford, N.H., described the scene to WMUR as ‘completely unsafe’ with people ‘shoving their way through’ bottlenecks at the summit.
‘Someone at New Hampshire State Parks needs to figure out a way to manage tourism,’ she wrote in a local Facebook group on Sunday.
New England’s leaf-peeping hot spots have been overwhelmed by tourists this fall
Shocking scenes of overcrowding were reported at the popular Artists Bluff Trail in New Hampshire
‘I’ve hiked popular trails in Banff and Lake Louise, where they manage large amounts of tourists regularly,’ she explained. ‘THIS was dangerous. People were shoving, going off trail, climbing, and leaving trash.
‘Someone came down crying because they had been so scared with the sheer amount of people at the top.’
New Hampshire Fish and Games also reported a surge in rescue operations in the state, including seven on Saturday night alone, WMUR reported.
One incident involved hikers stranded without lights in a drainage area near Cannon Mountain’s Basin Cascade Trail near Artists Bluff Trail.
Officials reported taking over an hour to reach a rescue scene on Franconia Ridge due to gridlocked roads.
New Hampshire Fish and Games reported a surge in rescue operations, including seven on Saturday night alone
Local hikers expressed frustration on social media, with one Facebook post calling for better management of tourist crowds
The influx of tourists also caused severe traffic congestion on I-93, hampering rescue efforts.
Conservation officer Chris McKee warned of the disconnect between autumn ‘everywhere else’ and the harsh reality of the mountains.
‘What people aren’t realizing right now is it may be fall everywhere else, but up here in the mountains, it’s already winter,’ he told WMUR.
‘Mount Washington has already seen over five inches of snow this week. All the snow or elevation we’re having is snow-covered, ice-covered, and people just aren’t prepared.’
One visitor said she she witnessed someone trying to ‘carry a child down through the brush.’
People took photos of the fall foliage as they looked out from the top of the Artist Bluff Trail
Tamara Breau, an experienced hiker from Milford, N.H., described the scene as ‘completely unsafe’ with people ‘shoving their way through’ bottlenecks at the summit.
Breau added in her Facebook post that she witnesses a visitor trying to ‘carry a child down through the brush.’
‘There was not a single state park rep or state trooper anywhere in sight,’ she said. ‘These crazy tourists have no etiquette and no common sense.’
Reactions among those who saw the post was mixed.
Influencers halt hike for perfect foliage photos
Reactions to the crowds were mixed
While some sympathized with the tourists’ desire to enjoy the fall scenery, others advocated for stricter measures or giving residents priority access.
At least one person call those complaining ‘a bunch of Karens’: ‘[Y]ou don’t like the crowds don’t go,’ the user wrote.
As the leaf-peeping season continues, Fish and Games officials are urging visitors to come prepared with essential gear, including food, water, headlamps, and maps.
They stressed the importance of proper planning and awareness of rapidly changing mountain conditions.
