Selfie-taking tourists have overwhelmed New England hot spots, causing dangerous traffic jams and concerns about visitor safety.
Shocking scenes of overcrowding were captured on the popular Artists Bluff Trail in Franconia, New Hampshire, over the weekend, with locals reporting risky behavior and lack of supervision.
Tamara Breau, an experienced hiker from Milford, NH, described the scene to WMUR as “completely unsafe” with people “pushing their way” to the summit.
“Someone at New Hampshire State Parks needs to find a way to manage tourism,” he wrote in a local newspaper. Facebook group on Sunday.
New England’s leaf-peeping hot spots have been overwhelmed by tourists this fall
Shocking scenes of overcrowding were reported on the popular Artists Bluff Trail in New Hampshire.
“I’ve hiked popular trails in Banff and Lake Louise, where they regularly receive large numbers of tourists,” he explained. ‘THIS was dangerous. People were pushing, going off the road, climbing and leaving trash.
“Someone came down crying because they were very scared with the large number of people at the top.”
New Hampshire Fish and Games also reported an increase 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.
Authorities reported that it took more than an hour to reach the rescue site on Franconia Ridge due to traffic jams on the roads.
New Hampshire Fish and Games reported an increase in rescue operations, including seven on Saturday night alone.
Local hikers expressed their 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” and the harsh reality of the mountains.
“What people don’t realize now is that it may be falling everywhere, but it’s already winter here in the mountains,” he told WMUR.
‘Mount Washington has already seen more than five inches of snow this week. “All the snow or elevation we have is covered in snow, covered in ice, and people are just not prepared.”
One visitor said she saw someone trying to “carry a child through the brush.”
People took photos of the fall foliage while looking from the top of the Artist Bluff Trail.
Tamara Breau, an experienced hiker from Milford, NH, described the scene as “completely unsafe” with people “pushing their way” to the summit.
Breau added in his Facebook post that he witnessed a visitor trying to “carry a child through the brush.”
“There wasn’t a single state park representative or state police in sight,” he said. “These crazy tourists have no etiquette or common sense.”
Reactions among those who saw the post were mixed.
Influencers stop their walk to take perfect foliage photos
Reactions from the crowd were mixed.
While some sympathized with tourists’ desire to enjoy the autumn scenery, others advocated for stricter measures or giving priority access to residents.
At least one person calls those complaining “a bunch of Karens”: “You don’t like crowds, don’t go,” the user wrote.
As leaf peeping season continues, Fish and Game officials urge visitors to come prepared with essential equipment, including food, water, headlamps and maps.
They highlighted the importance of proper planning and awareness of rapidly changing mountain conditions.
