The mountains and coastal islands of Maine unfurled a spectacle this week as sugar maples, birches and oaks burned across hillsides in a palette that drew camera crews and out-of-state license plates alike. CBS News’ nature segment captured winding two-lane roads framed in vermilion, Acadia’s granite ridges lit in copper, and canoeists slipping through mirrored lakes — scenes that have become shorthand for New England autumn and a critical economic moment for the Pine Tree State.

“For many of us, these few weeks pay the bills for the next six months,” said an innkeeper in western Maine, whose rooms are typically booked months in advance during peak foliage. State tourism officials confirm that leaf-peeping remains one of the most potent draws to Maine, translating into crowded main streets, boosted restaurant receipts and surging demand for short-term rentals. “Visitors come for the views but they stay for the towns,” one official told CBS, noting that small businesses from Houlton to Kittery rely on the seasonal influx.

The industry response has been rapid and entrepreneurial. Local outfitters are packaging guided drives, photographic workshops and lodging bundled with dining experiences, while transportation services and tour operators expand routes to disperse traffic. Lodging platforms report higher-than-usual advance bookings, and municipal planners in popular corridors are racing to manage overflow parking, emergency access and trash service for the concentrated visitation.

Yet the boom is colliding with a set of growing challenges. Scientists say climate shifts are altering the timing and intensity of fall color, with warmer autumn nights and delayed frosts changing pigment chemistry in leaves. “We’re seeing variability in peak dates and a trend toward later, more muted color in some areas,” said a University of Maine ecologist, noting that the narrow window that tourists chase is becoming less predictable. That uncertainty complicates planning for businesses and parks alike.

The cultural importance of the season compounds the stakes. Fall foliage is woven into Maine’s identity — it inspires artists, fuels lifelong family rituals and forms a central chapter in the state’s seasonal economy. For Indigenous communities, the seasonal turn remains a time linked to traditional harvesting and environmental stewardship, perspectives that local leaders say should inform visitor policies and land management.

Policy debates are emerging in response. Conservation-minded officials urge measures to reduce congestion and environmental wear: directing visitors toward lesser-known routes, investing in public transit solutions, and enforcing capacity limits in sensitive areas. Others worry that restrictions could choke local revenues dependent on a brief annual windfall. “It’s a balancing act between economic survival and keeping the landscape intact for future generations,” said a regional planner.

As CBS’ cameras rolled over the amber hills, the images captured both the immediacy of natural beauty and a deeper narrative: a short, spectacular season whose future is shaped by economic incentives, management choices and climate realities. For now, Maine’s reds and golds continue to draw people from near and far — a reminder that treasured landscapes are at once a source of livelihood, a cultural touchstone and, increasingly, a frontline in environmental conversations.