[Mike P.]

While snow is possible, you should not see feet of it. Lower peaks are better choices for color than higher peaks as the higher forest tends to be fir/Spruce & birch leaving green & yellow with red, orange & more further down the valleys.

For non-crowds, I'd look at area's of the ADK's not in the High Peaks (Central & Eastern) & the Catskills. You'd want a map to put them together & I'm not sure how many loops you will find, I can think of a couple (I think therefore, I do not want to say " Start here... & go here day 1,... day 2...)

Many of these in NH, there are variations of the popular Pemi loop that would avoid more people than the standard loop. Others exist in the Whites too. Catskills probably have shortest drive for you but since a little lower & south, color will not be at peak but should have some.

Whites good, put to miss crowds & traffic avoid Worcester during peak times, 495/93/3 interchanges. I'd probably go up I-91 for the Whites & then cut over.

If I was going/planning & distance to trailheads were not an issue I'd look at Northern area of Whites, Sandwich Wilderness or the other 1/2 of the Pemi, not the standard loop.