by Bryan Marovich, for the Newport Dispatch

WESTMORE — Lake Willoughby looked like the middle of July on Saturday, minus the swimsuits.

Cars lined up to get into the North Beach parking lot by midday as leaf peepers and locals crowded the shoreline to see the Northeast Kingdom’s foliage at its peak. License plates came from across New England, and at least a few came from as far away as Wisconsin. In the parking lot, one artist had set up an easel and was painting the scene.

Visitors packed the beach for selfies and family portraits against the Willoughby Gap, the notch between Mount Pisgah and Mount Hor. The crowd was summer-sized, but the mood was different. Instead of beach towels and coolers, people wore sweaters and jackets, and many had dressed up for photos.

They had good reason to come. Photographers and forecasters have reported over the past week that both the north end of the lake and the slopes through the gap have reached peak color. The cliffs and shoreline are lit with saturated reds, bright oranges and deep yellows, and the ridges are reflected in the deep glacial lake below. Route 5A, which runs along the water beneath the cliffs of Mount Pisgah, offers some of the best views. The north and south ends of the lake both have wide views of the hillsides.

The weather helped. Friday’s rain moved out with a cold front and left behind crisp air and full sunshine on Saturday. Forecasters expect more of the same Sunday, which makes this weekend one of the best of the season for leaf peeping.

Up the road, the Westmore Harvest Festival gave visitors another reason to stop. The free event ran from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the lawn and inside Fellowship Hall at the Westmore Community Church. It featured artisan crafters and local artists selling handmade jewelry, photography and crafts, along with farm stands offering fresh seasonal produce and specialty foods.