Travel Article: A Guide to Vermont's Fall Colors

Fall Colors in New England, Vermont, USA

A Fusion of Fall Colors in Vermont¹

Scarlet reds, golden browns, vibrant oranges and soft pinks: just a few of the colors that create the dazzling display of nature that is autumn in Vermont. Much of New England is famous for offering the nation's most brilliant fall foliage but the�Green Mountain State is arguably the region�s top destination. So much so that every autumn untold visitors, or �leaf peepers� as they are referred to locally, show up at its door to witness the famed turning of the leaves.

The attention is justly deserved. Dotted with historic and beautifully maintained villages, charming covered bridges and picturesque red barns, the state is a scenic delight any time of year. In autumn, however, the open rolling hills and mountains become a flurry of color and conspire to put on what is fall�s greatest fashion show. This dramatic turn of nature coupled with the state�s size�which is only 159 mi (256 km) long and 89 mi (143 km) across at its widest point�make Vermont a navigable and enchanting place in which to leaf peep. Bustling cities with a youthful vibe and history around every corner are, therefore, just added bonuses.

PLANS AND PREPARATIONS


	The Route to Fall Foliage²

Peak season for fall visitors runs from the end of September through the first two weeks of October and peepers will be best equipped if planning for busy accommodations and, at times, busy roads during this period. With regard to timing a visit at the height of the turning of the leaves, some guess work and weather watching is necessary. Generally speaking however, the fall colors are usually first seen in mid to late September in the northeastern part of the state and in the mountains that run down the middle of Vermont. As September leans towards October, this strip broadens to the east and west but doesn�t usually reach Burlington and the south until the first week(s) of October.

STATURE AND STRUCTURE

Vermont is unique for more than just its leaves; the state has shown an uncommon independence for decades, often adopting policies long before the federal government and being �green� beyond its mountains. It is primarily rural but with a largely liberal attitude. The state�s population is a mix of seemingly contradictory residents�stoic New Englanders whose descendants were quite probably early colonists, free-lovin� hippies who came and never left and well-off visitors who decided Vermont was as good for homes as holidays. It retains its old world charm and historic character yet offers a modern vibrancy in its cosmopolitan restaurants, innumerable art galleries and progressive spirit. And, it�s an easy two or three-hour drive from both Boston and Montreal.

COLORS AND CULTURE


A Vermont Maple in Full Color³

There are many ways to see the changing foliage in Vermont but the best is to hit the state�s semi-quiet roads and wander through its varied landscapes. Featured here are a few of the most noted routes and sights as well as a couple of scenic train rides and boat tours.

The Molly Stark Trail
The Molly Stark Scenic Byway, also called Route 9 in the southern tip of Vermont, is popular with leaf-peepers and follows the historic route taken by revolutionary General John Stark to fight the British. The trail travels from Bennington in the west to Brattleboro in the east and drivers can enjoy 40 mi (64 km) of tranquil roads while crossing the Green Mountain National Forest, thus viewing some of southern Vermont�s finest foliage with covered bridges, state parks and museums along the way.

Bennington is a city steeped in colonial history and was the site of the Battle of Bennington, as well as the home of Ethan Allen. The Bennington Museum contains many artifacts from the War of Independence, including the Bennington Battle Flag, thought to be the oldest stars and stripes in existence, and is also home to the largest collection of works by noted folk artist Anna Mary Robertson Moses, better known as Grandma Moses. History buffs will find the grave of American poet Robert Frost here, as well as the Vermont Covered Bridge Museum, which shows early bridge construction and design. Located just outside the city, such construction can be observed in practice at the Henry Covered Bridge, a recent replica of the original 1840s structure.


	A Painter's Palette⁴

Along the route, visitors will encounter the attractive and historic village of Wilmington with several art galleries and traditional Vermont inns as well as High Mowing Farm Covered Bridge. The Molly Stark State Park is just a few miles further along the road to Brattleboro. This larger town, one-time home to author Rudyard Kipling, is a popular weekend getaway destination due to its location just a few miles from New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New York. Situated along the considerable Connecticut River, Brattleboro�s thickly forested streets, many church steeples and Creamery Covered Bridge make it a fine center from which to explore southern Vermont.

Classic Central Vermont
Route 100 is considered the backbone of Vermont, if not a very straight one. It weaves its way from Wilmington in the south to Newport just a few miles from the Canadian border in the north and is regarded as one of the prettiest drives in Vermont. A particularly scenic route to view the blended colors of fall begins and ends at Woodstock, a quintessential New England village, and incorporates sections of Route 100 along with a few others for a 90-plus-mi (145-km) circuit.

Woodstock may not stand out on any map of Vermont but arguably stands out as one of the state�s quaintest villages. A village green in the center of town is surrounded by restored and stately Georgian, Federal and Greek-style homes while a bevy of art galleries, stylish restaurants and historic inns line its streets. Just north of the village is the Billings Farm Museum, a working dairy and maple farm, as well as an historic mansion at Marsh Billings Rockefeller National Historical Park. The village also boasts a covered bridge in its heart as well as the attractive Lincoln Covered Bridge only a couple of miles west.


A Vermont Village in Autumn⁵

From Woodstock, the trail heads north on Route 12 through Barnard and then west towards the Green Mountains and Gaysville where Route 100 takes up the tour south to Killington. The winter and summer playground that is Killington Resort offers gondola rides to the top of Killington Peak to view the autumnal colors from above, or visitors can make a one-mile side trip to Plymouth to see the birthplace of President Calvin Coolidge. Further south on Route 100 leaf peepers reach Ludlow where the trail turns back towards Woodstock (via Routes 103, 131 and 106), or in this case the tiny hamlet of South Woodstock, home to one of Vermont�s oldest inns. At the Kedron Valley Inn, which has been welcoming visitors for almost 200 years, visitors can join the countless others who have used the stately and elegant inn as a base for discovering the sights of central Vermont.

Smugglers� Notch Scenic Byway
This is considered by many to be Vermont �s most spectacular road and most Vermonters will immediately direct visitors to it during the fall. Not only does this scenic byway (also called Route 108) showcase mountainsides of mottled colors fusing during the autumnal transition, it also climbs to an impressive mountain pass at 2,162 ft (659 m). The pass, called Smugglers� Notch, is a cleft chiseled into the side of Mt. Mansfield, Vermont�s highest peak and the windy, climbing road that leads to it closes in winter due to heavy snowfall.

The byway runs from Stowe to Jeffersonville but a good place to start the tour is at the town of Waterbury, along Interstate 89. In Waterbury, ice cream lovers can stop for a fun and funky fix at the original Ben & Jerry�s factory. Stowe, a classic Vermont village, is as pretty as there is and usually touristy anytime of year. In addition to the many shops, galleries, spas and restaurants, visitors can check out the sweet Stowe Hollow Bridge south of the village. Sometimes referred to as Emily�s Bridge, it is reputedly haunted by Emily herself with several unconfirmed stories of what led to her demise. The Trapp Family Lodge is also in Stowe and tourists can stay, dine, take a tour or enjoy live music at what originally was the home of the Austrian von Trapp family of singing fame.


	One of the State's Quaint Covered Bridges⁶

From Stowe, the road leads up to Stowe Mountain Resort, one of the state�s premier ski resorts. The winter specialist doesn�t leave leaf peepers out in the cold, however, and offers accommodation, golf and tennis as well as a scenic gondola ride to high in the Green Mountains. Back on the ground, there are several pullouts for views along the way while driving through the Mt. Mansfield State Forest. Once through the Notch, the road descends first to Smugglers Notch Resort and finally to Jeffersonville, home to two more covered bridges as well as the historic Smugglers Notch Inn, which was built in 1790.

Lake Champlain Byway and the Northern Green Mountains
Lake Champlain dominates the northwestern edge of Vermont and therefore a route along the lake and through its islands is a must for any Vermont visit. This route starts almost where the last ended, so if the relatively short section of Route 108 was not enough, peepers can continue on from Jeffersonville to Cambridge. Outings in the area include the Boyden Valley Winery, which offers tours and tasting, and Gates Farm Covered Bridge spanning Seymour River on a farm road. Further north in Enosburg Falls, the countryside is that of the Cold Hollow Mountains and is recommended if visits fall a tad earlier than the leaves are ready for. At Swanton, the Carman Brook Farm offers tours of the state�s famous maple syrup production as well as a gift shop where visitors can load up on bottles of the sugary souvenir.

The Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail

The Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail is popular with cyclists and hikers and provides an alternative means to viewing the fall foliage.

The 26-mi (40-km) trail is a disused railroad line that runs through Enosburg Falls from St. Albans to Richford in northern Vermont.

Now well and truly in lake country, Route 2 takes drivers onto the string of islands that are interspersed throughout Lake Champlain. Just north of the tiny hamlet of Grand Isle stands the Hyde Log Cabin, which was made of rough-hewn cedar logs around 1783 for Revolutionary War veteran and surveyor Jedediah Hyde Jr., and further along in South Hero, the Snow Farm Vineyard offers self-guided tours and tastings. Route 2 eventually returns to the mainland not too far from Burlington, Vermont�s largest city. With a host of different attractions for the visitor, including great restaurants, shopping and sailing excursions, this artsy university town is an ideal place to spend a few days. Church Street, in particular, is an historic, pedestrian-only, cobble-stoned street in the heart of downtown and is a popular place to stroll.

Historic Train Rides and Scenic Boat Tours
For those wanting an alternative way to see the countryside, the Green Mountain Railroad offers three short scenic train rides that whish through a blanket of colors and make passengers �ooh� and �aah.� The Champlain Valley Flyer runs from Burlington to Charlotte and stops in Shelburne where passengers can enjoy the Shelburne Museum. In the east of the state, the Green Mountain Flyer runs from Bellows Falls to Chester Depot and customers can ride in a restored 1913 Rutland Railcar, one of the oldest in action in New England, and take in the Adams Grist Mill Museum in Bellows Falls. Alternatively, the White River Flyer travels between White River Junction and Thetford on the New Hampshire border. Like the others, it runs two or three times per day, and follows the Connecticut River, stopping at the Montshire Museum along the way. White River Junction itself offers several stores and galleries in addition to the Main Street Museum and the New England Transportation Institute and Museum.

If visitors prefer a more aquatic experience, there are several companies providing boat tours of Lake Champlain, most of which leave from Burlington. Two such tour operators are the Whistling Man Schooner Company, which offers sailing trips aboard a classic sloop, and Northern Lights, which features a variety of cruises aboard a modern ship. Peepers can see the splendor of the Adirondacks of New York on one side of the lake and the Green Mountains on the other while having brunch, lunch, dinner or musical entertainment.Burlington.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

A Fusion of Fall Colors; VT, USA

The Route to Fall Foliage; VT, USA

A Vermont Maple in Full Color; VT, USA

A Painter's Palette; VT, USA

A Vermont Village in Autumn; VT, USA

One of the State's Quaint Covered Bridges; VT, USA

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A Guide to Vermont's Fall Colors