Spectacular foliage, outdoor adventures await visitors
Vermont is a state of vivid vistas — even in winter, when stunning shades of white frost the trees, spotlight ski trails and wrap the hillsides like a cozy blanket. In spring, bright blades of grass shoot up and an artist’s palette of colors brushes the landscape as flowers bloom. Summer brings the lush green that gives Vermont’s mountain range its name.
And while every season looks great on Vermont, fall and its spectacular foliage wins over the world. When the trees are nearly incandescent with more shades than one knew could exist in foliage (blue leaves, anyone?), Vermont stands as one of the most beautiful autumn locales on the planet.
That’s because a full 76 percent of Vermont is forested, and that forested area boasts the most sugar maples and red maples in any one region in America.
Those two types of tree create the most vivid, breathtaking color. It wasn’t just luck that brought this high density of remarkable trees to one spot. Well, it was a little bit of bad luck followed by a lifetime of love. By the 1800s, settlers had deforested much of Vermont for farming, ranching, mining and logging. But the state — and nature — fought back. With new rules about tree cutting in place, the fields, hills and mountains took a collective breath and started anew. Trees sprouted and, given space, grew lush. And here’s the bonus: When nature fights back hard, it sends out the maples first, which is how Vermont came to have so many.
Woven into that arboreal tapestry of golds, yellows, reds, blues and more are almost infinite ways to savor the shades. From winding routes that take you through 251 unique, beautiful towns spread out across 9,623 square miles, you’ll find streams and hamlets and quaint cities; mountains and
fields and hiking trails; and so much more.
While natural beauty and charming spots would be enough, Vermont wholly embraces foliage season and makes it a time when everything from recreation to cuisine to culture is extra special. That means whichever way you head, you’ll find a true escape.
When to go? It’s no secret that foliage pops first in the north and then creeps southward. This summer’s drier weather may give colors an early start, so expect trees up north to begin turning right about now.
Any day is the perfect day, and even though about 3.5 million visitors will choose Vermont for their foliage fix this season, the state’s vastness leaves room for everyone. With so many routes to choose from, your decompression kicks in the minute you start hitting those lovely, tree-flanked roads.
How to take it all in? By road, by hiking trail and even by sky at one of Vermont’s 21 beautiful ski areas, most of which are open for fall season thrills. The choices are as limitless as the leaves.
Early foliage season, a journey up through the Northeast Kingdom, where things are quiet and pristine, is a great choice. Start at Jay Peak Resort (830 Jay Peak Road, Jay; jaypeakresort.com), where you can pick up Canadian radio stations (the border is just miles away). Jay Peak’s aerial tramway is a magnificent way to experience the foliage: You’ll ride up to the resort’s summit, where, at nearly 4,000 feet, the air feels cooler and you can see the colors stretch out to the horizon — actually across four states and well into Canada. Jay also has great hiking and mountain biking trails to get you down into that colorful beauty. And its slopeside hotel, along with a huge and wild indoor waterpark, means you can stay awhile and relive a little bit of the summer.
About an hour away at Burke Mountain (2559 Mountain Road, East Burke; skiburke.com), there’s the quiet thrill of mountain biking and views of famed Lake Willoughby. Rounding out the region, a visit to Smugglers’ Notch (4323 Vermont Route 108 South, Jeffersonville; smuggs.com) in foliage season is like riding a full-amenity cruise ship through the vibrant vegetation itself.
Smuggs, the master of family fun, offers a canopy zip line ride that shows you nature up close and fast (!!), indoor pools, family games, hikes to ponds and more. It’s nearly impossible to do everything in one stay, but no worries: The trees will turn for you every year.
Just a 20-minute jaunt south of there (if you take Vermont Route 108), you can dive deep into true Vermont autumn life in the town of Stowe (see story, page 52). There, quintessential white steeples stand out against the russet and crimson hues. At the mountain resort itself (7416 Mountain Road, Stowe; stowe.com), you can zip line down or, for one of the most perfect rides, head up the Auto Toll Road for a view from the top of Mount Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak. On the way down stop for a quiet moment at the mountain’s stone chapel.
In Mad River Valley (4403 Main St., Waitsfield, see story on page 46), the river rules. The reflection of the vivid colors on the majestic river is breathtaking in itself, but all around you’ll find quiet and quaint slices of Vermont life, from mom-and-pop restaurants and inns to thrilling hikes or lift rides at Sugarbush.
A must stop while there — and almost worth the drive itself, is the new Mad River Taste Place (89 Mad River Green, Waitsfield; madrivertaste.com). In one spot you’ll find samples — of things you can buy to take home — of just about every taste local to the state of Vermont. The Vermont Cheese Council now calls that location home, and you can try every flavor imaginable, all made fresh on Vermont farms. There are syrups, of course, as well as chocolates, baked goods and other true-to-Vermont staples. There’s even a chance to sample hard ciders and Vermont distilled spirits. Put it on your “must” list.
Follow Route 100 west and south a bit and soak in the foliage in the Killington/Okemo area as well. Killington’s Adventure Center (3861 Killington Road, Killington; killington. com) is open select hours through foliage season. There, among the trees, you can jump off a tower, have a zip line race, take a Segway or ATV tour through the trees, try some alpine tubing and more.
You can chill out with a gondola ride to the top, or savor a slopeside lunch.
Down the road at Okemo (77 Okemo Ridge Road, Ludlow; okemo.com), all the attractions that draw summer visitors operate on weekends through Columbus Day. A top foliage thrill has to be the Timber Ripper Mountain Coaster, which sends you twisting and turning down through the trees. For an even more up-close-and-personal foliage experience, Okemo offers zip line tours, a treetop challenge course or, for the more moderate adventurer, an off-road Segway tour along forest trails and through open fields.
One of Vermont’s most treasured swimming holes, Buttermilk Falls, is located just minutes from Okemo’s Jackson Gore Inn. With the air and water temperatures less than optimal for swimming in autumn, visitors are likely to have the picturesque cascades all to themselves this time of year. On a sunny day, the water sparkles like diamonds and the brilliant foliage lining the riverbanks calls out for an Instagram moment.
Down the road about 35 miles or so, Stratton (5 Village Lodge Road, Stratton Mountain; stratton.com) and Mount Snow (39 Mount Snow Road, West Dover; mountsnow.com) are ablaze with foliage experiences all their own. Golfers will love playing Stratton’s famed course this time of year. And at Mount Snow, you’ll find two championship golf courses as well. Both mountains are perfect for hiking, and Mount Snow has a great mountain biking program accessible to all levels, a way to amp up your leaf-peeping fun.
Baking aficionados know King Arthur Flour’s retail store (and cafe) is the place to stock up on baking essentials. It’s been around since 1790, which adds up to a lot of fresh apple pies. But even if you’re not a master of the double crust, the spot is a must-visit during their Fall Festival.
Their 6th Annual Fall Festival, to be exact, kicks off the baking season with baking demos, interactive activities for kids and adults, and a fall-flavored baking contest, in addition to live entertainment, raffles, and vendor sampling selling of delicious local eats. It all goes down Sept. 15 from 10 am. - 4 p.m. at the King Arthur Flour Baker’s Store and Cafe, 135 US 5, Norwich, Vt. And for those getting a head-start on holiday baking, they’re having a sale during the Sept. 15 festival weekend. Learn more at www.kingarthurflour.com/fall-festival/
North to south, Vermont and its spectacular colors are the stars of autumn. Any route you choose, whichever peak you point toward, you’ll find fun in the thrills or relaxation, in outdoor adventure or just serene moments appreciating nature’s beauty. That’s what makes Vermont the king of fall foliage.
Learn more at vermontvacation.com.