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State Foliage Report - Autumn Brilliance on Schedule - September 27th, 2007

Vermont Foliage Report - Autumn Brilliance on Schedule

MONTPELIER, Vt. – With sunny weather and cooler temperatures forecast through the upcoming weekend, this season’s foliage viewing is expected to be bright and beautiful throughout Vermont.

Best Bets: The Northeast Kingdom has near peak color throughout the region. Vermont Foliage Map for Sept. 27, 2007Cold temperatures at night and bright sunshine filled days stepped up the foliage progression everywhere. Route 118 to Route 105 into Richford is showing strong color, as is Route 114 between East Burke and Canaan. If you happen to find yourself in Victory this coming weekend, be sure to head out along the Moose River to Damon’s Crossing, where the view across the basin to Hobart Ridge is spectacular. Serious leaf peepers will also want to head up the Burke Mountain Toll Road to scout for pockets of near peak foliage.

Central areas of the state are showing strong color, especially on Route 12A in Roxbury, Route 12 in Putnamville, and Route 14 between North Montpelier and Woodbury. Colors are developing along Routes 100 and 100B in the Mad River Valley, as well as Route 2 in the Bolton area and Interstate 89 between Northfield and Montpelier.

Spot color can also be found along Interstate 89 from Bolton to Colchester, while muted shades of gold and russet can be seen in the hills surrounding Richmond and Williston.

In southern Vermont, early fall colors exist over most of Bennington County, but things are changing rapidly. By this coming weekend, there will be near peak conditions in the higher elevations around Woodford, Searsburg, and Readsboro. Brilliant reds, yellows, and golds can be found along Route 9 east of Bennington and along Route 8 toward Stamford and Readsboro.

Dozens of continuing and special events—from farmers’ markets to craft fairs—are listed for the coming week and weekend in check our Events Calendar for interests from foot races to corn mazes, and farmer’s markets to crafts fairs.

Thanks for this!! I am so excited for my trip next week.

Me too-

I might just hit it perfectly this year!!! As I have said before we always made our annual pilgrimage beginning the Wednesday after Columbus Day until that Sunday and always seemed a bit too late for the brilliant reds. This year we decided to come up 1 week earlier and it is looking good. I just like cooler temperatures to really get into the foliage viewing mood. I want to put on a sweater and feel all cozy while browsing my heart's home VERMONT!

On the way up I want to stop in Bennington and check out the Blue Benn Diner. Anybody go there?

Susan in CT

Thanks for this post! Sounds like things are looking good! I can't wait to experience it! One week to go!

Does anyone have an opinion about GPS systems and their "helpfulness" in getting around the backroads of VT? I wasn't sure if everything would show up on them or not. Just trying to decide if its worth renting one when we rent our car at the airport.

In haven't been to the diner in 5 years, but it was good. It is awful small so getting in may take a while at rush hour.

Courtmel: I've been to the Blue Benn and highly recommend it! We went last fall and it was delicious but we got the last two seats at the counter which was a lot of fun - they also have booths. We thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance there - it was pretty crazy! All the menus are written up in chalk on the board that runs the length of the long counter. The food portions were huge, everything was fresh and tasty and the desserts were amazing!!! The staff is a riot and the food comes fast and furious! I am going to go there when we tour Bennington on Oct. 20th trip. If you google it, you'll get lots of results and what it looks like as well. Breakfast there is well known and you wouldn't believe how extensive the menu is. We were there just as the breakfast crowd was finishing up, but I think you would be happy even if you had to wait a bit. Let me know what you think when you return! I am more of a diner kind of person so I gravitate towards these kinds of establishments: farm fresh food, lots of it and fun people!

I'm having trouble understanding if the "official" word is stating projections or actual current colors. If the latter, I was just in the NEK yesterday and I respectfully disagree with some statements in that report (though agree with other areas mentioned). How much of what is broadcasted as "official" is really just Chamber of Commerce type stuff, say, to direct people to certain areas? There is a huge financial impact behind these leaves and the direction the state sends people.

Thanks in advance for clarification.

AGirl

This is a comment I hear all of the time. Opinions on what is "Peak" is so varied that even I, Mr Know-it-all, can't get it right. This report is put out by the State Tourism Department. They not affiliated with any one chamber. In past years I wouldn't pay too much attention to it because they would send out the same report at the same time every year on the assumption that the foliage was the same every year. Now their folks in the field use their cell phones to call in reports in the area they are in. They also use other sources (I've heard rumors that they read this forum. I expect a visit from the spelling soon.).

SMS, I have a factory installed nav system. We were in Vermont in July and it worked great. It showed even on dirt roads. However, there was a couple staying at the same inn and they said their's wasn't showing alot of the smaller roads. I guess they're all not equal.

Thanks for the info Dennis. I'll guess we'll decide when we get there. I think they are $10 a day to rent from Alamo. Not too bad to help our trip run smooth. Or who knows, maybe we'll just stick to a good ol' map!