Scenes of Vermont Forums

Hello my foliage fanatic friends! This was a day to be reckoned with in the NEK. Never in my 10 years coming up here have I seen color like this (rivals 2012 if not better). It was almost a perfect 10 but gave it a 9.99 due to lack of blue sky once again, although it did peek out at Long Pond. Let me start from the beginning of my amazing day with Tim, our board owner, and his lovely friend. Than you both for such an incredible day taking me everywhere I wanted to visit and more! Tim, thank you for having this forum most of all!

I got to the McDonald's in Lyndonville about 11 (could have been there sooner but I was obsessed with the color in route 2 (see other post) and had made too many stops! We started out on Burke Hollow Road to the south end of Lake Willoughby for some great photo ops and then headed up to this dirt road that afforded a higher up view of the lake. It was amazing up there! Then we went to Long Pond. OMG the peak colors were incredible! Such a gorgeous drive up the dirt road and Tim had his camera rolling out of the sun roof. Then we went to Jobs Pond. Even more crazy with peak colors, just mind boggling! Both ponds were surrounded by reds, burgundies and oranges, flanked in part with the pines. The lake was still and the reflections perfect!

From there we took 114 south. Foliasms galore! This is where it is at. We stopped along one stretch of 114 that was peaked to the max and it kept going for at least a mile. We never made it to Island Pond but I got my fill of peak color today from the ponds and 114

We didn't have time for Wheeler Pond, BUT Tim took us to "The Chapel" in East Burke. A beautiful church on top of a crest with views of the mountains. It was open. Just so soothing to be inside and see the stained glass windows. We were the only ones there. What a "divine" way to end a PERFECT day and certainly a place to count your blessings. CT

Yep, it was a good day. Such a pity the clouds kept it from being what it really should be, but if you or anyone else is around in the northern part of the NEK in the next couple of days, it should be an extravaganza or as CT would say, "OMG it's all on fire!" Unfortunately our day ended with a truly disgusting meal at Miss Lyndonville Diner. We had to leave and look elsewhere. And here's the thing...you'd think that at the height of foliage season in the NEK, all the restaurants would be open, the roads crowded with peepers and line ups at every hot spot. Nothing could be further from the truth. We saw only four of five other peepers in our entire journey. Then we went looking for a decent meal, after the disaster at the diner, we couldn't find anything open. The Willoughvhale Inn had two guests sitting on the veranda overlooking Lake Willoughby and no one else around. The restaurant was closed! We went a little way up the road to another dining spot, and it was closed too! We had to go all the way back to Newport, to Pie and Pasta to get a good meal! Wow, what is going on. In all my years here, the NEK has rarely looked this good. The colors are incredible, yet in comparison to the buzz down south, you hardly know that peepers were about!

Sorry...don't believe you without pics!!

They will be forthcoming, but you should really come and see for yourself

Yeah we practically felt like we had the whole NEK just about to ourselves. On the plus side it let us get last second accommodations though. And what a glorious kingdom so amazing this year so great to get a 2012 type experience again!!!!

admin wrote:They will be forthcoming, but you should really come and see for yourself

In time.....flight from Florida leaves tomorrow!

For those of you coming to see these incredible colors in the NEK, the next two days should be perfect with blue skies, no wind, minimal if not any, leaf drop. The ponds will be awesome for reflections! Treat yourself to some EYE CANDY for some photos you will cherish for a lifetime and be able to share with others when you get back home. Don't be afraid to get off the main roads to see the ponds. Although, route 114 was, well, yowzah! There is a dirt road in the south end of Lake Willoughby, I don't have the name, (hope someone can jump in to add), where you can see the lake from way up with awesome long views. Parts of the lake still have a day or two to peak but just being there is like being in another country!

Basically, the NEK is astounding right now, so try to change your plans to get up there today or tomorrow, or perhaps early Friday for a sight to behold. You won't regret it for a minute! Enjoy!

Island Pond at Peak...video from yesterday and this morning...it was still overcast, but nevertheless...

http://www.foliage-vermont.com/daily_videos.html

Sweet aerial footage. I've been up and down the slopes of Rosebrook Hill (the hill at the end of the video) more times than I care to count in search of deer. I've yet to catch up to one
CT, are you and Carol going to be together tomorrow? I'll PM both of you my phone number.

Tim! My friend is driving up from CT for the day and I am taking him back to the NEK!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had quite a hard time deciding whether to go to Groton and Seyon and hike Owls Head but the NEK keeps singing to me and I can't resist the call, so off we go at 9 am. I am taking him to Lake Willoughby, the ponds, Wheeler, Long and Jobs and route 114. Not sure if we are going all the way to Island Pond as I want to hit these hot spots and end at The Chapel again! I have to be back by 4 so it will be a whirlwind trip! I could use one more day here for Groton but am leaving Friday morning to my next weekend destination to meet with bm each day. I am sorry we never got to meet up because I wanted you to sign my Vermont Life magazine as Charles did for me last Friday! If you are going to be in the NEK let me know and we can meet you at one of the ponds!

It's just that, the NEK is too irresistible to not make a second trip because the sky is blue now and it will be perfect!

Tim: forgot to ask in the last post I just made. What is the name of the dirt road near Lake Willoughby that takes you to the high spot for long views of the lake???? We are also stopping there! Thanks!

ctyanky wrote:Tim: forgot to ask in the last post I just made. What is the name of the dirt road near Lake Willoughby that takes you to the high spot for long views of the lake???? We are also stopping there! Thanks!

Are you thinking of Hinton Hill Rd? While it does get you up high, there really isn't much of a view of the lake from there. However, on the west side of the lake, The intersection of Peen Hill Rd and Cook Rd has a great view back between the gap looking south.

I will be stopping at a lot of the same locations that you have listed tomorrow as well. Look for a bright red 4 door truck with an orange kayak in the back . If the truck is parked at a pond or lake look for the orange kayak in the water .

Tim: I think it is the CCC road just to the left of the parking lot of the south end of the lake, maybe up a piece. It's a dirt road and offers view south looking north. But I will look for Peen Hill now on my Jimapco. I'm starting out at the south end of Willoughby, taking the CCC road, then heading to Wheeler. Then back down and up the east side of the lake to Long Pond Road. From there we will go to Hinton Hill and Jobs Pond and down 114 and over to Darling Hill to show him that lovely road/inns and to the Chapel.

I will definitely look for your kayak and/or truck! I'll bring my magazine with me! I won't give up on that but I doubt I'll swim over to your kayak for a signature!

Tim: I found Peen Hill and Cook. Do we just stop at that intersection and there's the view?

ctyanky wrote:Tim: I think it is the CCC road just to the left of the parking lot of the south end of the lake, maybe up a piece. It's a dirt road and offers view south looking north. But I will look for Peen Hill now on my Jimapco. I'm starting out at the south end of Willoughby, taking the CCC road, then heading to Wheeler. Then back down and up the east side of the lake to Long Pond Road. From there we will go to Hinton Hill and Jobs Pond and down 114 and over to Darling Hill to show him that lovely road/inns and to the Chapel.

I will definitely look for your kayak and/or truck! I'll bring my magazine with me! I won't give up on that but I doubt I'll swim over to your kayak for a signature!

CT
In the morning the south end of Willoughby will be good. If you are heading south on route 5A the CCC road is on the right at the crest of the hill. There is an excellent view of the cliffs of Pisgah and the Lake from there.

If you start there I would head from there toward Jobs Pond. Jobs gets better light in the morning.
Then head to Newark and Bald Hill Ponds.
Then to Long Pond
Side track up Hinton Hill.
Backtrack to Willoughby north beach.
Peen Hill/Cook Rd (the view is right near the intersection)
Then Wheeler Pond (you can take the shortcut to the north end of Wheeler Mtn Rd from Peen Rd instead of driving all the way around)
Then route 5 to West Burke
5A to Newark St
Newark St to Sugarhouse Rd
Sugarhouse Rd to Burke Hollow
Burke Hollow to Darling Hill

That should move you around better with sun angles. That is basically my plan for tomorrow, although I might change up after Wheeler Pond and head toward the Sheffield/Wheelock/Stannard area.