Stowe area October 11-15

[courtmel]

Hi all,

It is beginning and I couldn't be happier. I live for the autumn and get as excited as a little girl on Christmas Eve. We are going to Stowe this year. We have always gone to the Killington area for the past 7 years so this should be a nice change. New off the beaten track places to explore. We love to just drive and get lost on country roads. Would you recommend so nice places for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that are reasonable. Also is there any places that are "must sees" in this area or within a days drive. I don't want to miss anything. Let's hope the foliage is better than last year which was a complete washout. First year that I was disappointed. It rained every day that we were in VT. Let's all pray for crisp days and cool nights to get the foliage going. See you in God's country.

autumnleaf

[pwt54]

I'm not sure what reasonable means to you, but Stowe has quite a variety of restuarants. My favorites are the Shed, a pub brewry reastuarant, Gracies, and for a burger, fries and Elvis the Depot Malt Shoppe. The are 2 covered bridges near Stowe. Emily's Bridge is in Stowe Hollow. In Stowe Village take School Street across from the big white church. Go about 1/4 of a mile and look for the Stowe Hollow Road on the right. For the first few miles you have woods on both side. Then you come to a wide open valley. At the bottom of the hill turn right. The bridge is about 1/2 of a mile on the right. Drive throught the bridge and park on the left. This bridge is suppose to be haunted. When you are done drive back through the bridge and take the road straight ahead. This will take you to Waterbury Center. The next bridge is on the Sterling Valley Road. Take route 100 north out of Stowe. Just past the Foxfire Inn the rt 100 "curves" to the right with a road on the left. Take this road , the Stagecoach Road. For the first 2 miles the road is flat then you come to a hill. Half way up this hill and on the left is the Sterling Valley Road. You will come to the bridge. Lets back track a bit. If you continue north 100 from the "curve" you will come to a long straight section with a farm on the left. Route 100 curves to the left after the farm with a road on the right. This is the Randolph Road. Take the Randolph Rd a short way and look for the Moss Glen Falls Road on the right. Drive this road until it takes a hard right turn and park in the parking area at the top of the turn. Walk the path to the falls. Back in Stowe take route 108, the Mountain Road. Like the Stagecoach Road it is flat for the first few miles. Then you drive up a hill. At the top of the hill and on the left is the Inn at the Mountain. In the parking lot behind the Inn is the Toll Road to the top of Mt. Mansfield. Going past the Inn look for a parking area on the left and park there. Walk across the road to the path that takes you to Bingham Falls. Farther up route 108 is the Spruce Peak ski area on the right. There is an alpine slide there. On the left is the Mt. Mansfield ski area. There is a gondola that takes up about 3/4 of the way up Mt. Mansfield. If you continue route 108 you will go through Smuggler's Notch. A good thing to do when you get to Stowe stop into the visitor's center on main street and get a restuarant booklet and see if they have a county map. There are so many nice back roads in that area it would take a book to list them. Or stop into the Maplefield store and see if they have a Jimmapco VT Atlas for sale.

[courtmel]

Hi pwt54,

Thank you for your generous response. I will certainly check out all the great places you wrote about. I can't wait to get up to Vermont. How is the foliage moving along?

[pwt54]

It's moving along nicely. Trees in the wet areas are already turning because this has been a wet year. Colors look good so far.

[courtmel]

Good Afternoon pwt54,

Where is Johnson, VT? Boy, do I envy you. Living in paradise! I love autumn and winter. Could certainly do without summer except under the clear Vermont sky and for a couple of short months. We had a brutally hot July. Have you had a frost yet?

[pwt54]

Johnson is on route 15 about 20 miles north of Stowe. Summer started out cool and wet. Then we had a couple of heat waves in July. The last 3 weeks have been cooler than normal. A few isolated spots got frost on Tuesday night.

[pwt54]

There is one area in Johnson that you check out if you don't mind a dirt road and that is Clay Hill. The road starts as Pearl Street next to the church with the clock. You drive straight to where the pavements and go straight again. In about a mile you will go up a short hill to a flat area with a farm on the left. A little past this farm there is a road on the left, park near there and check out the southwest view. A little farther you will see a road on the right called the Ben Ober Hill RD. There is a good southeast view there. This road takes you to route 100c. Continuing on the Clay Hill Rd you will see another road on the left. Take that road to the end and turn left. This is the Codding Hollow Road. Drive it to the end and turn right, drive over the bridge and turn right again. Drive this road to the end for another southwest view. Now, if you turn left you will end up back in Johnson. If you turn right you will have a nice ride to route 109 in Waterville.

[Hollie]

For a great breakfast that isn't expensive, try McCarthy's on Mountain Road. I ate there in August and absolutely loved my breakfast. We also ate at Partridge Inn, which is a seafood restaurant. The food was really good and it was pretty reasonable. Hope this helps!

[courtmel]

Hollie-

I have heard about the Partridge Inn. Plan to have some tasty seafood there. When are you going to be in Stowe?

[Hollie]

We were in Stowe in early August. We're going back to Killington this year for foliage. You're going to have some amazing pictures from your trip. Stowe was great and has some really nice places to photograph.

[courtmel]

Hollie-

We always stayed at Mendon Mountainview Resort for the past 6 years always from Oct 10th or 11th thru 14th or 15th but seemed early for foliage in the majority of years. This year we booked Stowe thinking we would be apt to hit "peak" in that area. I think we might miss it since I hear reports of peak in Stowe already. I sure hope not. Where do you stay in Killington? Besides Partridge Inn can you recommend others sites and restaurants? Be sure to have breakfast at Sugar & Spice in Mendon. Best atmosphere in the area. Truly Vermont at it's finest. All the wait staff has been there for decades. Also stop in and see Millie and Joe to get a homemade apple pie at Mendon Mountain Orchard. The also have the best checkered or striped tea towels at $2.00 a piece. I get 5 or 6 each year but they are so pretty I just stack them up on my hutch. Heli's Restaurant at Mendon Mountainview Resort has a wonderful dinner menu.The owners are from either Poland or Czech Republic. Make reservations early. Their wiener schnizel (sic) is to die for. When are you going to Killington?

[courtmel]

Dear bm, pwt54, and all us foliage followers,

We won't be up there until Wednesday, Oct 11th??? Will we still see nice, pretty foliage or will it be too late? Give it to me straight. I can't believe this year of all years we didn't book Killington but thought Stowe was a better venue for that time of year. I know it is a crap shoot but what areas within driving distance might be our best bets?

[courtmel]

bm-

Thanks for the reassurance! Is Ben and Jerry's in Waterbury? What other sites might we take in?
You made me very happy and more relaxed.

Thanks again!

[Fitch Hill Inn]

If you are looking for more reasonable places to eat, try Morrisville & Jeffersonville. Jeffersonville is on the other side of Smugglers' Notch. 158 Main (address obvious) has good american style food for very reasonable prices. Morrisville is north of Stowe on VT Rte 100. The Bees Knees is an eclectic restaurant serving local produce, the Thai Orchid is very good thai, Bonz Smokehouse & Grill & Melben's Restaurant (italian & seafood) were written up in Vermont Magazine about a year ago. All these restaurants are open for lunch and dinner, and 158 Main serves breakfast.

Enjoy your trip!

[pwt54]

Ben & Jerry's is on route 100 in Waterbury. A mile above Ben & Jerry's is the Cabot Annex store. They have all of their cheeses laid out for tasting. A mile above them is the Cold Hollow Cider Mill with the Grand View Winery next door. Save this area for a yuckie day.