Next Year coming 5 days before Columbus Day

[courtmel]

Hi All-

After reading the recent posts I guess I missed the boat this year. Regardless since our room is already booked for 5 days can anyone suggest any routes or areas within driving distance from Stowe to see the last vestages of foliage even if it means GASP going into NH? Any info would be appreciated. From now on I plan to book the Wednesday before Columbus Day. I heard the foliage turned early this year. I am so bummed out. This is what I wait for every year. Please suggest some places where I might be able to salvage my vacation.

[robafen]

Try route 116 through Bristol up to Hinesburg.
Left on Silver Stret back to Bristol. Then take 17 west to Route 7 up to Burlington.

This is mostly Champlain Valley area and is just now peaking. It is usually last to turn.
You'll see good color but not much for mountain views

[Axel in JP]

I don't know if it's too far (it's probably at least a two-and-a-half hour drive), but I just got back from Lake Winnipesaukee and the foliage was spectacular. The color was at maybe 50-60%, so it should be peaking by this weekend. Plus, if you take Rt. 2 over to 93 South, you'll go through Franconia Notch, which had some fantastic peak colors. (Most of the rest of the White Mountains were past peak.)

We were staying in the Northeast Kingdom where the color was disappointing, but I heard from this site that New Hampshire was good, so we went and we didn't regret it.

[courtmel]

robafen and Axel-

Thanks for the great info. This was just what I had been hoping for. Since we are going up to Vt for leaf peeping driving to Burlington or anywhere else within several hours is no problem. I also realize that rain is predicted but what can you do. I am glad you both were able to see some nice spots. I will let you know how our trip turned on when we get back.

Thanks so much

[pwt54]

Thanks for the NH update Axel. I'll use it if needed.

[Jyrki]

If you want a great sunrise spot, try driving North Street north from Montpelier, just a few miles. I was there on Saturday morning already before sunrise. Montpelier was covered with fog, but North Street climbed above the fog and I could see a beautiful valley on the left side with fog down in the valley and sun painting the mountains and the valley with light. There was even some cows that were a nice foreground object for photos. I also saw a few deer on the field, but didn't get my camera ready fast enough.

Thanks for pwt54 for this tip!

Kancamagus Highway in NH was very beautiful, but maybe that's too far for you?

[sharan]

We drove from Quechee Gorge to Stowe today. The best road we travelled was the Moretown road from Northfield Falls to Moretown. It was really pretty, I thought. Rt 12 from Woodstock to Barnard was nice too. Quechee Gorge is worth seeing even though the foliage there isn't the best right now. If you never seen the gorge, you should go. The toll road to Mt. Mansfield was nice too. Autumnleaf, I hope you have a great trip!

[courtmel]

Hi sharan-

Thanks for the heads up. Well, we depart tomorrow morning and I can't wait. The foliage in our area of CT is beautiful right now but then again it always is in October. Whenever we get back from VT my DH always says, "where did we see the best foliage" and of course my answer is "right here at home". We go to Queechee Gorge every year. It is quite amazing and we do love it. My DH and daughters have actually walked down to the gorge via the trail and told me about the smoothed out bathing holes from centuries ago. We do love that area of VT. The foliage will be what it will be. We will still have a great time. I just hope it doesn't rain too much. Last year was dreadful.

I will post on my return but I will book before Columbus Day for next year. Of course the foliage will be late to turn and it will be green as the middle of summer. LOL

[pwt54]

North Street in Montpelier ends on the Horn Of The Moon Road. This road goes from route 12 to the County Road. Sometimes this road is hard to find because some steals the road sign to decorate their dorm room. There are a lot of short and criss-crossing roads between the County Road and route 14. These roads have alot of varied scenery and good color(when the color is good). I highly recommend this area for viewing abd photographing. Traveling these criss-crossing road can be confusing but you can pick up a map of this area at the Welcome Center on 134 State in Montpelier, just west of the Capitol Building. The building at Kent Corners, the church on the Old West Church Road, the meeting house in North Calais, and the Tebbitts Road in South Woodbury that goes under a barn are a few places to check out in this area. A few small ponds here also.

[jeffox]

I was at the gorge on Monday. There was some color and the gorge itself was an interesting sight. However, the Woodstock area was a traffic-clogged tourist trap.
Having spent the weekend up in Barre/Groton doing photography, I was a bit disappointed at the color. I got some great photos, but postings to this forum just a week before Columbus Day had suggested the area would be at peak. It was quite a bit past peak.
Driving down I-91 on Monday, I noted that the peak colors seemed to be around Brattleboro into northern Mass. This weekend the weather is supposed to turn chillier, so I expect peak color will move still further south. Such are the ways of nature!

[pwt54]

We have had a couple of wierd years. Last year we had mid-July type weather in late Sept and this year we had Oct. type weather in August. Of course this is an election year. If I was a tree I would have dropped my leaves and gone into hibernation in mid- September.