October 9, 2023: There is a lot of fall color in central and northern Vermont, and many trees are presently at peak color. Rutland, Windham, and Bennington counties are either close to or at peak color, with some valley oaks still green. There is still time to get out and see some brilliant displays of color! Of note, this last week brought some extremes to Vermont – mid-80-degree temperatures, followed by rainy and blustery weather over the weekend. The first half of the week was prime foliage viewing, with clear skies, warm temperatures, and lots of color statewide. Rain and wind, standard weather for autumn, did blow some leaves off trees, but trees in the northern half of the state lost more than the south, and there’s still a lot to see statewide.
Enjoy the remaining days of fall colors and use caution as you leaf peep throughout the state. Helpful tips: when pulling off the road to view the brilliant colors against Vermont's mountainous backdrop, please be mindful of traffic, use your blinker, and pull fully onto the road's shoulder. There's often a pull off area on Vermont's backroads to safely stop your car as you capture this year's fall foliage.
Best bets:
Northern areas – Lake Willoughby; backroads of southern Orleans County. Visit the Museum of Everyday Life in Glover. The Northeast Kingdom scenic byway will also offer beautiful views.
Southern areas – Merck Forest; Mount Equinox; Route 9 between Brattleboro and Wilmington; Routes 30 and 133 in southwestern VT. Route 4 between Woodstock and Killington and any section of the Route 100 scenic byway.
FALL FOLIAGE REPORT | ISSUE 5 OF 7
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