Plenty of places to partake in peak peeping
Color starts to pop at the Waterbury Reservoir. Photo by Gordon Miller
The Green Mountains soon will ignite in orange and red, as leaf peeping season rapidly approaches. Across Vermont, outdoor destinations prepare for an influx of families in search of some fall spirit. The peak for leaf peeping is widely debated, but Oct. 2 to 9 should have the brightest displays, according to the Vermont foliage forecaster, which the state publishes. The leaves may be brighter earlier this year, meteorologists have suggested, because of the summer’s flooding and waterlogged tree roots. Finding the most prime spots to view the display is a point of pride among Vermonters.
Here are a few favorite destinations to embrace the weather and color:
Shelburne Farms
Shelburne Farms, along with its relaxing inn, prides itself on cultivating a sustainable future for Vermont. It offers walking trails through flower gardens, cheese making demonstrations and a children’s farmyard for interacting with the animal inhabitants. And that’s all in addition to the views of vibrant trees surrounding the property.
On Oct. 10, Shelburne Farms is offering horse-drawn wagon rides for foliage viewing. A team of Percheron draft horses from Thornapple Farm in New Haven will take visitors on a 20-minute ride through the farm’s colorful backdrop. The farm suggests that people register for a wagon spot. The rides take place every half-hour between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and cost $15 per person or free for children ages 2 and younger.
Lake Champlain boat cruise
Multiple companies lead cruises and sail boats around Lake Champlain, most leaving out of downtown Burlington. The Spirit of Ethan Allen goes out several times a day, including for an evening Sunset Cruise and lunch or dinner on the water. The daily Scenic Narrated Cruises provide information on the history of Lake Champlain. The views at peak leaf time include the Adirondack Mountains on the opposite side of the lake, as well as the Green Mountains from the Vermont side. The narrated cruise lasts about an hour and a half, allowing visitors to enjoy the rest of the sights of Burlington and beyond in the fall.
Whistling Man Schooner Company also offers sails around the lake, either in a public or private group. The boats are sailing vessels, smaller than the Ethan Allen cruises for a more intimate setting, accommodating about 6 people.
Hikes on Mt. Mansfield
For leaf-peepers who want to add a challenge to their autumn enjoyment, Mt. Mansfield includes multiple trails that offer ideal views of the Green Mountains turning orange and red. The Hellbrook Trail is a relatively strenuous three-mile hike. One of the more difficult routes to the summit, or Chin, of Mansfield, it is best suited to skilled hikers.
The Nebraska Notch trail is considered more moderate. At more than three miles, it delivers the spectacle of the Sugarloaf peaks and a waterfall. Color often peaks earlier at the higher elevations, so hikers can hit the trails on the front end of the foliage calendar and soak in the warmer autumn temperatures along with the fall colors.
Stowe gondola rides
Stowe Mountain Resort is open for hiking, gondola rides and drives up Mount Mansfield during foliage season. It also has restaurants and a waffle shack open along the skyride. Owned by Vail Resorts, the Colorado-based conglomerate of ski venues, Stowe attracts families from neighboring states and beyond.
Bea Wilderman, a resident of Brookline, Mass., enjoys her time on the mountain every autumn, she said during a recent phone interview. “My favorite part of the autumn in Stowe are all the gorgeous red, orange and yellow leaves lining the mountains.” Wilderman added, “Spruce Peak looks like it is on fire. … Then the leaves all fall, and it is time to ski.”
Before Stowe turns into one of New England’s most popular ski destinations, it’s a key attraction during the fall. And gondola rides this time of year require far less equipment.
