In Vermont, this year as in every year, local people and leaf-peepers alike awaited the peak of autumn foliage. September days ran out into October, November is almost here, and prized crimson, magenta and tangerine leaves appeared on the hills like an apple ripening in the sun.
However, as the sugar maples turned their brightest hue, heavy rains hit New England, knocking down the foliage in many places. The quilt of color still covers the mountains in much of the state, but on the higher mountains and to the north, the foliage coat seems older, unpatched, due to the many bare trees.
Vermont needed rain. The summer was a bit hot, with sometimes 90-degree days. Some wells were nearly dry. Yet it is always a loss when the most glorious days are washed away in misty rain. For visitors who come for the foliage, seeing so many leaves fall can be quite a disappointment.
The mountains
Any mountain around the world is incredibly beautiful during the fall season, but Vermont has something special to see. If you ask Vermonters, they’ll tell you to just get out there anyway. Take a ski lift up Sugarbush or Killington. Hike up Mt. Mansfield or Camel’s Hump. Suddenly, all the color that appeared lost will lie before you as you gaze into the distance, where the Green Mountains curve away into distant blue and purple.
The woods
To recoup the lost color from a closer angle, take a walk in the woods. You can do this easily by visiting the Green Mountain National Forest at one of its many access points. The National Forest is divided into two large parts, one in the south and one further north; they both offer numerous hikes and easy walks.
Try walking a bit of the Long Trail, which runs 273 miles down the spine of the state, over its highest mountains, from Canada to the Massachusetts border. In the woods, yellow, gold, and even red leaves still cling to many trees, lit by sun. Bare spots in the woods open up vistas that are closed to the visitor who came a few weeks earlier. At the top of Rt. 73 and the Brandon Gap, climb the trail to look off the sheer cliff of Mt. Horrid. In spite of the mountain’s name, the cliff reveals a delightful view.
At any turn in Vermont’s forests you may see deer, moose, or perhaps even a black bear. Leaves are everywhere: they life beneath your feet in the dark green moss, returning to earth. However briefly, they seem a carpet fit for royalty.
Lake Champlain
Near Lake Champlain, temperatures are warmer than elsewhere in Vermont, and leaves are still turning. In the southern part of the state, and in the valleys, beautiful foliage is still turning; colder temperatures bring out the visible color in leaves. Wherever you go in Vermont in the fall, even in a year when there have been heavy rains, autumn leaves are abundant. As people say, “If you don’t like the weather in Vermont, wait five minutes.” If, in foliage time, you don’t like the view, just drive, or walk, a few miles. It’s like playing a game of hide and seek, with autumnal beauty as the prize.
Vermont is well-known for its spectacular nature and breathtaking fall foliage. Many photographers and nature junkies love the fall colors in in Vermont. Grab your camera and take a trip to Vermont today to enjoy the fantastic scenes tomorrow. It’s a great way to forget all the problems, escape the hustle and bustle and connect to nature. Just imagine yourself meditating among those awesome trees or near a beautiful and serene lake. Have you ever been to Vermont during the fall season? What are your impressions?
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