How to View Fall Foliage Along Vermont's Route 100

The state of Vermont usually has spectacular fall foliage. Not only are the leaves brightly colored in many shades of red, orange, and yellow, but the foliage is also set in beautiful, picturesque backgrounds - small towns, villages, farms, rural areas, mountains & hills, valleys, meadows, streams, and lakes. The way to get the most out of the Vermont fall foliage experience is to follow the most scenic routes. In this article I will cover the most scenic section of Route 100 from Wilmington to the Stowe area. This route runs along both the southern and northern sections of the Green Mountain National Forest and, although beautiful in all four seasons, it is especially beautiful during the fall foliage season. There are spectacular places to stop and view the foliage too numerous to mention. Follow the steps below to find some special places on your road trip.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Begin on Route 100 in Wilmington, Vermont. Wilmington is a small town with many shops, attractions, and places to eat.

2. Continue north along Route 100 until you come to the town of Weston. You will find places to stop, view the foliage, and take pictures along this route.

3. Stop in the town of Weston; it is an especially beautiful, serene, small town. Weston has a very nice village green. It's filled with large old trees with leaves that turn predominantly bright, golden-yellow. In a very short walk around the green and adjacent side streets, you will find waterfalls, an old mill museum, comfortable places to sit and take in the scenery, and quaint country stores where you can shop for snacks, souvenirs, and gifts.

4. Continue north along Route 100 until you reach Route 100A which will bring you to Plymouth Notch. This village contains the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site. It is an interesting place to visit not just for the historic value but also because the village itself has changed very little since Coolidge was President. It is an antique village located in a very beautiful, pastoral setting. Visiting during foliage season will greatly enhance your experience. Nearby is also the Calvin Coolidge State Forest which is a beautiful place to walk around and view the foliage.

5. Return to Route 100 and continue north towards Stowe.

6. Stop at Moss Glen Falls, located just north of Granville. It isn't a big area or popular tourist attraction, but it's a pleasant place to stop by the side of the road because of its location. It's located right on Route 100 and has a parking lot and a short trail which leads to a wooden platform right in front of the falls. The power of the waterfall varies greatly according to the season and the amount of rainfall.

7. Continue north along Route 100 until you reach the town of Stowe which is a beautiful little resort town in a very scenic setting. Stowe and the surrounding area is a four season vacation area filled with tourist attractions, places to stay, restaurants, shops, and many things to do.

8. From Stowe take Route 108 north toward Mt. Mansfield. All along the way there are places to park which provide access to a paved trail, several miles long, which is used for hiking, rollerblading, jogging, and biking. The trail runs along a stream and has beautiful mountain and valley foliage views.

9. Continue along Route 108 to Mt. Mansfield from which you can see some of the most spectacular fall foliage views in Vermont. There is a scenic mountain toll road with lookout points, a scenic gondola ride up and down the mountain, and a 2300 foot alpine slide down the mountain. This is an excellent, very well designed alpine slide. The sleds are easy to control you can go as fast or as slow as you like. Mt. Mansfield is a very special place to experience and view fall foliage.

Tips & Warnings

• To get the most out of Vermont fall foliage keep several things in mind:
• 1. Fall foliage varies. Some years are better then others
• 2. Peak foliage varies. It tends to fall between the last week of September and the 3rd week of October.
• 3. Foliage tends to peak first in the northern part of the state and then moves south.
• 4. It can be hard to plan too far in advance because peak color varies from location to location and from year to year.
• 5. The best plan is to do some research before you go so you know both where and when to expect peak fall color.
• 6. Many Vermont tourist attractions close for the season in October. Although most try to stay open for the fall foliage season, some close early. Also, some are open only on weekends after Labor Day. Call ahead to make sure the attractions you want to visit will be open.