Leaf Peeper’s Guide to Foliage and Fun 2020
“And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.”
— Oscar Wilde
That’s how it is around here. Vermont. Green, green, green … then hints of red, yellow, orange, spring green, brown, mostly on trees that are stressed, or dying, or want to be first in line. Then bam! An explosion of color.
Like Mr. Wilde says, suddenly, seemingly all at once, summer is fall. If you run into a local on your trip north this September or October — made more difficult with masks and COVID and virus fears — every single one of them will be sure to regale you with tales of how “the leaves just aren’t as colorful this year” or “it’s never been more beautiful” or “fall comes later and later every year.” That last one might just be true.
So, if you happen to take your fall trip a little too early or a little too late, fortunate son or daughter, it does not really matter. There are old mills and mountaintop trout ponds and scenic streams and waterfalls to explore, and on this you can trust us, they are beautiful year round, no matter the luster of the leaves. Well, if you get it just right and hit Peak Foliage, as we like say, that’s like your first maple creemee of the season.
(Note: If you get about in your car or bike or kayak in different parts of the state, you’re bound to hit peak foliage no matter when you come, from the third week of September to the third week of October. High elevations and NEK, early. Valleys along Mountain flanks, mid. Champlain Valley and southern Vermont, late.)
— Greg Popa
Here are all the photos we received for the fall foliage photo contest 2020 (lively landscapes, pretty petioles and other fine fall photos)!
Submit your lively landscapes, pretty petioles and other fine fall photos. Shutterbugs have now until Nov. 1 to submit up to three photos, which will be shared online and, perhaps, featured in print. Staff will vote and select first, second and third place winners. To share your favorites, email foliage@stowereporter.com.
Like the Statue of Liberty welcomed immigrants to Ellis Island, the Stowe Community Church and its spire has welcomed travelers to this mounta…
Sunset Rock offers a serene vantage point for viewing Stowe village and the tall peaks of the distant Mt. Mansfield State Forest.
Asking the question — who’s buried in Stowe’s Old Yard Cemetery — won’t elicit a punch line like that old Grant’s Tomb joke, but the answers m…
Crisp fall air. Juicy, delicious orbs. Cider donuts.
Picture a quiet scene where a few sailboats ride gentle breezes on a large blue lake snuggled between a country lodge, forest and mountains. T…
Nearly 80 years ago, the last residents of Waterbury’s Little River settlement abandoned their farms and businesses, turning the once large fa…
While there’s nothing like a sunny day in Vermont, rainy days can offer just as many rewards if you take full advantage, appreciating the soft…
For a half-day hike that combines a good physical workout with unique geographical features and terrific views, try Sterling Pond.
The Lamoille Valley Rail Trail offers leaf peepers a whole new way to take in fall foliage — at a slow pace.
A great day-trip destination that includes something of interest for nearly everyone is Jericho’s Old Red Mill, about an hour from Stowe and 3…
The Windridge Trails in Jeffersonville offer a choice of terrain and scenery. The trails split into two sections called the Pond Route and the…
The Hell Brook trail, climbing 1.8 miles up Mt. Mansfield out of Smugglers' Notch, gains 2,600 feet in elevation over its length.
Flatlanders (those not originally from Vermont) enjoy seeing the postcard scenes of red barns nestled in green hillsides covered with black-an…
Some historians call them history on the land. Others, such as Vermont Covered Bridge Society co-founder Joseph Nelson, consider them “stand-a…
Hikers exploring Vermont tend to look up for their destinations, to peaks like Mt. Mansfield, Camel’s Hump, and Jay Peak, which means a lot of…
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexual language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be proactive. Use the "Report" link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.