Sergey

Sorry for long preamble to the actual question...

Foliage is here and I hope to take 2 days off work and head to Vermont next week. I know there were recent VT foliage topics here and definitely read them.
My guess is that by the middle of next week the Northern VT will be well past peak, so I should have better chances with Southern VT, maybe Middle and probably West (Lake Champlain area). I know two days (including driving from Boston) is too short time but that's all I have.

My main interest is in landscapes. I've been to some typical places before - Jenne Farm, Sleepy Hollow Farm (which I actually like better than Jenne), Quechee Gorge, Woodstock, Shelburne Farms, Smuggler's Notch and some small cute towns. I haven't been to VT for quite a few years, since I restarted my passion to hiking and backpacking. This fall is different - I rolled my ankle on a hike and can't go on typical White Mountains rocky trails. I am able to walk on relatively flat surfaces.

I am going to camp - another reason to choose VT out of all NE States - VT State Park campgrounds have leantos which I love in the fall (no need to setup a tent, nothing like sleeping on a fresh air with the view of the sky and no mosquitos).

What are you favorite places (accessible without climbing rocky terrain) with small streams in the woods, backroads with tree canopy, cemeteries, in other words places you would photograph in overcast or rainy weather (it looks like this is what is expected in the middle of the next week)? And if the weather is sunny - where would you go then?

And people who live in VT - I'd appreciate to hear your input on the current foliage conditions. My experience with typical foliage trackers are not that good - I got impression that they try to promote travel and tourism and because of that are a little misleading.

Thanks in advance
Sergey

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Deteted

david vt Loc: Vermont

Hi

Peak in Shelburne has just started, so let that help be a guide. You can google “peak fall foliage” and get tracking maps.

Overall, I think your ideas of southern VT is likely good, especially staying off the upper elevations and nearer to the the Lake.

Sounds like a good trip. Have fun.

melueth Loc: Central Florida

I have friends living in Shafsbury, just north of Bennington. They're telling me that there was a fungus on the leaves in that region this year due to a lot of rain, and a lot of the leaves have fallen prematurely. There is some color happening there, but it's just not as lush as some years. They run a bed and breakfast, and are sending their guests north of them to catch better foliage shots. Just what i learned yesterday.

Marylea

Sergey

Thank you David

Sergey

Thank you Marylea, this is good to know

Xanadu Loc: Clay County FL

I would give some consideration to traveling Rt 100 between I-89 (north) and US4 (south). There are "gap" roads off of Rt 100 that probably will be very colorful next week = Appalachian Gap, Middlebury Gap, Brandon Gap etc.
Granville Gulf (Moss Glen Falls).
North of I-89 will be past peak when you visit.
Have fun!

Sergey

Thank you!

k2edm Loc: FN32AD

take mass tpk to (I think I91)[goes north from hartford/springfield to Vt] north to Vt 4. take vt 4 west toward Rutland. between the vt/NH line and rutland.. dont forget your camera

Sergey

Thank you! Like your comment about the camera :)

k2edm Loc: FN32AD

yeh, I usta own lakefront cabin on St Catherine.. rt 4 east of rutland is pretty good and you can always take 100 north or south from there..Proctor is worth checking out also..

k2edm Loc: FN32AD

not to sure if Mt Equinox is worth it or not (south of rutland) nice views but quite a climb. I had a yearly pass ($10) in the sixties, VHF radio works great if you mount the antenna on a 3800 foot tower/

MDI Mainer

Neat app from the state tourism office:

https://www.vermontvacation.com/landing-pages/recreation/foliage/foliage-forecaster

Gourmand Loc: Dallas

Just returned from Vt. Best color was above 1,000 ft. The locations you mentioned in the overall latitude of Burlington had some wonderful colors, but they were here and there - not everywhere, and definitely moving south. The trees in the Woodstock area had just begun to color up and may be approaching prime when you are there. If not, go a little further north and get a little higher (elevation wise). The comment about the fungus explains the trees that were already completely stripped of leaves. They tended to be localized, so if you encounter some, just move on - or point your camera in a different direction. When you are in the color, it is excellent. Since the roads tend to follow the rivers, skip the pullouts where there are masses of cars and go down stream a bit. Find an empty pullout and walk in towards the river to see what's there. The best time I had came when I pulled off the road a couple of miles downstream from some waterfalls that had attracted viewers en masse. There was a gold mine of water features with only one other person who showed up (he was in fact was panning for gold!). About four hours later, in essentially the same location I had photographed some fantastic falls, reflective pools, mushrooms, back lit trees and leaves - none of which were visible from the road which was about 100 meters from the water. Most of my work was shot bracketed with a wide prime, a 58mm, a macro and a tripod. Happy Hunting!!!

Sergey

Thanks a lot Gourmand!