manchester next week

[saralh]

I am taking a trip to vermont on 10/22 and will be staying in manchester. I have heard about the storm and was wondering if anyone can tell me if manchester lost all their leaves. I am aware that late october is at the end of fall foliage. Is everything going to be on the ground?

[pwt54]

The mountain area around Manchester will probably be gone by. However the lowlands between Manchester and Bennington and the Area northwest of there to about Poultney should have some good late color. Also the Red Oaks should be turning and it looks like a good year for them.

[saralh]

I'm not too familiar with the area. I am staying at the Wilburton on river road off route 7. Is that in the lowlands?

[pwt54]

Yes it is. Great place to stay. There is a long narrow valley starting up near Rutland that runs between the Green Mountains of Vermont and an offshoot of the Taconic Mountains coming from NY. Manchester is in that valley. The valley widens out south of Manchester. A route I would try is route 30 from Poultney south through Manchester down to Brattleboro. The foliage through the heart of the Green Mtns. on route 30 might be sparse but east of the Green Mtns. should be good. I would take route US 7 north to the traffic light in Wallingford and turn left onto route 140 west. Take route 140 west to Poultney and then route 30 south. You may also want to try routes 153 and 315 in the Rupert/Pawlet area for a short evening ride. When you get to the jct. of routes 153 and 315, do route 315 west about a mile from the jct. and check out the neat abandoned old country store.