It's 2018 and time to kickstart your Vermont fall foliage plans!

[ctyanky]

Where's summer??? Did we skip spring this year as well??? Anyways, this cool weather lately has gotten me totally jazzed for the upcoming fall trip to Vermont! I've been going over all of my activities for each of my four inn stays in different parts of Vermont and friends from afar have been contacting me for meetups so...... I'm over the top excited! I hope I can fulfill some of the activities/venues on my bucket list thread because one day in each location I am horseback riding or taking more lessons. This is a priority for me when I'm up in Vermont for foliage season. Here are some of the stables I'll be riding at in case anyone has been or is interested! I've ridden at Icelandic numerous times for the half day trek and it was phenomenal! There's nothing like riding in the mountains during the autumn season and I can't wait to try out my new riding equipment.....

http://kimberlyfarms.org/

North Bennington

http://mountainviewranch.biz/

Danby

http://icelandichorses.com/

Fayston

http://www.lajoiestables.com/index.html

Jeffersonville

http://www.chipmanstables.com/

Danby

Are there any horse lovers out there who have ridden in the other stables? I'm going to start volunteering next summer for a local equine rescue group who saves horses from the kill pen auctions in the Midwest and then provides for them rehabilitation and rehoming. One of my passions.... I just love being around horses since I was very young and am trying to perfect some of my riding skills while I'm up in Vermont!

Hope you can find time to trail ride this foliage season in Vermont. There's nothing like it!

[ctyanky]

Where's summer I asked in the previous post? Well it's here with a vengeance! Seven days of inland temps of 95 and above with heat indices of 105! I don't know how I ever survived growing up without AC! And I'm not thrilled about getting my next electric bill! Anyways, better having the heat now instead of fall where last season, as we all well know, we experienced 90's for three days the end of September and a rather prolonged warm spell to follow into early October.

Nonetheless, Happy Fourth of July! Have a safe and fun-filled holiday and stay cool! CT

[Texas_Aggie]

Howdy everyone! I’m new to the forum. Our family will be making our first trip to Vermont this fall! We have family that moved to central Vermont a couple of years ago, and we will be staying with them for Columbus Day weekend. I am an ecologist by trade, and an amateur photographer. I’m looking forward to hopefully seeing some good fall foliage! I’ve been studying up with Kaplan’s and Andy’s books, and scouting places on google earth.

[mmvt]

Howdy everyone! I’m new to the forum. Our family will be making our first trip to Vermont this fall! We have family that moved to central Vermont a couple of years ago, and we will be staying with them for Columbus Day weekend. I am an ecologist by trade, and an amateur photographer. I’m looking forward to hopefully seeing some good fall foliage! I’ve been studying up with Kaplan’s and Andy’s books, and scouting places on google earth.

Welcome Texas! Andy's book is a great resource with lots of excellent tips for awesome places all over the state. You might also check out "Abby's" posts on the forum for ideas, especially in the NEK! (Abby co-wrote Andy's 2nd edition book so if you haven't gotten that one you might consider also getting it as it's more updated. As you may know, some of the "iconic" Kaplan scenes are no longer visible but others have stood the test of time! WARNING: Sleepy Hollow Farm outside of Woodstock has become a ridiculous tourist attraction so if you want to shoot that stick to the "golden hour" where it's likely to be less "peepers".

[ctyanky]

Hi Texas Aggie and welcome to the Scenes of Vermont foliage forum! A great venue for all things Vermont! You are going to love being in Vermont during foliage season! You will fall in love with the state and I bet you are looking forward to cool weather! I lived in Austin and man, it was one hot summer there!

Columbus Day Weekend is VERY busy and glad to hear you are staying with family! Central Vermont is where I normally stay (except this season I'm kind of all over the place!) and it offers a good spot to branch out north and south. That weekend should be fine in central Vermont as well as southern Vermont. There is sooooooooooo much going on that weekend! Fairs and festivals galore! I'm sure your family will tell you all about the wonderful back roads in Vermont where you are sure to find some great foliage. Perhaps they own a Jimapco or Delorme map by now and would let you peruse through it and take on your day trips! I will be in Manchester for the entire Columbus Day Weekend and the area around there is spectacular! Danby and Dorset are two of my favorite areas around Manchester just to mention a few.....

Keep an "eye" on the forum as we get closer for some real time and on the spot reports from locals and "seasoned" visitors alike. The forum really gets moving along in mid-September. Some of us regulars head up the end of September and herald in some early foliage reports. We have one forum member, Minnesotaman, who stays a month, from the third week in September through the last part of October, and he is all over the place with excellent reports on the conditons.

Again, welcome!!!! We hope to see you here a lot, asking questions and enjoying your visit! It is going to be a wonderful visit and I know you will return again and again. CT

[Texas_Aggie]

Thanks, I’m looking forward to reading and learning from this forum before our trip!

[ctyanky]

Hello foliage friends! We are now just two months away from the first day of autumn in Vermont! It's crazy how the summer is flying by with August just around the bend. I'm looking forward to saying, "I'm leaving for my Vermont foliage vacation next month!!!!" I actually started bringing down my luggage and amassing some maps and lists of things to do as well as piling up some warm clothes. One never knows what the weather will be up there. At times, I've been in shorts and other times bundled up in leggings and a winter jacket, earmuffs and gloves (especially at the tops of the mountains after my foliage lift rides). Don't forget to bring a hat and gloves and outerwear if you plan on taking any of the foliage rides to the summits as you can't predict the weather up there with the wind and sudden temperature changes. Layering always a good idea! I remember one year I stayed at Liberty Hill Farm in Rochester, and found all my soda and water and various items frozen in the trunk of my car. A couple of years ago, it was like summer up there. So my message is: be prepared for all sorts of weather!

As summer rolls by, hopefully you have your lodging checked off your to do list, especially because weekends during Vermont's high season are prime and probably booked by now. Then you can start planning your road trips, stops at various fairs and festivals, and all the excellent farmers markets around the state! Hiking is one of my passions and the state of Vermont has the most wonderful trails ever! Don't forget the boat excursions on Lake Champlain, one of which is listed in my Vermont bucket list on another thread. If you are a horseback riding enthusiast, well you just can't go wrong in the state. There are stables everywhere and great trail rides that are offered. Seeing the fall foliage when deep in the mountains with views and vistas galore when riding the trails is the experience of a lifetime! There are ziplines offered around the state and we are hoping to try the Bromley zipline when we are in Manchester! Have you ever been in a corn maze? Try one during your foliage vacation! If you are an activity oriented person Vermont will not disappoint!

My motto is seize the day! Travel the back roads, get off the main highways and bring the camera! Get a good map (Delorme or Jimapco) and get those routes planned. Don't forget to ask away on this foliage forum for advice as our locals and "seasoned" visitors have the best information for you and are ready to help you plan your amazing trip to Vermont!

[ctyanky]

Wow! We are now just six weeks away from the first day of autumn and seven weeks from today I'll already be in Vermont and riding through the Green Mountains on my half day trail ride! Next month! Can you believe it? I'm so ready to get up there in the mountains!

With drenching rains today, the landscape here in northern CT looks like a tropical jungle, but cool for the first time in several weeks. Just wonderful to turn off that AC and open the windows! As today was a washout, I spent a couple of hours gathering clothes, outerwear, etc. and threw everything into my "staging room"! Maps, hiking and riding paraphernalia, rain gear, hats and gloves and scarves and lists of things I can't forget! And of course, my new black and red checked cap to "top it off"! As you can tell, I am READY FOR VERMONT!

"The Mountains Are Calling And I Must Go" ....... John Muir

This may be my new favorite quote! Vermont is calling me and I can't wait to answer her call! How about you?

[ctyanky]

The final countdown has begun to fall in Vermont! We are now a month away from the autumn equinox and the cool air has arrived in the northeast the last two days! Refreshing and blissful to say the least! Darkness falling at 7:50, windows open at night and no humidity for a change. The trees radiate with healthy leaves and dense canopies due to the immense amounts of rainfall the past few weeks. We could ask for nothing more than cool nights and several bright, sunshiny days in the 70s after Labor Day with light rainfalls. I'm optimistic that we are in for at least a normal foliage season in the northeast. Going forward, mid-September will give us positive clues as to which direction we may be headed, barring any unforeseen heat waves! For many of us in New England, the summer has been downright relentless in terms of tropical heat and humidity and thoughts of pumpkins and apple picking and all the activities that come with our favorite season are on the minds of many! Yay!

[Falme]

Hello! I have not written for a while, but I read everything! In less than twenty days, we are flying to Boston. Thanks to ctyanky's tips, we will dedicate more days to Vermont.
We have been looking for pre-warnings for the peak but we do not have it very clear. Can you help us? We arrived in Boston on the 27th, and on the 29th, we went north along the coast. On the 30th we started to enter and we have several routes through NH and VT. On October 5 we went down to Massachusetts and Connecticut. Route along the South Coast to Cape Cod (Stopping in Rhode Island). And we're going on 8. We'll see Something of color in VT? We are very excited, but we do not know if so much heat of the past weeks, can affect the peak. Thank you very much. regards

[admin]

It is not the heat that can cause a problem but rather a lot of rain. There has not been much rain, so the colors should be good. Exactly when they will peak, no one ever knows, but I can tell you that some of the leaves have already started turning in northeastern VT. You drive along a road and all of a sudden there is a tree with a lot of orange in it. So the color is coming on.

[ctyanky]

Falme: nice to see you back here! Glad you have been reading the many posts on the forum. As Tim (Admin) said, the "peak" is pretty much unknown at this time, is pretty elusive and means different things to different people. Also, many environmental variables that come together can create a great foliage season. Personally, I think we are in for a normal progression of color and have high hopes. Once the forum gains momentum with folks up in Vermont reporting their findings, you may get some idea of where the color is really starting to come on strong. Try to enjoy your travels in Vermont without stressing too much on finding "peak". Sometimes, one single tree or a group of trees in full color could turn out to be your peak! Keep an open mind and travel about the state and don't be afraid to get off the main roads! You look as though you have a great itinerary and soak it in! I hope you can stop in Newport, Rhode Island! Wow, the place is simply grand!

When you finish VT/NH and head down route 7 into the Berkshires and the NW corner of CT, I'll help you find some hot spots.

Watch the forum especially the last two weeks of September and into early October for real time reports from locals and visitors.

Enjoy your trip!!!! CT

[ctyanky]

Hello forum friends! We are now one week away from the autumnal equinox and I couldn't be happier! It could be a tad cooler but good things are worth waiting for! Hopefully by now, you have your lodging plans in place. Time to plan your routes and activities during your foliage vacation! There is so much going on now in Vermont beginning this weekend and going forward. I can't imagine anyone being bored up in Vermont with the wide range of fall festivals, chair lift, tram and gondola rides to the mountain summits, general stores to be perused, farmers markets and farm stands with bountiful, local produce and crafts, corn mazes, trail ride adventures, cruises on Lake Champlain, back road meandering and more. Many folks are leaving the end of September to begin their amazing foliage treks and I wish you lots of fun and adventure! Watch the forum for real time reports that will be arriving soon! The excitement and anticipation for our Vermont foliage vacations is about to become a reality! CT

[ctyanky]

Hello! Well I'm all packed and ready to go early Friday morning and it will be a gorgeous day and weekend! I know when I cross the border, that big smile will come across my face and there is not a better feeling than knowing you are starting your Vermont foliage vacation once again!

I'm looking forward to spending my first fall weekend with a special forum member (ixl) hiking and exploring some back roads in his neck of the woods, and riding to my heart's content at a new stables nearby.

Let the fun begin!