VT Auto Toll Road Info for fall: 4 Mountains

[ctyanky]

Per Andy’s suggestion in the Foliage from Above post which describes the trams, gondolas and chair lifts for fall, I’ve put together a list of auto toll roads for the following mountains. I may have missed one or two. I’ve never driven up a toll road in Vermont so if any of you have, feel free to comment on your experiences. I think Phil has enjoyed Mt. Ascutney and Mt. Equinox in a previous post he made!

1. Ascutney State Park

http://www.vtstateparks.com/htm/ascutney.cfm

1826 Back Mountain Road
Windsor, VT 05089

Park phone: 802-674-2060
Website: www.vtstateparks.com
Email: parks@state.vt.us
Park size: 2,000 acres
Park Location: Windsor, VT
Special Features: The Park offers picnic areas, 39 wooded tent or trailer sites, 10 lean-to sites, a scenic auto toll road, observation tower with panoramic views, hang glider launch sites, historic sites, and an extensive hiking trail. Some areas are accessible (see website); parking available

Directions: From I-91 (Exit # "8"): Go .2 mi E on Rt 131 to stop light, turn left on Rt 5 for 1.2 mi, then bear left on Rt 44A for 1 mi.

2. Mt. Equinox (great website!)

http://www.equinoxmountain.com/skylinedrive/

3. Mt. Mansfield

Stowe Mountain Resort Auto Toll Road opens for the season
Contact:
Jeff Wise
802-253-3437
jwise@stowe.com

STOWE, Vt. - On Saturday May 23, Stowe Mountain Resort's Auto Toll Road will open for the 2009 summer and fall seasons. The 150 year old attraction established Stowe as a resort area back in the 1800's, when horse drawn carriages traveled the Toll Road to the elegant Summit House atop Mt. Mansfield. Today, the Toll Road provides passenger cars and trucks access to some of the most breathtaking scenery and hiking in all New England.

The 4.5-mile unpaved road begins next to Stowe's Inn at the Mountain and climbs to the location of the old Summit House, elevation 3,850 feet. The road ends at a parking lot next to the Mt. Mansfield Summit Station. The Toll Road is open daily from 9 am to 4 pm, May 23 through October 18, 2009. Tolls are $24 per car with $7 per person over six people. Bikes and motorcycles are not allowed. The road's upper terminus presents spectacular hiking options. To the north, the Cliff Trail, Long Trail, and Canyon Trail - all about 1.5 miles long and climbing about 550 feet - offer three routes to Mansfield's ‘Chin.' Southerly trail options include the Lakeview Trail, Forehead Bypass, and Long Trail to the Forehead.

4. Burke Mountain Toll Road

I couldn’t find any current information on the toll road for fall, but here is their website to keep an eye on. I understand the views at the top are fabulous and there is a fire tower to climb as well.

http://www.skiburke.com/

[pwt54]

I was on Mt. Ascutney last Saturday. It cost $3 to drive the toll road. The road has only 3 scenic views on it. The road does not go to the top. You have to hike about 7/10 of a mile to the top. The road is paved, but quite steep. You will test your brakes on this road. It is worth the $3.

[ixl]

I went up Mount Mansfield for the first time last week... very nice views, and some nice hiking areas. Overpriced, IMO, but worth it if you've never been up, especially if you can put a few people in a car.

Not in Vermont, but the Mount Washington Auto Road is a must try if you've never done it.

[pwt54]

You may want to bring a good jacket. Winter starts early on Mt. Washington!

[ctyanky]

Phil: remember it was really cold for our reunion trip on the Mt. Mansfield gondola ride? We froze at the top! That was early October as well and I think the week before there was some snow in the area near Smuggler's Notch...............

Glad I packed the gloves and scarf and ski jacket! (One never knows!)

[pwt54]

Yeah, it cold. The wind made it worse. That light jacket I wore was alright in the parking lot, but useless at the top. The shepard's pie at the Shed really helped.

[ixl]

I went up MWN on October 4, 2007 and got lucky.. it was a very nice day and not too cold at all. But yes it can be a craps shoot up there -- and the road could even be closed.

[rk]

There is an Auto road up Okemo Mountain near Ludlow.

You have to walk the last 0.3 miles which takes you to the Fire Tower with nice views.

[pwt54]

I wasn't sure how high up that road went. I'll have to check it out.

[rk]

I am posting a reply from a State Park Official Last Year to one of my Queries regarding the Auto Toll roads to the mountain tops.


Several of Vermont's "notch" and "gap" roads also offer spectacular views:

Hazen's Notch, Rte 58 between Montgomery Center and Lowell
Smuggler's Notch, Rte. 108 between Stowe and Jeffersonville
Appalachian Gap, Rte. 17 between Starksboro and Waitsfield.
Lincoln Gap Road, between Lincoln and Warren
Roxbury Gap Road, between Warren and Roxbury
Middlebury Gap, Rte. 125 between East Middlebury and Hancock
Brandon Gap, Rte. 73 between Forest Dale and Rochester
Mendon Gap, Rte. 4 between Mendon and Killington

[Andy]

I have done Hazen, Smugglers (100's of times -- once on a bicycle) and Lincoln. The ARE spectacular. NONE of them, however, are the toll roads we are talking about.

The Toll roads -- to the best of my knowledge -- are all ONE - WAY up to the top of mountain peaks. They generally have parking lots and there are trails to summits or other views. They (generally) make the "notch roads" seem like childs play.

[Andy]

Carol: My reading glasses are working fine. I saw the "also," and was not intending to be critical of rk (rk, my apologies if it comes across that way). My thinking is that there are others ("lurkers") out there who read these posts but do not participate or ask questions, and who may be newcomers to Vermont.

Just wanted it to be clear that the Notch and Gap roads are not "toll" roads and that they are not THE Toll Roads which are (after all) the Thread Subject.

[GIC]

Phil: remember it was really cold for our reunion trip on the Mt. Mansfield gondola ride? We froze at the top! That was early October as well and I think the week before there was some snow in the area near Smuggler's Notch...............

Glad I packed the gloves and scarf and ski jacket! (One never knows!)

You bet you better have a jacket and gloves on hand. I took this pic the day before the reunion. I think this is right by Smugglers Notch. The mount peak to the right was iced all over.

[rk]

Thanks Andy and Abby for your replies.

Abby here is my plan for this fall for New Hampshire. I wish there be a NH Fall Foliage forum as we have here for Vt.

Day1 : Leave from New Jersey and reach Glen,NH via Lincoln taking Kancamagus.

Day 2 : Start from Glen, take Bear Notch road to Kancamagus to Lincoln, Franconia Notch - Cannon Tram if time permits. Return to Glen via 302 through Crawford Notch.

Day 3 : Mount Washington or Wildcat Gondola and return to NJ via route 302 through Crawford (Just in case I don't get enough time on 2nd day for Crawford Notch).

[rk]

Thanks Abby,

Do you remember the exact date you did Kanc