Overnight Color Explosion in Northern CT! Good Things Come to Those Who Wait!

Discuss Fall Foliage in Vermont, when to come, where to stay, where to take a tour etc. Note: You must be registered in order to post. If you have trouble registering, use the contact us form on Scenes of Vermont's home page.

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ctyanky
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Overnight Color Explosion in Northern CT! Good Things Come to Those Who Wait!

Post: # 23650Post ctyanky
Mon Oct 25, 2021 1:04 pm

Well oh my! :shock: The cold last night along with light rain popped the colors out here in force and I couldn't believe my drive today. Simsbury, Avon, Canton - all peak or approaching peak. Avon Mountain traveling west to east on Nod Road with low fog took my breath away. I've never seen Avon Mountain look this good! I was getting a bit worried about the delay in foliage progression here in Connecticut due to the late season heat but Mother Nature came through! So according to my forester friends, this is not a second wave, even though there were trees that turned to toast earlier during our high temps and lost their leaves with some areas in sticks. We needed the right prescription of colder night time temps to turn the corner. I'm heading back out this afternoon and again Wednesday and Thursday to check out my previous routes that looked like summer with solid green mountains in the NW hill towns. Lots of oranges, ruby, gold, and some reds are in their full glory. Despite the wind and rain coming tomorrow, the trees should still be in tact because they are just turning or close to peak. I think they will hold their own but now is the time to get out and enjoy our peak foliage. Route 7 south into Kent, Washington, Roxbury, Sharon, Warren, Sherman, northern New Milford etc. and the route 202 areas should have great color in the mountain ranges that were green last Thursday during the tour with the NH gang from the forum.

Better late than never! Come on down to Connecticut, especially the CT River Valley (CRV)! :D :D :D🍁🍁🍁🍁
CT - Board Admin and Moderator for Scenes of Vermont
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Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~George Eliot


ctyanky
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Re: Overnight Color Explosion in Northern CT! Good Things Come to Those Who Wait!

Post: # 23654Post ctyanky
Sun Oct 31, 2021 5:00 pm

Another peak foliage drive today through some towns west of 84 and south of Washington Depot. Just amazing colors in the towns of Roxbury and Southbury. The most memorable road, one we have never taken before which will certainly be a repeater next year, Old Roxbury Road. The dirt road was so narrow it was hard to get by other vehicles! The dirt road went on forever and there must be A LOT of money in these parts, private gated entrances and incredible stone walls that paralleled the road. Battleswamp Road and Judds Bridge Road to where they end at route 199 were gorgeous. These roads surround the Roxbury Land Trust where we have hiked several times. Route 67 through the back roads of Southbury were peak! I could see the ranges heading further south and there is a lot more color forthcoming. A lot of ranges with some green and emerging color. I was surprised to see gorgeous peak colors on route I84 east from Southbury to Waterbury and beyond. A perfect fall day near 70 with blue skies and white puffy clouds! Our areas survived multiple rain storms and wow, it is worth going out every day now until I end up at the shoreline! Connecticut is pretty late in the foliage progression for sure. The far NW corner is past peak now but still showing bright colors in many areas. I didn't hit route 7 from Canaan to Kent but last week the ranges were still green as ever.

By the way, Happy Halloween!!!!🎃🎃🎃

bobbav
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Location: Woodbury, CT

Re: Overnight Color Explosion in Northern CT! Good Things Come to Those Who Wait!

Post: # 23656Post bobbav
Tue Nov 02, 2021 11:51 am

We concluded our trip to Warren VT on Oct 17. The Warren Hill House where we stayed had unbelievable color even a week past peak, but everywhere else was muted with only isolated areas of peak color while on our way home through Southern Vermont.

Last week, my Daughter and I hiked the Donkey Trail to Charcoal Ring on Roxbury Land Trust, which is about 10 minutes from where we live. We hiked the furnace site - which is a MUST DO if hiking in the area. Color there was beautiful and resembled that end-of-foliage season vibe.

Assessing our next area and B&B for our beloved Vermont getaway for next year. We are deciding to stay more between Southern and Central as we typically do each year versus Central and Northern. And as I say every year we go, perhaps next year will be the year we scout out where we wish to have a getaway home!

Until next Foliage season - be well fellow Scenes of Vermont foliage forum peeps!
Bob

Live life as if each day is your last!

ctyanky
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Re: Overnight Color Explosion in Northern CT! Good Things Come to Those Who Wait!

Post: # 23657Post ctyanky
Tue Nov 02, 2021 4:01 pm

Hi Bob, glad you had a nice time in Vermont. Did you mean the West Hill House? That is where I stayed a couple of years ago in Warren. 4 star accommodations!

I agree with you about the hiking spot. :D It is certainly a must do as you said. We hiked that land trust called Mine Hill Preserve and it was not only a incredible hike, but the history and archeological remains of the mining industry were unreal. What a hidden gem! I just completed my goal of 40 hikes and have compiled a list with comments and web links for my family, friends and neighbors. Mine Hill Preserve was at the top of the "must dos"! I felt a good part of the Donkey Trail was quite strenous but the reward was at the top with the mines and the shafts where they preserve bat habitats. Did you turn around at the bridge at the summit? We actually got turned around there and ended up in a circle and down the mountain to walk along the river back to the car. It was quite a challenging end to the hike I have to admit. :mrgreen:

If anyone is interested, here is the link which includes a map.

https://www.roxburylandtrust.org/preserves/mine-hill/

That said, since you are so close to Roxbury, I would recommend the hike called Battleswamp Preserve, another in the Roxbury Land Trust. It is off Battleswamp Road (gorgeous dirt back road) and the kiosk is so nice. The walk into the forest is either out and back or you can exit and walk down the dirt road to Judds Bridge. I guarantee you will like it!

https://www.roxburylandtrust.org/preserves/battleswamp/

Colorado Mom
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Re: Overnight Color Explosion in Northern CT! Good Things Come to Those Who Wait!

Post: # 23658Post Colorado Mom
Thu Nov 04, 2021 5:31 pm

There's nothing like sharing Vermont with a family member :D I brought my daughter as well last time and we had a blast. So glad to know I'm not the only one scouting out areas to possibly move to one day. I've already started on next years trip. I always seems to pick our favorite places to go back to which is great but I'm going to do alot of reading on here and try to explore new places next year! So if you have your own favs that are not to be missed, please let me know!!


ctyanky
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Re: Overnight Color Explosion in Northern CT! Good Things Come to Those Who Wait!

Post: # 23659Post ctyanky
Sun Nov 07, 2021 7:13 pm

Hi Colorado Mom, nice to see you back here. I have a lot of favorites :D but I do love the Waitsfield/Warren area. If I were to chose an ultimate favorite, it would be Peacham. Are you going to try to get up to these two places at all next fall?

Also, if I were to buy my second home in Vermont, it turns out surprisingly to be Manchester/Dorset. I saw some nice condos in Dorset that I even fell in love with recently!

I'm still leaf peeping in Connecticut and the warm week arriving will be splendid for color. We still have a ton of green trees! The oaks are putting on quite a show now. I think oaks, beech, birch, etc. are underrated as far as autumn color as most people love the red and sugar maples. Most definitely tamaracks (larch) as they are barely mentioned, but they are really beautiful. I'm starting to like these trees more and more as fall colors change towards the end of the season.

Anyways, I'm always thinking about next fall in Vermont but will be anticipating going up a couple of times during sugaring season to a few of my favorites sugar houses. It will be here before you know it! The snow is around the corner! :mrgreen:


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