MONTPELIER, Vt. – Several areas of just-past-peak color are enduring in the southern reaches of the Connecticut River Valley and its tributaries. Also, the rolling hills and farmland west of Middlebury and Rutland still display many colorful areas. Spotter Tom Olson from Pittsfield’s New England Maple Museum reports, “The brilliant yellow and gold of the late changing sugar maples and poplars combined with the russet and dark orange of the oaks are putting on quite a show in contrast with farmland, green meadows, and multicolor marsh grasses. Throw in some bright reds and oranges from road side sumacs and you still have a breath taking landscape.” Around and north from Bennington the lower elevations are just past peak with a predominant orange cast, says Forester Chris Stone. In southeast Vermont along the Connecticut River, the upper hills are past peak, but sheltered hillsides and town centers remain colorful. While the stick season has arrived in the higher elevations of central and northern Vermont, it is not without some significant splashes of post-foliage color. The late-turning tamarack, a deciduous tree that appears to be a conifer during the green season, is showing swatches of bright, lemon yellow across many hillsides, especially in the Northeast Kingdom. Bright clusters of enduring foliage color are also found in town and village centers in many parts of the state and on sheltered hillsides. It’s the ideal time to observe the emergence of pumpkin people, not-too-distant cousins of the scarecrow clan, whose bright orange faces peer cheerfully from porches, lean on fence posts, and occasionally soar from haylofts.
Best Bets: In southern Vermont, suggested drives include Routes 7A or 7 from Manchester to Bennington, Route 313 in Arlington, Route 153 between Rupert and Wells, Route 315 near Rupert and Route 30 from Manchester to Rupert.
To the east, Route 5 along the Connecticut River, Route 35 from Townshend to Chester, and Route 30 from Brattleboro to Newfane. In the wide midlands of the lower Champlain Valley, suggested drives include:
Route 30 north from Pawlet to Cornwall. The hills surrounding Lakes Beebe and Hortonia are just past peak color, but bright and reflect beautifully in the lake water. Route 7 Middlebury to Wallingford. Peak in some areas, but past peak in others. Still showing abundance of yellow, gold and orange. Route 3 from Pittsford south to West Rutland. The rolling hills still have good color. Route 4 from Rutland west to Castleton. Picture perfect . . . a sure place to leaf peek. Route 22A Fair Haven north to Bridport. Sugar maples are peaking contrasting well with the green meadows, brown corn fields, and marsh grasses. Route 140 Wallingford to Middletown Springs, Route 133 from West Rutland to Tinmouth, Route 133 and Route 153 to Rupert and Wells where the hilly terrain and village greens still have brightly colored maples.
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