I had been eager to embark on a fall foliage road trip for a considerable time, and I finally fulfilled that wish this year. We filled two entire days with scenic views and stayed overnight in Burlington.
Explore a few of the memorable moments from our journey to admire the changing leaves across Vermont.
Additionally, I've put together an itinerary you can use for your own fall road trip in Vermont, complete with stunning spots for leaf peeping, hiking trails, and picturesque farms where you can purchase local treats.
Itinerary in Brief:
Day 1:
Quechee Gorge Bridge
Sugarbush Farm, Woodstock (driving time: 12 mins from the gorge)
Sleepy Hollow Farm, Pomfret (driving time: 12 mins from Sugarbush)
Deer Leap Overlook Trail, Killington (driving time: 34 mins from Sleepy Hollow Farm)
Drive from Killington to Burlington (driving time: 1 hr 40 mins)
Check in hotel in Burlington
Dinner at Church Street Marketplace
Day 2:
Old Red Mill, Jericho
Mills Riverside Park, Jericho
Smugglers' Notch
Sterling Pond Trail
Bingham Falls Trail, Stowe, VT
See Stowe's Downtown, Main Street
Vermont Farms
We visited a local family farm, Sugarbush Farm located in Woodstock, VT where we bought Vermont goodies like pure maple syrup, jam, and mustard. There was a self guided tour to see how the syrup was made. Before we headed out on the road again, I had to get an old-fashioned lemonade made by the farm. Yum!
Next, we drove to the Instagram-famous farm, Sleepy Hollow Farm, in Pomfret for the iconic photo. The scenery in this area was gorgeous, with its rolling green meadows and vibrant foliage among the quaint farmhouses.
To my surprise, this place wasn't a secret at all; there were lots of people gathered, all aiming to capture that 'gram-worthy shot!
Killington
During our visit to Killington, we embarked on the Deer Leap Overlook Trail, a 2.2-mile out-and-back path offering a fantastic vantage point of Killington Mountain and the vibrant fall foliage. Our timing couldn't have been better for enjoying the leaves in all their glory.
If you're considering a hike, I strongly suggest trying out this trail. It strikes a perfect balance – not overly long or challenging, yet it rewards you with a truly spectacular view.
Burlington
Burlington was part of the trip I was most excited to see! We stayed in the heart of Burlington at the Hilton Garden Inn which was close walking distance to both the waterfront and Church Street Marketplace.
Next time we visit we have to bring our bikes so we can do the Burlington Bike Path that runs along Lake Champlain.
Jerricho
On the way to Smugglers' Notch, we stopped at the Old Red Mill and the Mills Riverside Park in Jerricho. I wouldn't recommend going out your way to visit these spots, but if you are going through the area they were worth a quick stop.
Smugglers' Notch
We did a hike in Smugglers' Notch, but the real highlight of the area was driving the winding road through a tunnel of color. We did the Sterling Pond Trail (2.3 miles) that lead to a mountain-top pond. I was disappointed to see that there wasn't much color to see along the pond.
From researching the trail again, I found out that most people go to the pond and then start on their descent (like what we did!), but there are other viewpoints a short hike away. If you ever do this hike, make sure you don't miss out!
Stowe
After we drove out of Smuggler's Notch we stopped at the Stowe Mountain Resort area where the famous Stowe Gondola SkyRide is located. The trees in this surrounding area were full of burnt orange and deep red.
We made our way to Stowe's downtown for lunch and then headed back home. We had a packed full two days and I got to see a state I haven't seen before. All in all, our Vermont trip was a lot of fun and I'm so glad we finally made it happen!
Thanks for reading!
- The Maine Chick