Vermont in the Fall

If you guys are outdoorsy (or, alternatively, just in shape in general) there is TONS of hiking to be done and fall is the best season for it up here (think Goldielocks...)

I'm not sure about farm tours, but there should be some corn mazes by then. You can do go apple picking. Visit some waterfalls..

Also, head up to Burlington for a weekend evening. It's usually busy, there is plenty of good food and nightlife, and a walk down to the waterfront in the dark can be a nice time, especially with a significant other.

 

20 or 25 minutes.

 

http://www.greenmountainclub.org/page.php?id=62

Both the Sterling Pond and Pinnacle Trail hikes are nice.

 

There is a cool new offering called Vermont Farm Tours that will take you on guided tours of all kinds of local artisanal food & beverage producers in the state. Heard it is a really fun time. There are Harvest Festivals in many of the towns - you can go to the VT Tourism website to see a list with helpful maps for the window you are here. There is a huge, high-end craft festival in both Stowe and Manchester in October, with great beers & food. You can do a cruise out on Lake Champlain in Burlington for lunch or dinner on 3 different vessels, from a big 3-deck ship to an historic turn-of-the-century launch. You can take the chairlift up to the top of several ski mountains to see the foliage, as well as attend Siptemberfest at Mad River Glen while you're at it. We even have a nationally-sanctioned punkin chuckin' contest using big catapults! The VT Board of Tourism is a wealth of info, and since VT is known for its food & beverage producers that are supported by the site, you will be able to make both of you happy in many instances. I love fall in VT - has always been my favorite season.

 

The most incredible foliage/beer experience has got to be at the Trapp Family Lodge. The building that houses the brewery has a wonderful little Austrian deli. You can have your Trapp Lagers with a great meal sitting out on a deck with a veiw of the entire area. This is a must see if you are here in the fall.

And the bonus is, there are great trails all over the Stowe area, great for all abilities.

 

Good stuff on there. Just remember that in the Fall Stowe is going to be a mess. If you don't mind crowds, go for it. Personally, Mt Elmore is one of my favorite hikes around, and there's a really, really nice view before the last leg of the hike, which is pretty steep.

The Camels Hump loop is a good one too, but pretty long and definitely a bit more advanced than Elmore.

Mossglenn Falls is BEAUTIFUL and the hike is very, very short. You wont get a view like at the top of a mountain, but the waterfall is impressive

 

People who stay at the stagecoach really like it. It's in an AWESOME location. Getting to HF won't be bad from there, it's just a little bit over an hour (depending on the traffic you may or may not hit in Stowe/on the way to Stowe). I'm POSITIVE there are some nice inns/B&Bs up in that area as well, I just don't know them. HF is going to be epically beautiful in the ball, btw

 

Plenty of good suggestions here. I'll add that your best bet for prime foliage viewing is the first two weeks of October. Not too much on earth that I've seen beats a sunny Vermont day on about October 8th, when you can just drive around and stop whenever something looks interesting.

 

+1 to what franklinn said. Elmore is a great hike, and being one of the few people that actually lives in Stowe year round, fall is really the busiest season for us. Green Mountain club's physical location which is located on Rt 100 between Waterbury and Stowe, is a great place to go to find information about hikes.

Stay away from the B&Bs closer to Stowe restore (up Mountain Rd) - stupid expensive.

Another thing to do is use the Toll road at Stowe to drive up Mansfield. It is a really quick and easy way to get to the top of Mansfield (biggest mountain in Vermont).

And go to Cold Hollow Cider Mill. Just north of Waterbury, pretty touristy but awesome cider donuts and apple cider.

 

Would you say you have to be in good physical condition to do Camel's Hump? I am going to be staying in Duxbury right next to Camel's Hump but wondering if I could do it.

 

If you want the info on an awesome place to stay let me know. First and foremost it's right down the road from the Long Trail Brewery. It's very rustic, so you have to be cool with no electricity (propane lights in the house, propane stove, and even a propane fridge!) The heat source is a fireplace. The property is right on a river. It's very private and has lots of places to hike. Just staying there is an adventure! Beermail me if you want more info.

There's plenty of things to do in the area and in the foliage season it's very beautiful.

 

Answer is yes, the Hump is a vigorous climb. I live right down the road and we have had 3 times in the last 6 mos. Mountain Rescue called to get somebody down due to weather, health issues, or getting lost after dark after underestimating their fitness and speed. (Is the 3rd tallest peak in the state.) If you start early, take your time, watch you footing and pay attention to the trail signs, you can do it, though.

 

Thank you so much for the advice. I am a hiker but I am not in shape enough to do advanced hikes and I know my limits. Follow up question: I see on the other side of the mountain is the Burrows Trail and it looks like a moderate hike to the top that the average out of shape hiker can do, no?

 

the best thing about the Stagecoach Inn is it's walking distance to the three Waterbury bars that serve Heady on tap (prohibition Pig), Lawson's and Hill Farmstead. In my opinion, this little triangle of bars offers the best drinking in the state. You won't won't have to worry about getting in the car at the end of the night. Just stumble over to the Stagecoach and face-plant into bed.

 

This sounds like a fabulous place to stay. With regret, however, I have to say that having been there several times I don't recommend the Long Trail brewery for food, service, ambiance or, for that matter, beer. There are far better beer destinations in Vermont.

That doesn't mean the cabin isn't great, though. It could be a base for further exploration of Vermont.

 

Long Trail is perfectly nice, decent beer, decent food.

But, if you're making a sizeable trip to Vermont and will be visiting for the first time...skip it. Go to Waterbury. Go to Burlington. Go to Hill Farmstead, if you have the time. If you're crossing Vermont on route 4, Long Trail is a great stop. If you're picking and choosing where to go, skip it. Head north! Waterbury. Prohibition Pig is awesome food and unfreakingbelievable beer. Then, if you're bored...cross the street to Blackback. They had 11 (!) Hill Farmstead beers on tap the other day. Eleven.

Plus, Waterbury and Burlington in the fall are quite lovely. Making the drive to HF in peak foliage is nothing short of breathtaking. Do it.