VermontVacation.com

Fall Travel - Planning for the Foliage Season!

Vermont's foliage season usually begins during early or mid-September and extends into late October. The magic moment of the 'best' foliage can be found at many different times and places as the season progresses.

Making Reservations

Make reservations well in advance - especially if you plan to visit on a weekend.

The first two weekends of October are the state's busiest of the year. Book these dates as early as possible.

Consider a multi-night stay in a resort area with day trips to surrounding sites and attractions.

Book mid-week. Properties that fill up on weekends often have vacancies during the week.

If you do not make advance reservations, the Vermont Lodging and Hospitality Council recommends securing a room by 4 p.m. each day. During the foliage season Vermont resort areas have ample lodging facilities, including inns, hotels and condominiums. Lodging will often be available at these areas when beds are filled in some of the larger towns.

Contact lodging bureaus at major resort areas and local chambers of commerce for the latest information on availability.

Different varieties of trees change at different times. Red maples are among the first to change, especially those along roadsides and in wet areas.

The earliest foliage change generally occurs in the northern part of the state near the Canadian border and at higher elevations.

By mid-September full color generally begins to appear across the north, moving progressively south during October. Typically, individual trees and groups of trees with brilliant color can be found as early as the Labor Day weekend.

"Peak" color is a bit of a myth, since every person has their own ideas of what "peak" looks like. Typically, the fullest color can be found from late-September in the north through mid-October in the south.

Many experienced foliage viewers actually consider late October the most beautiful time in Vermont. Once the most brilliant colors have passed, the hills take on a subtler and richer range of hues that are just as beautiful, if not as spectacular.

Be sure to check out the Fall Foliage Forecaster to plan your next trip.