Autumn colors abound on the back roads of Vermont.Handout
Vermont is a place that even for most New Englanders carries a certain air of mystery. While the major interstate artery I-89 seems to connect most roads to the state’s largest city of Burlington, the rest of the state is an intricate, almost unknowable spider’s web of back roads, mountain passes and country lanes. It might take you a little longer, but there is invariably an alternate, often more scenic route to take wherever you find yourself in Vermont. In other words, this is a road tripper’s paradise, especially if you plan to go in early fall, when green summer fades into a technicolour spread of fall foliage.
Google “best fall foliage road trips in Vermont” and you are likely to find a dozen different guides suggesting a dozen different routes, but the truth is that from mid-September through October, it’s hard to go wrong in Vermont. Some years are more brilliant than others, but pretty much every fall in Vermont brings a wide palette of reds, oranges and yellows. A two- or three-night loop starting and finishing in Burlington ensures you’ll hit the state’s greatest hits, have time for a few hidden gems, see the best of the Green Mountains and peep some extraordinary foliage along the way. (New Englanders affectionately refer to travellers visiting to observe the fall foliage as “leaf peepers.”)
Begin by driving south on U.S. Route 7, where, about 20 minutes south of Burlington in Shelburne is Fiddlehead Brewing Company, a craft brewer specializing in mellow, hop-forward IPA’s. The craft beer movement has become a significant economic and cultural force in Vermont over the past decade, and it’s easy to see why – Fiddlehead’s cozy tasting room and welcoming staff make for a warm environment for locals and travelers alike. Pick up some of their signature Fiddlehead IPA or one of their seasonal brews before heading south, where the road bounds over rolling farmland, with the Green Mountains to your left and glimpses of Lake Champlain to your right.
General stores abound in Vermont's small towns, such as this one in Stowe.Dennis Curran/Handout
Eventually, US 7 reaches the quaint and historic town of Manchester, chartered in 1761. With a range of antique stores, restaurants and outlet shops, this is an ideal place to rest your head for the night – preferably at the legendary Equinox Golf Resort Spa, a Luxury Collection hotel, which has welcomed everyone from American revolutionaries to four U.S. presidents to avid leaf peepers in one iteration or another since 1769. After parking your car, stroll through town and spend an hour (or more) getting lost in the stacks at the perpetually charming Northshire Bookstore, where you can find an excellent selection of children’s gifts, stationery and new and gently used books.
An afternoon test driving at the Land Rover Experience Driving Center, one of only four in the North America, is also a decadent and worthwhile splurge. An instructor takes you through 32 hectares of steep descents, mud patches, and uneven terrain that would put any SUV television ad to shame. And before leaving town, even if you aren’t an antiques buff, reserve some time for rifling through the town’s secondhand shops. Manchester is an exceptional destination for antique lovers: stacks and stacks of vintage lace and textiles at Miss Phyllis Fine Linens and Frocks; desks, chests and rare wines at Comollo Antiques; and old snow shoes, ladders and other Vermont-themed miscellany at Green Peak Elements.
When it’s time to move along, hop on Vermont Route 11, which follows the meandering Bromley Brooke into the stunningly scenic Green Mountain National Forest. As the road makes its way up and over the north-south crest of the Green Mountains, you may pass some Appalachian Trail hikers crossing the road. On the other side of the mountains, VT 11 descends into the minuscule town of Peru (population 375), where there isn’t much else to do aside from stop for a delicious lunch at J.J. Hapgood’s, a general store dating back to 1827. It’s hard to imagine a more quintessentially Vermont sandwich than the “Plymouth Hunter,” made from local raw cow’s milk cheese, arugula, caramelized onions, local mustard and generous slices of local bacon.
Pretty much every fall in Vermont brings a wide palette of reds, oranges and yellows.Stephen Goodhue/Handout
After driving through Peru, which shouldn’t take long at all, the road brings you to Londonderry, where there is a crucial left turn onto Vermont Route 100, which should not be missed. From there, it’s smooth sailing as the road heads due north, but don’t be shy about stopping along the way when inspiration strikes. VT 100 passes through some of Vermont’s most adorable towns and iconic vistas – think little white churches, rusted farm equipment, old barns – so the photo opportunities on this stretch of road are abundant.
Upon passing through Granville, VT 100 starts to follow the Mad River, named after its unusual north-flowing waters and just 16 kilometres north from here is Warren, home to the iconic, “almost world famous” Warren Store, a general store for anything and everything you might need. The best way to take it all in is to grab a cup of coffee (it’s self-serve), maybe a raspberry oat bar or blonde brownie and park yourself at one of the tables out front to watch the locals come and go. Stores such as these serve not only as sundry shops and refueling stations, but also as crucial meeting places for locals. The people-watching is unparalleled and the local grumblings you overhear on any given day are often more entertaining than television. If you decide to call it a day and spend the night in Warren, the luxurious Pitcher Inn across the street is a foolproof choice. If you can manage to score a dinner reservation, go. The wild striped bass comes with roasted tomatillo, summer succotash, pink peppercorn butter and cucumber foam – and it’s divine.
The open road offers glimpses of Vermont’s most iconic vistas – think little white churches, rusted farm equipment, old barns.Skye Chalmers/Handout
After leaving Warren in your rearview, turn left onto Vermont Route 17, which twists and turns its way buck up and over the Green Mountains for a thrilling and unforgettably scenic ride. A pit stop at Midnight Goat Farm is essential – as Vermont’s only commercial “hand milking” dairy, they produce a range of raw milk chèvres that are less crumbly and more creamy.
Where VT 17 intersects Vermont Route 116, turn right and head north, from which point it’s less than an hour’s drive straight back to Burlington. You’ll probably want to stop at Frost Beer Works in Hinesburg along the way. With only seven barrels in their operation, as well as an energetic yet unpretentious taproom with most pints costing just US$5, they represent everything that’s worth enjoying about Vermont. Then again, by the time you pull back into Burlington and start to reminisce about what you’ve just seen, it will feel like every single step of the trip, every single curve in the road was as indispensable as the one that came before it.
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