Fall is the season of foliage, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, apple orchards and Halloween! 

Foliage

Vermont is a state known well to leaf peepers, who get bused in from all over the East Coast, to see beautiful changing colors on the trees. At peak season thousands of “peepers” take over the mountain resorts and quaint villages. Native Vermonters, to say the least, dislike this very much. We think Vermonters should still experience the beauty and take a drive through Vermont during foliage season. Here are some less traveled scenic routes that you can take that are still absolutely stunning:

• Groton State Forest Road

From Barre: Start by traveling up Route 302 towards Wells River (also a beautiful less traveled road) to Groton, take State Forest Road (Route 232) on the left-hand side toward Groton State Forest and enjoy the twist and turns & beautiful tree covered road. Stop at Owls Head on the right-hand side and take a short hike up to the peak to get a nice view of the foliage and Lake Groton.

From Montpelier: Take Main Street to Towne Hill Road to Route 2 (also a beautiful drive) through the town of Marshfield and find State Forest Road (Route 232) on the right. Enjoy the twist and turns & beautiful tree covered road. Stop at Owls Head on the left-hand side and take a short hike up to the peak to get a nice view of the foliage and Lake Groton.

• Route 100B/100 from Middlesex to Warren

From Montpelier: Take State Street to Route 2 until Middlesex, take Route 100B on the left-hand side and travel through quaint towns and alongside the Mad River. You will be sure to take in Vermont scenery & foliage on this drive. If you want a grand view, travel up Route 17 (Mill Brook Rd) past Sugarbush Mountain up through the mountains to the Appalachian Gap! Travel back to Route 100 toward Warren. Once you reach Warren, drive over the bridge to the village for drool-over sandwiches at The Warren Store.

Apple Orchards 

• Burtt’s Apple Orchard | 283a Cabot Plains Rd, Cabot, VT 05647 | Open everyday mid-August until Halloween from 9am – 6pm  
  40 varieties of pick-your-own Apples, Picked Apples, Cider, Cider Doughnuts, Sweet Corn, pick-your-own Pumpkins, Squash, Maple Syrup & Cider Vinegar. 
• Peck Farm Orchard | 750 Sibley Rd, East Montpelier, VT | Wednesday – Sunday 9am- 5pm
  Pick-your-own apples, pumpkins for sale in the shop or farmstand, pumpkin patch – harvested and laid out on the ground or lawn, corn maze, tractor-pulled hay rides, & picnic area (bring your own food). 

Pumpkin Patches

• Burtt’s Apple Orchard | 283a Cabot Plains Rd, Cabot, VT 05647 | Open everyday mid-August until Halloween from 9am – 6pm  
  40 varieties of pick-your-own Apples, Picked Apples, Cider, Cider Doughnuts, Sweet Corn, pick-your-own Pumpkins, Squash, Maple Syrup & Cider Vinegar.
• Peck Farm Orchard | 750 Sibley Rd, East Montpelier, VT | Wednesday – Sunday 9am- 5pm
  Pick-your-own apples, pumpkins for sale in the shop or farmstand, pumpkin patch – harvested and laid out on the ground or lawn, corn maze, tractor-pulled hay rides, & picnic area (bring your own food).
  
• Lincoln Farm Pumpkin Patch | 4884 East Bethel Road, Randolph, VT |  Open Saturdays & Sundays
  There are free wagon rides to the Pick-Your-Own Pumpkin field & then have a cup of hot mulled cider in the farmstand when you return from the field. Cash or check only. Visit facebook.com/Lincoln-Farm for hours and updates. 
• Annual Pumpkin Festival at Hartshorn Farm | 54 Quarry Road, Waitsfield, VT 05673 | Saturday, September 29, 2018 | 11AM 4PM
  Enjoy pumpkin inspired treats, live music, farm fresh flatbread pizza, a bouncy house, meet & greet with the horses, cow train rides, and more. They might even have a pie eating contest. Free to attend, fun for all ages.
• Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin’ Festival | Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa, Stowe, VT | September 30, 2018
  Along with the pumpkin chuckin’ contest, there will be music, a chili cook-off, cornhole tournament, and kids activities; all creating an enjoyable fall day. Music for this year’s festival will be provided by House Dunn and John Smyth. Food, beer & wine are provided by Stoweflake. Cost: $10 to enter the festival whether you are a spectator or trebuchet competitor; an extra $10/person to enter the cornhole tournament; the chili cookoff is totally free, but you must make 2 gallons of your finest chili. Parking is free.

Corn Mazes

• Great Vermont Corn Maze | 1404 Wheelock Road, Danville, VT 05828 | Open July 28 – October 14, 2018 | 10am – last entry into maze is 2pm. Visit www.vermontcornmaze.com for more info.
  The BIG Maze covers 24 acres and is approximately a 2+ hour hike. The 3 miles of dirt trails are lined with 10′ tall walls of corn. The SCENIC Maze is approximately a 40 minute hike through the BIG Maze using directions found along the way. The Scenic Maze allows people to see the unique things we have within the BIG Maze, but without the hours of frustration. 
• Peck Farm Orchard | 750 Sibley Rd, East Montpelier, VT | Open Sept 1st to Oct 30th Wednesday Through Sunday  – 9am-5pmThe Peck Farm Corn Maze is a family friendly maze for ages 4 and up. Each year the maze features a new theme with 5-6 destinations or “rooms” to find. Most families spend 45 minutes or more in the maze. You will never feel very lost and can easily exit when little ones get tired. Maze experts can expect to complete the maze in 20 minutes or fewer.