Trip: New England Leaf-Peeping Tour

The New England Leaf Peeping Trip

9 Days in New England during Autumn

This 9-day trip took place during the first week of October, 2010 -- perhaps the optimal time for viewing fall colors. It begins and ends in Manchester, New Hampshire, though Boston, Albany, or Portland could all be used as good start/end points. The trip makes a clockwise loop through Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, visiting the Green and White Mountains, and Acadia National Park.

Day 1

Manchester, New Hampshire, through Massachusetts, to Albany, NY

The Mohawk Trail: North Adams, MA

My poorly-timed first day of travel caused me to arrive in North Adams after dark. Fortunately, I could still see ...

Massachusetts

Jan 4, 2016

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The Mohawk Trail: Shelburne Falls, Mass.

The small town of Shelburne Falls provides at least two reasons to take a break from a road trip on ...

Massachusetts

Jan 4, 2016

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The Mohawk Trail: Greenfield, Mass.

After driving for several hours from Manchester, New Hampshire into Massachusetts, then across the state on Route 2, Greenfield provided ...

Massachusetts

Jan 4, 2016

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The Mohawk Trail: Erving, French King Bridge

Once I made it to Massachusetts Route 2 for the drive west through the state, I was trying to balance ...

Massachusetts

Jan 4, 2016

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Milford, NH, Townsend and Ashburnham, Mass.

My tour of New England in the Fall began in Manchester, New Hampshire, but I didn’t have time to see ...

Massachusetts

Jan 4, 2016

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Day 2

Albany into Vermont, and up scenic Route 100

Burlington, Vermont

I started Day 3 in Vermont’s largest city. Burlington has Lake Champlain on the western side, and the beautiful Green ...

Vermont

Jan 15, 2016

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Moss Glen Falls, Vermont Route 100

It was getting close to the end of the day, but I finally found my favorite spot around Vermont’s Scenic ...

Vermont

Jan 15, 2016

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Central Vermont: Route 100

I had only made it to the middle of Vermont, and already I was getting the feeling that the day ...

Vermont

Jan 15, 2016

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Calvin Coolidge Historic Site & Ludlow, VT

North of Weston, Route 100 is pretty remote and tree-lined. I stopped by the side of the road when I ...

Vermont

Jan 15, 2016

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Weston: Vermont Country Store

After what seemed like a long drive up Route 100 without a lot of excitement, Weston was exactly what I ...

Vermont

Jan 15, 2016

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Vermont 100: Wilmington & Wardsboro

Vermont’s Route 100 is well known for being an ideal fall drive. The highway runs almost the entire length of ...

Vermont

Jan 11, 2016

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Bennington Battle Monument

It would be tough to miss Bennington’s biggest tourist attraction. The Bennington Battle Monument is a surprising sight in a ...

Vermont

Jan 11, 2016

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Robert Frost’s Grave, Old Bennington, Vermont

Unless you love poetry, you probably only remember the words of a handful of poems you were forced to learn ...

Vermont

Jan 11, 2016

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NY 7, VT 9: Albany to Bennington

The drive east from Albany into Vermont is a nice fall drive. Once you escape the city of Troy, you’ll ...

New York

Jan 11, 2016

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Day 3

Scenic driving around Vermont

Montpelier, Vermont: State Capitol

Vermont’s capitol city is the smallest in the nation, but it still has a stately capitol building. The Vermont State ...

Vermont

Jan 15, 2016

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Waterbury, Vermont

When most people plan a visit to Waterbury, Vermont, they’re thinking about ice cream. The town is home to the ...

Vermont

Jan 15, 2016

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Stowe, Vermont

In a state that’s full of charming small towns, Stowe still manages to stand out. It’s just a few miles ...

Vermont

Jan 15, 2016

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Driving and Hiking Mt. Mansfield, Vermont

Just to the south of Smuggler’s Notch, you have the chance to climb Vermont’s highest mountain, and best of all, ...

Vermont

Jan 15, 2016

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Smuggler’s Notch, Vermont Route 108

Okay, I’ll admit it. Up until the middle of Day 3, I wasn’t very impressed with Vermont’s offering of fall ...

Vermont

Jan 15, 2016

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Grist Mill Covered Bridge, Brewster River Gorge

One of Vermont’s most beautiful drives begins at the crossroads of Jeffersonville, where a turn south on Route 108 takes ...

Vermont

Jan 15, 2016

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Vermont 15: Cambridge

Cambridge is just a small dot on the Vermont road map, but it’s attractive centerpiece, the Cambridge United Church, convinced ...

Vermont

Jan 15, 2016

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Jericho, Vermont: Route 15

After leaving Burlington, my plan was to make a swing to the north and east on Route 15, then pick ...

Vermont

Jan 15, 2016

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Day 4

Scenic drives and hikes around New Hampshire during Autumn

Kancamagus Highway: Scenic NH 112 in Autumn

The drive along New Hampshire Route 112 from I-93 to Conway receives some high praise. It’s often called one of ...

New Hampshire

Jan 18, 2016

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Driving through Franconia Notch

Franconia Notch packs in more things to see and do than some national parks. This narrow gap in between the ...

New Hampshire

Jan 18, 2016

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Crawford Notch: Frankenstein Cliff & Arethusa Falls Trails

As I entered Crawford Notch State Park from the south, I spotted the mountain I wanted to climb. Frankenstein Cliff ...

New Hampshire

Jan 15, 2016

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Crawford Notch State Park, New Hampshire

New Hampshire has several spectacular mountain passes — the most famous of which is Franconia Notch, through which Interstate 93 ...

New Hampshire

Jan 15, 2016

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North Conway, NH & US 302

If you’re visiting Mount Washington, Franconia Notch, or any of the other popular areas in northern New Hampshire, you’re probably ...

New Hampshire

Jan 15, 2016

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Day 5, 6, and 7

Time well spent in Acadia National Park

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse

There’s probably no better place in Acadia National Park to watch the sun set, than at Bass Harbor Head. The ...

Maine

Jan 20, 2016

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Bubble Pond, Acadia National Park

Bubble Pond occupies a cozy spot in Acadia National Park. It’s nestled in between Mount Desert Island’s highest and 4th ...

Maine

Jan 20, 2016

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The Bubbles, Acadia National Park

As you drive around the western side of Acadia’s loop road, you leave the coast behind, and instead enjoy views ...

Maine

Jan 20, 2016

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Little Hunters Beach, Acadia National Park

After circling around Otter Cove, you might think that the best part of Acadia’s loop road is behind you. From ...

Maine

Jan 20, 2016

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Otter Cove, Acadia National Park

In Acadia National Park, one dramatic scene is often followed by another. Such is the case at Otter Cove. As ...

Maine

Jan 20, 2016

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Otter Point, Acadia National Park

My first drive around Acadia National Park’s loop road was full of ooh’s and aah’s, but I think the first ...

Maine

Jan 20, 2016

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Thunder Hole, Acadia National Park

Mount Desert Island’s rocky coast doesn’t get any better than at Thunder Hole. This stretch of coastline on the east ...

Maine

Jan 20, 2016

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Sand Beach, Acadia National Park

Even though Mount Desert Island is surrounded by water, there are relatively few spots for swimming. So, if you’re hoping ...

Maine

Jan 20, 2016

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Acadia Hike: Precipice Trail to Champlain Mountain

About halfway up the Precipice Trail, I met a couple climbing down. The guy said, “Isn’t this great? It’s like ...

Maine

Jan 20, 2016

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The rest of Day 8

Leaving Acadia National Park

Historic Bath, Maine

The last moments of daylight were disappearing when I arrived in Bath, Maine. I had just enough time to take ...

Maine

Jan 20, 2016

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The Maine Coast: Route 3, US 1

Leaving Acadia National Park, you don’t have much of a choice of which road to follow. Maine Route 3 is ...

Maine

Jan 20, 2016

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Day 9

One final day on the Maine Coast

Portsmouth to Manchester, NH

When planning the final half-day of my vacation, I was hoping to have enough time to make it all the ...

New Hampshire

Jan 20, 2016

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Fort McClary State Park, Maine

Fort McClary seems like an unlikely last stop at the end of a vacation, but it looked appealing as I ...

Maine

Jan 20, 2016

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Nubble Lighthouse & the Maine Coast: US 1

If you’re in a hurry to head southward, you can always hop onto Interstate 95 for the drive to New ...

Maine

Jan 20, 2016

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Kennebunk & Kennebunkport, Maine

It’s hard to imagine that the tiny little town of Kennebunkport has played host to world leaders from around the ...

Maine

Jan 20, 2016

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The New England Leaf Peeping Trip

9 Days in New England during Autumn

Day 1

Manchester, New Hampshire, through Massachusetts, to Albany, NY

Day 2

Albany into Vermont, and up scenic Route 100

Day 3

Scenic driving around Vermont

Day 4

Scenic drives and hikes around New Hampshire during Autumn

Day 5, 6, and 7

Time well spent in Acadia National Park

The rest of Day 8

Leaving Acadia National Park

Day 9

One final day on the Maine Coast