| This fall foliage scenic drive in Central Vermont | | | | but at a mile long and plenty of hiking and walking |
| offers some of the best views in the Green | | | | trails on offer, it's a chance to stretch the legs |
| Mountain National Forest. | | | | and admire the splendid scenery. Be sure to walk |
| This scenic drive is a loop tour of about 150 miles. | | | | to the picnic area overlooking the falls. |
| It follows mostly Route 12 south from Montpelier | | | | The next 20 miles of the scenic drive takes you |
| to Woodstock, before heading north on Route | | | | cross country on Route 4 to Killington. Killington is |
| 100 and 100B back to Montpelier. There's a whole | | | | a world famous ski area that covers six |
| bunch of surprises on the way, but it's no surprise | | | | mountains. And at over 4,200' offers spectacular |
| you'll experience some magnificent fall foliage | | | | views from the summit. There's very few better |
| views all along this scenic drive. | | | | places to appreciate the fall foliage than at the |
| The tour is best done over the course of a | | | | top of Killington Peak. If it's running take the |
| weekend or several days, although it's possible to | | | | K1-Gondola from base. You can ride the Gondola |
| do the drive in one day and forgo many of the | | | | daily from September 24 - October 10th. |
| attractions and rambles suggested. | | | | Killington is about the half-way point in this tour, |
| Let's get going... | | | | and with the beautiful town of Rutland close-by |
| Start from Montpelier, a small city on the | | | | plenty of lodging if you decide to linger overnight. |
| northern fringe of central Vermont. Montpelier can | | | | Just be sure to make reservations during the |
| be easily reached from Interstate 89. Montpelier is | | | | peak fall foliage season. |
| 182 miles from Boston and 198 miles from | | | | The next section of the tour follows Route 100 |
| Hartford. | | | | as it borders the Green Mountain National Forest. |
| Take Route 12 out of Montpelier and head south | | | | You'll pass through the towns of Pittsfield, |
| to Northfield Falls. Northfield Falls has four covered | | | | Hancock, Granville, and Waitsfield as you cover |
| bridges and the famous Falls General Store. | | | | perhaps the most scenic views and diverse |
| Vermont has some of the finest examples of | | | | terrain you'll see on this drive. |
| covered bridges anywhere in New England, but | | | | Just North of Hancock and close to Route100 on |
| two of them in Northfield Falls can be seen at | | | | Route 125 is Texas Falls. The trail to the falls is an |
| once, as you look through one to other. This is | | | | easy hike and offers marvelous views anytime of |
| unique in New England and definitely worth taking | | | | the year, but especially during fall foliage season |
| the camera out to capture. | | | | when the colors dazzle. |
| Continue on Route 12 making your way to Bethel. | | | | The larger of the two waterfalls is Moss Glen Falls |
| Bethel is one of those Vermont towns that's a | | | | just north of Granville a few miles up from |
| natural part of the scenery. Could this be why it's | | | | Hancock. The drive from Hancock towards the |
| home to the White River National Fish Hatchery? | | | | falls is a two-lane winding road that passes |
| The hatchery focuses on restoring Atlantic | | | | through a seven mile stretch of untouched |
| Salmon to the Connecticut River. It's open 8:00am | | | | wilderness, and worth taking slow and easy. |
| - 3:00pm daily. | | | | The final leg of this central Vermont scenic drive |
| From Bethel you'll continue your last piece of the | | | | from Granville to Middlesex and back to Montpelier |
| southern route to Woodstock. | | | | continues to provide startling scenery and great |
| The Woodstock area offers a number of | | | | photo opportunities. Route 100B connects with |
| attractions, including Billings Farm and Museum, and | | | | Route 100 just south of Moretown village, and |
| Quechee Gorge. Woodstock itself is one of those | | | | you'll take 100B north to Middlesex and then join |
| picture-perfect Vermont villages that's fun just to | | | | Interstate 89 for the quick hop back into |
| stroll around checking out the boutiques and | | | | Montpelier. |
| restaurants. | | | | Vermonters quip the state really has five seasons |
| The Billings Farm and Museum was established in | | | | - spring, summer, fall, winter, and the famous |
| 1871, and today it's a working farm, and a | | | | mud season. But my personal favorite in Vermont |
| museum depicting farm life in the late 1800s. | | | | is the fall. Take this tour and you'll understand |
| Quechee Gorge is Vermont's little Grand Canyon. | | | | why. |
| Not quite as big a hole in the ground as in Arizona, | | | | |