Test Your Foliage Knowledge
I know, gentle reader, that you know Vermont has some of the best fall foliage in the U.S. But, maybe, just maybe, there are a few things you didn’t know.
TREES
I’ve had friends visit from other parts of the country or world and be stunned at our fall palette of yellow, orange, and red contrasting with the dark green of the evergreens. Mother Nature brings her full skillset to the Mad River Valley. Depending on the color of the leaves, here are the trees you are likely seeing:
Yellow=Alder, Beech, Ash
Red=Maple, Pin Cherry, Oak, Tupelo
Orange=Oak or Maple
Green=Pine, Cedar, Hemlock, Balsam Fir, Spruce
Check out this Guide to Vermont’s Foliage Leaves.
WAYS TO EXPLORE
There are so many ways to view the gorgeous MRV colors. Here are a few ideas:
Mountain Bike on the Revolution and Evolution trails behind American Flatbread
Take a Mad River Glen chairlift ride on September 24th on Fall Foliage Weekend. Then you can hike down the blue and green trail ski slopes (Antelope to Broadway to Bunny is one route) Click here for more information.
Enjoy a Sugarbush chairlift ride on October 8th during Community Weekend. Ride down or hike down Lower Jester after feasting on your packed picnic at Allen’s Lodge. Click here for more information.
Canoe on Blueberry Lake when the waters are calm and cool. If you go early enough, you might see deer enjoying the water, too.
Summon your daring for a glider ride at Warren Sugarbush airport. The views from thousands of feet in the air are beyond description. Click here to learn more.
If you prefer a car tour, drive up Route 17 and stop at the top of the App Gap. Or, head down the other side and watch the trees change as you motor into the Lake Champlain Valley. The trees will reward you on both sides of “the gap”.
TIMING
Timing is always the tricky part. When friends or relatives ask you when the foliage will “peak”, send them to this site. The short answer for 2022 is that since the MRV drought conditions have been mild compared to other New England locations this summer, foliage season is expected to start on time at the end of September and continue into early October.
We hope to see you biking, hiking, paddling, picnicking, or just reveling in the colors soon.