WAYS TO SEE FOLIAGE
1. Green Mountain Railroad, VT
535 Depot St, Chester • 802 463 3069
• Open Jul–mid-Oct • Adm •
www.rails-vt.com
Take a jaunt through the southern Vermont woods aboard vintage railcars, which are pulled by a diesel locomotive, for some spectacular views of the Connecticut River and the deep gorges of its tributaries. In fall, the maple trees are a dazzling blaze of flame-like colors.
2. Mohawk Trail, MA
This historic Indian trade route over the Berkshire Hills follows the upper ranges of the Deerfield River – resplendent with acid-yellow alder and birch – until it climbs through fiery stands of maple, birch, and beech in the Charlemont State Forest. The drive ends by spiraling down the hillsides at the aptly named Hairpin Turn (for further details see Mohawk Trail ).
3. Lake Champlain Cruise, VT
Burlington Boathouse, 1 College St, Burlington • 802 862 8300
• Open mid-May–mid-Oct • Adm •
www.soea.com
Hop aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen III for a narrated cruise around Lake Champlain. While adults admire the brightly painted forests that surround the lake, kids ought to keep an eye out for Champ, the legendary sea serpent that resides in the lake.
Colorful forests at Lake Champlain
4. K-1 Gondola, VT
After a scenic gondola ride to the highest lift-served terrain in Vermont, a short, easy hike brings you to the summit of Killington Peak for a panoramic view of five states and part of Canada.
5. Kancamagus Highway, NH
Few foliage drives in New England match the thrill of hurtling along the “Kanc” through a tunnel of kaleidoscopic colors. This stretch of highway runs between Lincoln and Conway and covers about 34 miles (55 km) of Route 112. Stop along the way to savor the experience by hiking to a waterfall or sunning on mid-stream glacial boulders (for further details see Kancamagus Highway ).
Fall foliage, Kancamagus Highway
6. Essex Steam Train and Riverboat, CT
Combine a trip through the woods in restored 1920s railcars pulled by coal-fired steam locomotives with a cruise down the Connecticut River aboard a three-deck Mississippi-style riverboat (for further details see Essex Steam Train and Riverboat ).
7. Route 100, VT
Perhaps New England’s ultimate road for leaf-peeping, Route 100 passes natural wonders like Moss Glen Falls, follows the Mad River through several scenic villages, then rises high into the Green Mountains.
8. Deerfield River Rafting, MA
Zoar Outdoor • 800 532 7483
• open Jun–Sep • adm •
www.zoaroutdoor.com
The Deerfield River has some of the most exhilarating rapids and most scenic gorges in New England. Nothing compares to the rush of bankside colors viewed from a raft during foliage season.
9. Boston’s Emerald Necklace
www.emeraldnecklace.org
Boston is blessed with an almost continuous chain of parks stretching from downtown skyscrapers to leafy suburbia. This walking and cycle route begins at Boston Common. In the fall, the parks are an explosion of red, purple, orange, and yellow.
10. Mount Monadnock, NH
Off Rte 124, west of Jaffrey • 603 532 8862
• Open sunrise–sunset daily • Adm •
www.nhstateparks.org
The 3,165-ft (965-m) summit of Mount Monadnock offers incredible views. The scramble over boulders is well worth the effort, especially during colorful fall foliage season.
Hiker at Mount Monadnock
TOP 10 COVERED BRIDGES
1. Bulls Bridge, 1842
Rte 7, Kent, CT
Town lattice and queenspost over the Housatonic River.
2. Cornish-Windsor Bridge, 1866
Rte 12A, Plainfield, NH
Town lattice, rebuilt in 1989. Spans the Connecticut River between New Hampshire and Vermont.
3. Hemlock Bridge, 1857
Off Rte 302, Fryeburg, ME
Paddleford truss over the Saco River.
4. Artist’s Covered Bridge, 1872
Off Rtes 2 and 26, Newry, ME
Paddleford truss, also known as the Sunday River Bridge.
5. Stark Bridge, 1862
North Rd, Stark, NH
Paddleford truss spanning the Upper Ammonoosuc River in the village.
Charming covered Stark Bridge
6. Albany Covered Bridge, 1858
Dugway Rd, off the Kancamagus Hwy, Albany, NH
Altered Paddleford truss across the Swift River.
7. Ashuelot Bridge, 1864
South of Rte 119, Bolton Rd, Upper Village, Winchester, NH
Town lattice truss that spans the Ashuelot River.
8. Warren Bridge, 1880
East of Rte 100, Warren, VT
Asymmetrical queenspost stretching across the Mad River.
9. Paper Mill, Silk, and Henry Bridges, 1840–2000
South of Rte 67A, Bennington, VT
Three bridges on the Waloomsac River.
10. Burkeville Bridge, 1870
Rte 116, Conway, MA
Howe truss bridge stretching across the South River.
