Fall

Leaf-peeping in Gifford Woods State Park

'Leaf peeping' is the local term for those keen on experiencing the blaze of colour that happens in America's fall. And nowhere does it better than Vermont. One of the finest venues is nearby Gifford Woods State Park, which is home to one of the few old-growth hardwood stands remaining in Vermont. Here you'll find yourself amid towering sugar maple, beech, yellow birch, white ash, and hemlock trees. You can also visit Kent Pond and fish for brook and rainbow trout (from mid-September to early October).

The Vermont harvest festival season

Vermont is famed for its harvest festival which includes everything from traditional country fairs, to arts and crafts displays, to celebrations of local craft brews. Local events (subject to Covid 19 restrictions) include the Killington Brewfest, which is a celebration of the area's handcrafted beers (September 30th ), The Woodstock Art Festival (early September), The Rutland Annual Art in the Park Columbus Day Weekend celebration, the Cider Day Celebration in nearby Belmont and the Rutland Halloween Parade.

Wilderness and wildlife discovery

Vermont has 800,000 acres of conserved wildlife habitat making it a prime destination for wildlife watching and fishing. Fall is the time to spot white-tailed deer, wild turkey, moose, waterfowl and more. October, the rutting season, is the ideal time to see a rutting bull moose calling for cows through the shifting mists of a Vermont Fall.

The gathering of the geese

Early October and mid-November is the time to experience one of the most magnificent gatherings of wildlife in North America - the famous snowgoose and Canada goose migration.

Migrating hawks

Those keen on ornithology should know that the migration of the hawks begins in September and runs through November. During this time you can see every type of hawk, owl and eagle in the region. September is also the best time to experience Vermont's vibrant selection of marsh birds, shorebirds, woodpeckers and songbirds.

Take in some history

The cooler days of fall invite some historical research so why not explore 13,000 years of history at the Vermont Archaeology Heritage Centre, Barre. Exhibits, workshop and lectures draw on unearthed evidence from over 750 archaeological Vermont sites. There's also the fascinating stories of the numerous shipwrecks that lie at the bottom of Lake Champlain. To find out more visit the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum.

Visit Billings Farm and Museum

Billings Farm & Museum is just a scenic stroll from the village center of Woodstock, Vermont, and is regarded as one of the finest outdoor history museums in the country. Combining a fully-operating Jersey dairy farm with educational exhibits and interactive programs and events for all the family.

Wine and cheese tasting

Vermont is famous for its wines and cheeses and offers numerous opportunities for winery tours, wine tastings, cheese factory visits and cheese sampling. There are also plentiful farmers' markets and annual festivals including the Vermont Life Wine and Harvest Festival and the Vermont Cheesemakers' Festival.

Killington Adventure Centre

It doesn't have to be snowy to be stunning in the Killington Adventure Centre. Here you can experience the foliage on the Beast Mountain Coaster, which rises 100 feet above the town on the Skyeride while offering a a 600-foot-long , 2-seater zipline ride that glides at 30 miles per hour. You might also like to sample the Skye Ropes Course, which stands 4 stories above the ground with 42 exciting obstacles to clear. Other attractions include the Skyejump Tower, Terra Tubing, and the Skyebounce, paint balling, laser tag, flyboarding and bocce.

So many sports

Other sporting activities include horse-riding, kayaking, pontoon boating, disc golf, clay bird shooting, hiking, mountain biking, golf, tennis, Segway riding, All-terrain vehicle tours, swimming (indoor and out), skating (indoor and out), climbing (indoor and out), dog sledding, sleigh riding and falconry.

Gone fishing

This region is perfect for fresh water and fly fishing and fall is the time to catch your trout and salmon. Since Vermont is the fly-fishing capital of New England you might also like to visit the 50-year-old American Museum of Fly fishing in Manchester?

Scale Killington Peak and take lunch at the top

Standing tall at 4,241 feet (1,292 metres) is Killington Peak, the second-tallest peak in the USA's state of Vermont. It can be reached by the K-1 Express Gondola in the winter but in the fall it makes a fabulously scenic hike that can be topped off with lunch at the Peak Lodge. On certain dates in September you can also ride the gondola to the top for a special Sunset Supper at Peak Lodge.

Glorious Golf in the Green mountains

Fall is a great time to practice your swing against a glorious backdrop of autumn leaves. There are over 74 courses in Vermont, two of which are in Killington and eight within a twenty mile radius. The oldest course in the area is Woodstock Country Club, which was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr, ASGCA and opened in 1895. The longest course is Green Mountain National Golf Course, which is 6,589 yards. Green Mountain National Gold Course is rated as one of the best in the area while Rutland Country Club and the Odemo Valley Golf Club have also won noteworthy awards.

Visit Vermont's Little Canyon

Take a trip to Quechee State Park and discover the Quechee Gorge, which is also known as Vermont's Little Grand Canyon

Discover the covered bridges

Vermont is home to more than 100 covered bridges, boasting more covered bridges per square mile than any other U.S state. The bridges date from 1820 (the original Pulp Mill Bridge across Otter Creek in Middlebury), with most constructed during the mid and late 19th Century. Locations of the bridges are indicated with symbols on the Vermont Road Map. Among them is the Windsor Cornish Covered Bridge that spans the Connecticut River between Windsor, Vermont and Cornish, New Hampshire. At 465 feet, it is the longest two-span covered bridge in the world and the longest wooden bridge in the United States.