MONTPELIER, Vt. – State foresters are predicting that foliage in the Northeast Kingdom will be near or at peak next week as bright fall color broadens its reach through the higher elevations and northern sections of the state.
With cooler temperatures in the forecast, the foliage progression is expected to accelerate across the state over the next several days. The Northeast Kingdom is on track to be near or at peak by the middle of next week.
 “The foliage is really beginning to show along the higher elevation ridgelines,” said Orleans and Lamoille County Forester Raymond Toolan. “Color seems to be coming on pretty fast, and the colors are good.”
Elsewhere in the state, the higher elevations offer excellent opportunities for foliage viewing and the hillsides are beginning to show brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow.
“In southern Vermont, the higher elevations of the Green Mountains from Peru to Woodford offer the most color viewing at this stage of the season,” said Bennington County Forester Nate Fice. “Over the next several weeks, oranges, reds and yellows will work their way from the tops of the mountains down to the valleys.”
Best Bets: In northern Vermont, suggested routes include Route 122 from Lyndonville to Glover, Route 114 from East Burke to Norton, Route 100 from Hyde Park to Troy, Route 16 from Greensboro to Westmore, and Route 58 from Lowell to Orleans.
Look for shades of gold, orange and red along Route 302 between Barre and Groton, Route 108 between Stowe and Cambridge, Route 100 from Warren to Stowe, Route 14 between Chelsea and Williamstown, Route 12 between Montpelier and Elmore, Route 125 from Hancock to Middlebury and Route 12A from Roxbury to Northfield.
Route 5 along the Connecticut River from Bellows Falls to East Thetford is showing a variety of color, as is Route 14 along the White River between Hartford and East Randolph, and Route 100 from Wilmington to West Bridgewater.
Explore along Route 9 between Brattleboro and Bennington, as well as Route 100 between Killington and Rochester, where you’ll find outstanding shades of red, orange and yellow. Also try Route 73 from Rochester to Brandon, Route 4 from Quechee to Rutland, Route 140 from Mount Holly to Wallingford, and Route 103 from Ludlow to East Clarendon.
Foliage on the mountain ridges and higher elevation pockets along the spine of the Green Mountains from Middlebury Gap to Danby are moving from early to mid-stage with plenty of vibrant yellows and oranges. Look for magnificent deep reds along Route 7 between the Green Mountain and Taconic Ranges, especially around Wallingford and Danby and Route 7A between Manchester and Bennington.
Soft maples in low-lying marshy areas, such as Route 73 from Brandon to Sudbury and Route 30 from Whiting to Castleton Corners, are showing early to mid-stage color ranging from burnt orange to gold.
The Vermont Hospitality Council advises making advance reservations because the most popular lodgings may fill early on busy weekends in late September and the first two weekends in October. Some innkeepers may require a minimum two-night stay, especially on busy weekends.
Vermont tourism officials encourage visitors to take advantage of midweek specials during the foliage season as part of its statewide “Midweek Peek” promotion. Deals range from discounted lodging to free Vermont products.
This section of our Web site has several tools for planning your 2009 Vermont Fall Foliage tour including:
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