Check out a newer (2020) updated version of this post on my new blog: Stowe, Vermont: A Charming New England Fall Day Trip
Ah, Vermont! I don’t get there as often as I would like but every single time I go to Vermont I end up saying how much I freakin’ love it. Who doesn’t love beautiful fall colors, a million craft breweries, and friendly locals?
I have a favorite fall spot in Vermont – Stowe. Don’t get me wrong, Stowe is gorgeous any time of year but I love it in fall. There is just something so quintessentially New England about Stowe. It is located in Northern Vermont and is about a 3 hour drive for me. This cute New England town sits in the shadow of Mt. Mansfield, the highest peak of the Green Mountains. Although it is most famous for its trails and ski resorts.
On my first fall trip to Stowe, I attempted to find Sleepy Hollow Farm, which is located close to Woodstock, Vermont, and kind of on my way to Stowe. There are no directions to the farm but bloggers/photographers attempt to get you pretty close to the location. No GPS, Google Maps or Waze can get you to Sleepy Hollow Farm. Guys, I failed, hard. I never did find the farm.
Somewhere on Cloudland Road
But on the bright side, the scenery on Cloudland Road is gorgeous whether I got to take a few photos at the farm or not.
Here are the general directions that you will find on most blog posts:
Take Cloudland Road from Woodstock (you can enter this on Google or Waze and you will get to Cloudland Road). Keep driving on Cloudland Road and you will see photographers set up with tripods to take photos of this gorgeous farm surrounded by the beautiful fall colors. When you see this get off the road and look to your right – and there she is in all of her glory – Sleepy Hollow Farm. We hope you have more luck then we did finding it!! I’m determined to make a return trip just to find this farm!
If you fail hard like I did make sure to stop and check out Woodstock, Vermont. It is the most charming little town and you will not regret even a quick visit, I promise!
Under Brookdale Covered Bridge – West Branch of Waterbury River
On my second fall roadtrip to Stowe, I decided to check out Quechee Gorge, which is also “on the way.” Quechee Gorge is the deepest gorge in Vermont at 165 feet and is located within Quechee State Park. I brought the boys with me and they loved all of the attention they got at the gorge.
After a quick stop at the visitor’s center where both boys were permitted to go inside to get a drink and some love, I headed off on the trail directly behind the visitors center. It was a quick little walk that takes you to the Quechee Gorge Bridge. The bridge is really the best way to view the gorge.
Quechee Gorge
The gorge itself is beautiful but it wasn’t exactly what I had expected. You only really have views of the gorge from the bridge. I thought you could hike down closer to the water and maybe you can and we just missed it? There was a lot of fence on the trails blocking the gorge itself and making it impossible to see down below.
Quechee Gorge
That being said, the views from the bridge are gorgeous and if you need to get out and stretch your legs it’s completely worth a stop! Beware that the gorge gets pretty busy; it was fairly packed when we arrived early on a Friday afternoon. I can’t imagine what it’s like on weekends. If I had to guess I would say it’s pretty insane on weekends during the fall.
Back on the road to Stowe!
All of those famous photos that you’ve seen of Smugglers Notch in fall – yep, that’s right outside of Stowe! Most of the notch is located in Mt. Mansfield State Forest. It’s a gorgeous drive and one that we absolutely recommend.
If you are looking for a short and easy hike within Smugglers Notch State Park check out Bingham Falls. It is .5 miles, rated easy and offers a waterfall. Dogs are also allowed to use this trail.
Bingham Falls
Another great scenic drive is Stowe Mountain toll road. It costs $33 for two people and the dogs and they take both cash and cards. Dogs are allowed at the top parking lots as long as they are on a lead.
Stowe Mountain Toll Road
The drive itself is gorgeous and takes about 20 minutes to arrive at the top with a max speed of 15 mph. Once you reach the 3rd parking lot at the Mount Mansfield Visit Center it’s an easy 5 min walk to gorgeous 360-degree views.
The small trail to Mount Mansfield
Be aware that it is COLD at the top. It was 37 degree at the top on the day we went so if you are planning on hiking make sure to dress warmly. Sturdy shoes are also recommended as the trail is easy but it was wet and muddy and had a few slippery spots during our visit.
The views are absolutely stunning and worth freezing your butt off!
Yes, I almost always have messy hair. I somehow always forget to put a hat on when on top of a mountain! haha
The toll road closes to incoming traffic at 4 pm and since I only arrived at 3:45 I was a bit pressed for time. Thankfully the road closes to outgoing traffic at 5 pm giving me about 15 minutes to enjoy the views.
If you plan your day a little better then I did, and have some time, I suggest doing the Chin Hike to the tallest point in Vermont. The trail is 1.5 miles and takes about 90 minutes to complete. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time to do it.
Grab a bite to eat at The Blue Donkey. I love that The Blue Donkey allowed the boys to eat with me on the outdoor patio. They were so sweet and brought the boys a bowl of water and even some extra fries. The burgers are amazing and the beer and cider are awesome. Give them a try!
Check out the charming downtown area of Stowe.
Make sure not to miss Shaw’s General Store or The Country Store on Main. Or just take a stroll around downtown Stowe and take in all of the great fall decorations! When I visited there was a display of pumpkins from a pumpkin carving contest. How cute?
On your way out of town don’t forget to stop at Cold Hollow Cider Mill. There’s a reason that it’s one of Vermont’s most popular tourist attractions and the top producer of fresh apple cider in New England. They know what they are doing!
My favorites are the warm cider, cider slushies, cider donuts, and the dutch apple pie. I always get a half-gallon of cider to take home and it’s gone within a day. The cider donuts here are more traditional (i.e. not covered in cinnamon or sugar) and I love that!
Stowe, Vermont is the perfect fall New England day trip.
Do you have a favorite New England day trip? Share it with me!
