VT Weather | Fall Festivals | Golf Guide
November 14, 2019 -- The Vermont.com Foliage Reports are provided by volunteer members of our Leaf Squad from around the state, and by the Vermont Dept of Tourism. We hope you enjoyed reading the 2019 Foliage Reports as much as we enjoyed sharing them.
If you couldn't make it to Vermont this fall, you can still find some gorgeous fall scenery in our Autumn Photo Gallery, thanks to local photographers and visitors to Vermont. But truly, you've got to be here to fully enjoy the leaves. And remember, it's never too early to plan your next fall vacation!
-- Vermont.com
Thank You to our reporters - your efforts are appreciated!
Mike Chait,
Smugglers' Notch Resort,
Jeffersonville, VT
Laura Malieswski,
Burke Chamber of Commerce,
Burke, VT
Tera Dacek,
Stoweflake Mountain Resort,
Stowe, VT
Jessica Bonath,
Sterling Ridge Resort,
Jeffersonville, VT
Shea Lincourt,
University of Vermont,
Burlington, VT
Vicky Tebbetts & Carol Ryan,
Red Clover Inn & Restaurant,
Mendon, VT
Capt. Matt Trombley,
3rd Alarm Charters,
Proctor, VT
Patty McGrath,
Inn at Long Trail,
Killington, VT
Luke Robins,
Stratton Mountain Resort,
Bondville, VT
Julie Wood,
Golden Stage Inn,
Proctorsville, VT
Robin,
Manchester View,
Manchester, VT
Renee-Marie Smith,
Vermont.com,
Manchester, VT
Linda Warner,
Vermont.com,
Woodford, VT
Also, thank you to the Vermont Dept of Tourism for your weekly reports.
To view past Foliage Reports, visit the Vermont.com Blog.
Beyond leaf peeping, there are plenty of ways to enjoy Vermont's mountains, meadows and villages during the fall. Discover Vermont Fall Festivals and other fun things to do in Vermont with our Vermont.com Calendar of Events. Don't see your event? Feel free to suggest an event so we can add it to our Calendar.
For current conditions, call Vermont's Seasonal Hotline at (802)828-3239 ... and tell them Vermont.com sent you!
Best Bets:
During the earliest part of foliage season, viewing is more about elevation than
location. Your best chances for spotting color are to 'get high' or 'get low.'
Higher elevations with panoramic views will allow you to spot smatterings of color
in the valleys below. Alternatively, you can 'get low' - marshy areas near bodies
of water typically offer the first areas of foliage change and also offer a wide
variety of tree species which enlarges the palette of early season colors.
Helpful Tip: Plan Ahead!
Foliage season is a very popular time to visit Vermont, so if you want to stay in
a particular place on a particular weekend, call in advance to make sure rooms are
available. Having your lodging plans made in advance will avoid unnecessary stress
and allow you to enjoy your foliage season odyssey. Also too, it is a good idea
to make dining reservations as early as possible in the day or even the night before.
When To Come For 'Peak' Foliage:
There is no one 'perfect' time to visit Vermont to see peak foliage. Color change
begins in mid-September and runs through the first two to three weeks in October
and varies by elevation, progressing from north to south and higher to lower
elevations during the course of the season. As such, there are many 'peaks' so that
you can make your plans based on the timing and location that works for you.
Science Behind the Leaves Changing Colors:
During the short summer months, broad-leafed trees such as maples, oaks and birches
produce food to nourish themselves for growth. They do this through a process known
as photosynthesis, using the energy of the sun to produce food. As the days grow
shorter in early fall, the increasing periods of darkness trigger leafy plants to
slow down photosynthesis and stop growing. A pigment in the leaves called chlorophyll
(which gives leaves their green color) is used in photosynthesis, so the slowing
of this process means there is less green pigment. But leaves contain pigments other
than green, called carotenoids and anthocyanins. Once the greens fade, carotenoids
are revealed (yellow, orange, and brown colors), anthocyanins and are produced
(red and purple colors).
Certain colors are characteristic of particular plant species. Red maples live up to their name by turning scarlet, while most sugar maples glow a warm orange. Aspen and birches display sunny yellows, while oak and beech leaves turn bronze and gold. Most of Vermont's fall foliage color is provided by red and sugar maples, two resilient tree species that constitute more than 50 percent of our forest's trees. You can find even more details on leaves and their changing colors, courtesy of the US Forest Service: Why Leaves Change Colors
Vermont Fall Foliage Season
from the
Vermont Department of Tourism