Stowe, Vermont · usually late September to mid October
Vermont fall foliage
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Vermont fall foliage
When is Vermont fall foliage 2027?
Vermont fall foliage usually runs late September to mid October. It's a natural season, so the best days change from year to year.
How the dates are set: Peak colour from late September to mid-October.
Vermont fall foliage schedule
- Late September to the first week of October: Northern Vermont, home to Stowe, the Lake Champlain Islands and Mount Mansfield, typically peaks earliest.
- Around October 1: In a typical 2026 season, Smugglers Notch (Mount Mansfield and Stowe) was projected to peak around October 1, while Stowe Community Church and Moss Glen Falls were projected for about October 6.
- October 1 to 9: Across Vermont, a typical 2026 season peaks October 1 to 9. High ground near 4,400 feet peaks around September 23, and valleys near 900 feet around October 6. Ridgelines lead valley floors by 10 to 14 days.
Sources: visit-vermont.com, fallphotoguide.com
Getting to Vermont fall foliage
- Route 100 runs 140 miles from Wilmington north to Waterbury through the center of the state, past Mount Snow, Stratton, Okemo, Killington and Sugarbush ski areas. It is nicknamed Vermont's Main Street.
- A scenic drive that starts and ends in Stowe boards a gondola for views from above, and passes two waterfalls and a state park with a mountain lake.
- VT Route 108 squeezes through Smugglers Notch between the cliffs of Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak, past car-sized boulders that fell into the roadway.
Sources: visit-vermont.com, fallphotoguide.com
Where to stay in Stowe
- Plan ahead, because people from around the world come for the foliage. Lodging in a mountain resort or an inn is the suggested way to make a stay of it.
Source: visit-vermont.com
Vermont fall foliage: questions people ask
What is the best time to see fall foliage in Stowe, Vermont?
Northern Vermont, including Stowe, typically peaks earliest, from late September into the first week of October.
Does elevation change when fall color peaks in Vermont?
Yes. In a typical season, ridgelines lead valley floors by 10 to 14 days, and the Northeast Kingdom turns about a week before the southern valleys.
Is mid-October too late for fall foliage in Vermont?
It can be in the north. A 2025 forecast said Vermont and most of New England would be past peak by the week of October 14, with leaves duller and falling. Southern valleys can stay later.
What makes the reds in Vermont foliage?
Reds are made fresh each autumn and need warm sunny days with cool, frost-free nights. A dry summer or warm September gives a duller year, while yellows and oranges show up every year.
What are the best scenic drives for Vermont foliage?
Route 100 from Wilmington to Waterbury (140 miles) is the classic one, and a Stowe loop includes a gondola ride and two waterfalls.
Sources: visit-vermont.com, fallphotoguide.com, burlingtonfreepress.com
About Vermont fall foliage
The most reliable red maples in America, on back roads with covered bridges and white church steeples.
Vermont's sugar maples turn in a wave from the Northeast Kingdom southward, with the Stowe and Smugglers' Notch area usually peaking in the first week of October. The state posts a foliage tracker and the color lasts about two weeks in any one place. Route 100 south from Stowe is the drive people mean when they say Vermont.
Know before you go
- Inns require two-night minimums in foliage season and fill by August
- Smugglers' Notch road closes to buses and RVs and is worth driving in a small car
- Burlington is 45 minutes from Stowe; Manchester and Boston are about three and three and a half hours by car.
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