Peak Perfection | How to Find Peak Foliage Color in New England

If you want to see dazzling foliage without the traffic and crowds, check out this route through some of the prettiest — and lightly visited — parts of Vermont. Start in St. Johnsbury, just off Rt. 91 on the Northeast Kingdom’s southern edge. Take Rt.2 East to Rt. 102 North along the Connecticut River. Go all the way to Canaan and from there take Rt. 114 West to Averill, where you can stay in Quimby Country, Vermont’s oldest sporting camp and the perfect base to explore the area on both sides of the Canadian border. A cottage on Forest Lake goes for as little as $99 a night for a couple, continental breakfast included.From there, you can bike or hike along lumber trails and paths that run deep into the surrounding forests. Paddle on quiet lakes reflecting the autumn colors. Or cross the border for dinner in the Eastern Townships. (Bring your passport.) All before continuing your foliage tour the next morning by heading west on Rt. 114 to Norton and south to Island Pond, East Burke, Lyndonville, and where you started in St. Johnsbury. Round trip (not counting a stay at Quimby Country) is 3 hours, but you’ll find plenty of reasons to stop along the way in both directions. Many of the small villages you pass through will be alive with harvest festivals, church suppers, bake sales, craft shows, tag sales, and entertainment, ranging from rubber duck races to cow plop bingo.