Favorite Fall Foliage Drives in New England

Favorite Fall Foliage Drives

Vermont | 60 Miles of Beauty

From Vergennes, take US 7 South. Bear left on VT 17 East to Bristol. Continue following VT 17 East to Waitsfield. Follow VT 100 North to 100B North through Moretown and Middlesex. Bear right on US 2 East to Montpelier.

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Vermont Fall Foliage Drive | Things to Do
Vermont Fall Foliage Drive | Photographs

Maine | Driving the Sheepscot

From Wiscasset, take ME 218 North to Whitefield. Bear left on ME 194 West; then an immediate right (north) on Townhouse Road to ME 126. Bear right on ME 126 East for 1 mile; then bear right on East River Road (ME 218 South). Bear left on ME 194 East; then, where 194 makes a sharp right, bear left on Hollywood Boulevard instead. Either ME 194 South or Hollywood Boulevard will get you to Head Tide Village; from there bear left on ME 218 South back to Wiscasset.

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Maine Fall Foliage Drive | Things to Do
Maine Fall Foliage Drive | Photographs

Massachusetts | Along the Great River

From South Hadley, take MA 47 North to Sunderland. Bear left on MA 116 North to visit Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation; then backtrack to MA 47 North. Bear left on Sunderland Road, heading north toward Montague, on the Sawmill River. Follow Turners Falls Road north; it becomes Montague Road and takes you into the village of Turners Falls. At the end of your tour downtown, take Avenue A to the north end of town; cross the Connecticut River on the bridge over the dam, and at the stop light, cross MA 2 and head straight up the hill on Main Road into Gill. North of the town center, bear right on MA 10 East; cross the Connecticut River into Northfield and bear left on MA 63 through town and into New Hampshire.

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Massachusetts Foliage Drive | Things to Do
Massachusetts Foliage Drive | Photographs

New Hampshire | Water Colors

From Alton Bay, take NH 11 West; then bear right on 11B North to the traffic circle and exit onto US 3 North to Weirs Beach. Continue on US 3 North to Meredith and Holderness; then pick up NH 113 North to Center Sandwich. From there, take NH 109 South to Moultonborough. When you reach the Old Country Store, bear left on NH 25 East to pick up NH 109 South again. Continue on NH 109 South to Wolfeboro; then pick up NH 28 South back to Alton Bay.

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New Hampshire Foliage Drive | Things to Do
New Hampshire Foliage Drive | Photographs

Rhode Island | Where the Farmland Meets the Sea

FarmCoast, a group of local business owners, has created a map of this region, with many stops along the route; you’ll find it at numerous places along the way, or visit: farmcoast.com.

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Rhode Island Foliage Drive | Things to Do
Rhode Island Foliage Drive | Photographs

Connecticut | Autumn Abundance

From Granby, follow CT 20 West, watching for left turns: onto Barndoor Hills Road to visit Honey Hill Pottery, or Simsbury Road to find Holcomb Farm and Garlic Farm. Continue along CT 20; bear left on CT 219/Barkhamsted Road. At the intersection with CT 179, bear left; then stay right to continue on CT 219 South. Bear right on CT 318/Saville Dam Road. In Pleasant Valley, bear right on West River Road and head north through American Legion State Forest. Bear right on Riverton Road to reach Hitchcock Chair Company. Then bear left on Robertsville Road, and Greenwood Glass is immediately on the left. Continue on Robertsville Road; bear right on Eno Hill Road, then right on Durst Road to find Hogback Dam. Turn around, descend, and cross Robertsville Road onto Old Forge Road. Stay right at the fork; then cross CT 8 at a stop sign and follow Deer Hill Road. At the hilltop stop sign, continue straight onto Old North Road, which becomes CT 182. When it ends, bear right on CT 44 West. Past Infinity Hall in Norfolk, bear right on CT 272; the entrance to Haystack Mountain State Park is on the left. Reverse and proceed south on CT 272 about 14 miles; bear right on CT 4 to Goshen, where you’ll find Mohawk Bison (47 Allyn Road), West Street Farm (103 West Street), Thorncrest Farm (280 Town Hill Road), and Miranda Vineyard (42 Ives Road).

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Connecticut Foliage Drive | Things to Do
Connecticut Foliage Drive | Photographs

This article first appeared in the September/October 2014 issue of Yankee Magazine.