Fall never fails to bring a sense of elation to Bethany Ericson, author of New England Cabins & Cottages (Avalon Travel/Foghorn Outdoors, 2004). If you find yourself with a similar urge to adventure in the brisk air, immersing yourself in fall’s finery as hawks circle above the trees, here are her picks for the 5 […]
Fall never fails to bring a sense of elation to Bethany Ericson, author of New England Cabins & Cottages (Avalon Travel/Foghorn Outdoors, 2004). If you find yourself with a similar urge to adventure in the brisk air, immersing yourself in fall’s finery as hawks circle above the trees, here are her picks for the 5 best cottages for fall foliage.
Photo Credit : Little, KristinBlue Heron Farm
A working farm since the 18th century, Blue Heron is an organic operation truly committed to sustainability. And staying at a place that’s home to dairy goats, Fjord horses, and wonderful hosts who harvest blueberries and make syrup is heaven. Autumn is the farm’s crowning glory, with bright sugar maples scattered over Warner Hill, and a vibrant view from the back mowing stretching right to the top of Mount Greylock to the west. Charlemont, MA. 413-339-4045; blueheronfarm.comInn on Covered Bridge Green
Since fall in New England can bring out nostalgia even in newcomers, what’s more mood-perfect than staying in Norman Rockwell’s former studio? It’s a two-bedroom cottage with fun and funky furnishings, and there’s also a cute honeymoon cottage next door. Both are located to the side of the inn on a classic Vermont town green in the picturesque Batten Kill Valley. West Arlington, VT. 802-375-9784; coveredbridgegreen.com Photo Credit : WilloughVale InnWilloughVale InnFollow Robert Frost’s “[road] less traveled by” to these cottages on the edge of spectacular Lake Willoughby, with its fjord-like granite cliffs rising from the water. Red-, orange-, and yellow-dappled views of Bald Mountain, Mount Pisgah, Mount Hor, and Wheeler Mountain are reflected in the lake’s mirror as you eat apple pie by your fireplace. Westmore, VT. 802-525-4123; willoughvale.comMerck Forest & Farmland Center
At Merck, a nonprofit environmental educational organization in the Taconic Range, you walk into the kind of forest where fairytales begin. The complex includes a welcome center, a sugarhouse, and a windmill on more than 3,000 acres of woods and farmland, with hike-in rustic cabins scattered amid glorious sugar maples. Don your backpack, and don’t miss the views from Antone Mountain, the Ned’s Place cabin, and the sugarhouse. Rupert, VT. 802-394-7836; merckforest.orgSterling Ridge Resort
Five miles of wooded trails stretch right from your cabin. Lodgings are convenient to hikes in the high country, drives through Smugglers’ Notch, and mountain biking or paddling under a canopy of glorious color. Back at Sterling Ridge, the foliage is reflected in the pond, with Mount Mansfield in the background. Jeffersonville, VT. 800-347-8266; sterlingridgeresort.com
