4 Must-Do Fall Foliage Rides or Drives

Sometimes the best fall foliage views can be found from the road. Here are four stunning routes to drive or ride.

Smuggler’s Notch (Route 108)

Linking Stowe to Smugglers’ Notch Resort, this seasonal mountain road winds its way past the tallest peak in the Green Mountains. Stop for a hike along the way or take in the views from the top. This road closes in the winter, when it becomes a great ski tour.

Middlebury Gap (Route 125)

If you’re headed to the Middlebury Snow Bowl, this road winds up into one of the wildest sections of the Green Mountain National Forest, connecting Route 7 and Route 100. Take in the stunning foliage from the Rikert Nordic Center, or in the 16,000-acre Moosalamoo National Recreation Area that borders Rte. 125.

Mt. Equinox: The Skyline Drive

If you’re staying in Manchester or at Stratton, Magic or Bromley, check out Mt. Equinox. At 5.2 miles long, this privately-owned, paved toll road takes you to the summit of Mt. Equinox (3,848 feet), the highest peak in the Taconic Range, and features 360-degree foliage views from the summit with plenty of vistas to stop at along the way. 

Molly Stark Byway (Route 9): Hogback Mountain Scenic Overlook

If you’re visiting Mount Snow, drive or ride Route 9 to Hogback Mountain Scenic Overlook and the base of the now defunct Hogback Mountain Ski Area. The overlook at the top of the drive offers a 100-mile view from the Green Mountains to Mt. Monadnock in New Hampshire and beyond.

Featured Photo Caption: The view from the Chin of Mt. Mansfield over Smugglers’ Notch. Photo by Nathanael Asaro

Abagael Giles

Abagael Giles is the Assistant Editor at Vermont Ski + Ride Magazine. She loves free-heel skiing and exploring her home state of Vermont–one ridgetop at a time. Find her on Twitter at @AbagaelGiles.

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