This Fall, we decided to a do an upstate driving trip to Vermont to see the so-called famous 'Fall Colours'. So on a weekend in Oct, we did our research to check where the peak fall colours would be visible and off we went. We did not really have a fixed plan in mind of the places we would go to and all. Just picked up a couple of random places and the rest would be decided on the way!
The drive initially seemed quite exciting actually. The colours along the highway showed the oranges and yellows and browns that we had seen so many times earlier, in photographs, in movies and so on...
We drove from New York towards the Catskill mountains, but somehow the colours weren't as great as we had imagined. Looked like we were a week or two late. So we kept on driving, and next we reached a small town of Hudson which is located on the river Hudson itself. The colours there were a little more brighter than before.
After lunch in the sleepy (and pretty) town, onwards we drove on towards the Green Mountain National Park in Vermont which was supposed to have the best colours. But it started snowing on the way!! In October!! Anyways so most of our trip turned out to be a white snow trip rather than the red fall colours we wanted to see.
Driving was a bit tough, and we decided to stop at the Northshire Lodge at Machester in Vermont. It was a nice small lodge, with a breathtaking view of the mountains in front which is apparently even more colourful in Fall!
Of course all we saw was white snow all around! And thanks to the snow, the Halloween Parade for the weekend had also got cancelled! The snow was pretty though, and the Lodge looked very pretty with the just fallen snow in the morning!
Anyways, we roamed around in the town of Manchester, which at night with the snow all around looked straight out of Alpian Europe! It reminded me so much of the Swiss small towns, the same kind of wooden houses, small lanes and with ski slopes all around. The perfect ski town for the snow time! Is definitely a place to go to in the cold and dreary winters, it would looks so cheerful and bright here am sure...
Anyways, we still did not lose heart to see the fall colours and the next day while driving back to New York, we decided to drive via the Bear Mountain. Apparently that still had the Fall colours there! And a good choice it turned out to be! On the drive back, we saw a lot more of the flaming bright yellow and red colours we had imagined before. Next to lakes, with the reflection of the colours showing in the waters. Entire mountains burning in yellow! It was pleasing to finally see all we had been driving around for!
The Bear Mountain was closed that time but the area around the Hessian Lake was open and people had already started trying to ski even in the little bit of snow! Anyways we spent some time there, admiring the colours which we had been trying to find for two days! There was a lot of crowd there from New York, apparently you can take a cruise from New York along the Hudson upto the Bear Mountain. Something to remember for later on:).
Anyways after we were satisfied of having seen the Fall colours finally, we were back in New York and back to the city life. Here is a link of our drive, New York to Vermont and Vermont to New York.
