It Is Leaf Peeping Season

It Is Leaf Peeping Season

It’s leaf peeping season, otherwise known as fall foliage season!

Where are your favorite places to go to view the beautiful fall foliage? I was born and raised in the state of Vermont, so I am a bit partial to Vermont’s fall foliage season. Some of my favorite spots to view the vibrant colors of fall in Vermont were driving through Smugglers Notch, which passes through Stowe and Jeffersonville and is a well-known ski resort area. Smuggler’s Notch is a rugged path through the mountains where in spots, it’s just barely passable, one vehicle at a time. It is said that Smuggler’s Notch got its name because smugglers used the path through the mountains to move supplies to and from Canada during the War of 1812. This path is closed during the winter as travel is too risky for the inclement weather.

There is also no better view of the foliage than atop Vermont’s very own Camel’s Hump Mountain. Camel’s Hump is the third tallest mountain in the state, standing at over 4,000 feet tall. Today, Camel’s Hump State Park totals over 21,000 acres and has many trails for hiking, depending on the level of difficulty and distance you want to go. The mountain itself is shaped like a camel’s hump, and it is said to have gotten its shape from the Ice Age.

Outside of Vermont’s foliage season, another location where I found fall foliage to be absolutely breathtaking is the Great Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg, Tenn. If you have never been, this should be a must on your bucket list. The Great Smoky Mountains is spread over 500,000 acres of pure beauty. It’s full of trails for hiking with cascading waterfalls and roaming wildlife. It will be an experience that will give you memories to last a lifetime. Take a drive on the Gap Road for a scenic ride, or pack a picnic and just get lost in nature. Of course, Gatlinburg itself has limitless entertainment with a wide variety of restaurants, shops, and museums offering fun for all ages.

Happy fall, y’all!