12 Small Scenic Vermont Towns To Visit This Fall

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The Best Vermont Towns To Visit In The Fall

Summary

Brattleboro is a vibrant town surrounded by beautiful forests and historical farms, offering incredible hikes and stunning vistas.
Stowe, located at Vermont's highest peak, is perfect for a fall vacation with its colorful landscapes and numerous outdoor activities.
Woodstock is a classic town with plenty of fall activities, including visiting historic sites, hiking, and enjoying breathtaking foliage views.

Brimming with spectacular green mountains, incredible history, and a fantastic food scene, Vermont should definitely be on every traveler's bucket list. With the arrival of fall in this beautiful state, the landscapes are exploding with breathtaking colors. Its mountains and forests are glowing, and the views are incredible. Receiving over 13 million visitors yearly, there are endless choices of fun things to do in the state in the fall, from fantastic hiking options to stunning scenic drives and train rides. Luckily, there is just the right number of places where vacationers can best celebrate fall in Vermont. Here are several of the small scenic Vermont towns to visit in the fall.

UPDATE: 2023/09/03 13:32 EST BY NICHOLAS MAYAMBA

The Best Vermont Towns To Visit In The Fall

There are numerous fun adventures to explore in Vermont during the fall, and its small idyllic towns are the perfect spot to set up base in anticipation of the changing foliage. In this updated article, find out more of the best fall towns to visit in Vermont. After all, the state has some of the best leaf peeping in the nation.

12 Brattleboro

A river running through the town of Brattleboro, Vermont, USA

Located in the middle of incredibly flourishing forests, Brattleboro is a vibrant small town, offering so much to experience in the fall. Engage in hikes and walks through gorgeous forests, rolling hills, and beautiful historical farms surrounding this town. The trails will lead visitors to some of the most magnificent vistas and amazing wildlife. Others will allow them to discover some of the most impressive parks, including Pisgah State Park, and fabulous mountains, like Mount Wantastiquet, to get panoramic views of the town and the river valley.

11 Manchester

Autumnal shot of the main street of Manchester, Vermont, in the fall, USA — Shutterstock

Autumnal shot of the main street of Manchester, Vermont, USA, in fall as the bright trees turn orange and red

Mounted in the southern Green Mountains, which offers lots of amazing glamping spots, this is one of the best towns in Vermont to experience fall foliage. The whole town is bordered by gorgeous mountains, making it a perfect leaf-peepers paradise. While the town is praised for its 360-degree view of the Green Mountains, the leaf-peeping opportunity it presents makes it an excellent spot for a foliage getaway. Its picture-perfect rolling hills offer a magnificent display of different colors. The town boasts beautiful trails offering views of the Green Mountains, the Manchester Riverwalk, and the Taconic Mountains.

10 Stowe

View of Stowe, one of the best places in Vermont to catch fall foliage in all its splendor

Stowe is a village town located at the state's highest peak and is the perfect spot for a fall vacation. Plan a trip from early September through late October, and enjoy the town's colorful landscapes while grabbing some fantastic outdoor opportunities. At this time of the year, Stowe is brimming with magnificent colors and breathtaking landscape views. Not only does one get an incredible opportunity to explore Vermont’s highest peak, but also chase a stunning waterfall and engage in scenic drives through its classic covered bridges. The town boasts more than 45 hiking trails and over 65 miles of biking trails to allow for a beautiful fall adventure.

9 Peacham

Peacham, a town in Caledonia County, Vermont in the fall

Located in the Northeast Kingdom, Peacham is a small town known for its numerous cottage businesses and a couple of stores. Travelers who've been in this small Vermont town in the fall are always looking to come back for more. One of the best ways to explore the town’s most impressive fall trips is catching the Peacham’s Fall Foliage in October. Head to the Peacham Fire Station and explore the field behind the station. Enjoy the magnificent foliage views up the hill, rolling fields, and gorgeous mountains.

8 Dorset

A historic building in Dorset Village, Vermont, USA

Dorset is always bright and charming in the fall. Head to the center of the town at Church Street, explore the Dorset Union Store and maybe grab something at the Dorset Inn. Locate the nearby Dorset Hollow Road and explore the six-mile scenic loop, offering magnificent farmhouses and incredible Netop Mountain views. Travelers looking for more outdoor opportunities can go hiking in the gorgeous Owl's Head Town Forest and go apple picking at Mad Tom Orchard in East Dorset. There is so much more to experience in Dorset in the fall than visitors may realize.

7 Wilmington

The village of Willmington, Vermont on an autumn morning with a blue sky. Trees are showing autumn fall colors.

Wilmington is one place to experience some of the best Vermont has to offer. Its Main Street is brimming with top-notch restaurants, colorful shops, and incredible local businesses. On Route 100, vacationers will meet Mount Snow, offering fantastic biking and hiking trails, as well as scenic chairlift rides to enjoy in the fall. To the east of this gorgeous town is Hogback Mountain, guaranteeing spectacular fall views. Don't miss out on the Vermont Wine & Harvest Festival in September and Oktoberfest in mid-October at Mount Snow.

6 Grafton

"Welcome To Grafton, Vermont" sign with fall colors

Located in southern Vermont's rolling hills, Grafton is a must-visit in fall, thanks to its gorgeous foliage, incredible dairy, rich history, and fantastic art. There is much to experience, thanks to the spectacular nature, including beautiful gardens and hiking trails leading to magnificent forests and parks. Start an adventure at the Grafton Trails & Outdoor Center, and enjoy over 2,000 acres of the bordering natural beauty. Visit the Nature Museum and enjoy some of the most breathtaking fall views in town.

5 Burlington

Church Street VT — Image by Michelle Raponi via Pixabay

Night view of Church Street, Burlington, VT

Burlington is a gorgeous lakeside city bustling with outdoor opportunities and incredible urban culture and is bordered by the most impressive foliage. From apple picking to exploring the skate parks and art galleries to attending live concerts, there is so much to do. One doesn’t need to celebrate the fall weather outside Burlington. Why not grab a skateboard and join others at A_Dog Skate Park in skating? Not into skating? The long bike path is available for riding or strolling among the spectacular foliage.

4 Woodstock

Red barn and a church next to a harvested cornfield surrounded by fall foliage colors in the autumn, Woodstock, Vermont, USA

A Vermont fall adventure is never complete without visiting Woodstock, a classic town offering a lot for travelers to experience. From the historic Billings Farm & Museum to the only national park in the entire state, Marsh-Billings Rockefeller National Historic Park to Mount Tom, there is never a shortage of fall activities. Woodstock is always blazing in colors, and there is no better way to experience foliage than strolling through the treetops and across a covered bridge and hiking through Mount Tom to enjoy breathtaking views.

3 Lincoln

Burnham Hall, Lincoln, Vermont, USA

Lincoln is another spectacular Vermont town not to miss in the fall. Start the fall adventure at West Hill Road and enjoy the breathtaking views of the Green Mountains, or head to Mount Abraham, Vermont’s fifth-highest peak, for a fascinating alpine glow at dusk. Vacationers can go hiking or stroll between the magnificent mountains and enjoy the breathtaking views of the bordering foliage. The weather is splendid, and travelers can engage in numerous outdoor activities.

2 St. Johnsbury

Welcome sign for the town of St Johnsbury, Vermont

This charming remote village on the northeastern corner of Vermont tends to welcome the flurry of fall foliage earlier than its counterparts, making it the perfect launching pad for a leaf-peeping expedition throughout the state. The changing colors bring out the best of this artsy town, with multiple fun opportunities in the green spaces it offers. Hikers and bikers can explore the scenic Lamoille Valley Rail Trails to experience the outdoors as dog lovers spend quality time with their canine companions at the sprawling 150-acre Dog Mountain.

1 Waitsfield

Stark's Nest, Waitsfield, Vermont

This storybook town along the Mad River Valley, between the Northfield mountains and Green Mountain Range, offers some of the best spots to admire changing leaves in Vermont. Waitsfield also allows visitors to witness some of the state's famous covered bridges, including Pine Brook and Big Eddy. A laid-back stroll along the Mad River Path spoils guests with epic autumn scenes, and nine miles to the south of the town, hikers can feast their eyes on a gorgeous waterfall or explore a lovely historic village in Warren.