Leaf Peeping…Nature’s Color Show

Fall is my favorite.  The chilliness in the air, the many colors of the leaves, warm drinks, and bright skies.  It is a time of reflection, transition, and letting go.  And it has become a tradition for John and I to go leaf peeping this time of year.  There are so many places to go, timing is everything to see leaves at peak, so flexibility is key.  

We decided this year to make our way back to our “go to” route – Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.  New England is known for its vibrant colors and epic photo ops…. winding roads over majestic mountain ranges, sugar maples as far as the eye can see, beautiful bright red barns, pristine white churches, and quaint small towns.

We wanted to hit some National Parks.  Acadia is a must this time of year, so a repeat visit for us.  We also wanted to head south to Virginia and West Virginia to see Shenandoah and New River Gorge.   Outside of that, we would just vary our schedule as needed for what sounded good.  

I have gotten a lot better about being flexible and less concerned about where we end up sleeping.  We will find a shower, we will make time to work, we will adjust our route when we need to…it’s all good. Letting go of control. John and I have also gotten better this trip sharing duties.  I have been driving more, he has been navigating and finding sleep spots.  The change of pace is nice.

We saw beautiful views, got plenty of hiking in every day, experienced lovely weather, successfully beat crowds, reconnected with people we love, and met some new people along the way.   2900 miles, 53 hours of driving, 20 stops, 6 states, 3 national parks, and a lifetime of memories.

Scenic Vermont

Vermont is known for its beautiful green mountains, hiking and skiing, picturesque bridges and churches, and epic fall colors – reds, oranges, and yellows – beech, birch, and maple.  I did a lot of research to help guide what driving routes we would take throughout the state, and where we would stop along the way. 

We started in Burlington at the Ethan Allen tower, and then made our way to Stowe.  Stowe was full of photographic eye candy from the famous white church, Smugglers Notch Pass, and the summit of Mt Mansfield.  A quick stop in Woodstock to see Jenne Road Farm.

The Northeast Kingdom (known locally as NEK) was spectacular.   Stunning beauty, pristine water, undisturbed land, and very few people.  We started out a stone’s throw away from Quebec in Newport, then made our way to the beautiful waters at Lake Willoughby, Island Pond, Burke Mountain, and Peacham.    

We weren’t really sure what trail to take once we got to Burke Mountain, and asked a local solo hiker, Sue, for some advice.  She hesitated for a moment, then told us she would be happy to hike with us to take us to the epic hiking locations the locals enjoy.  We followed her to the top of a fire tower, out onto ledges for panoramic views, and deep into the forest to explore mossy alcoves.  “This is my backyard, my playground”, she told us, and we were so luck she was willing to share.

The highlight of our time in Vermont was a quick stop to see a dear friend, Laura Weaver Tabachnick.  Laura has been a friend since our teens.  She drove us to our hotel after our wedding night, and we reminisced about how fun that night was.  Laura sent John and I heartfelt audio files while John was in the hospital, words of encouragement and hope.  Her smile and giggles are infectious, and I am so glad she is still in our lives.  As we were leaving, Laura said “I can’t wait until you get to see New Hampshire…it will be smokin!”

New Hampshire was Smokin’!

New Hampshire is known for the massive white mountains, granite formations, beautiful trees and waterfalls galore.  Sue (our new Vermont friend) told me people hike in Vermont to prepare to REALLY hike in New Hampshire.  

I have to agree with Sue.  The dramatic alpine ridge lines, beautiful waterfalls, and roadsides views are endless.

We started out at the Franconia State Park and then drove the Kancamagus Highway. We hiked Artists Bluff, walked out to cliff edges, wandered through the gorge, stopped at many waterfalls.  Just these two areas took up most of our day because there was just so much to do and see.  The colors were poppin….vibrant oranges, reds, and yellows everywhere you can see.  Sweeping valley views everywhere you turn.

We would have stayed longer, but we wanted to get out of town before the long weekend.  And we are glad we did, as we read later that the Kancamagus Highway was shut down at certain points due to too much traffic, and that isn’t our vibe!

Majestic Maine

Maine colors were just starting to make a show, and one thing I love about Acadia is the fall colors with the deep dark pines in between.  Not to mention the deep blue waters of the Atlantic and the black rock formations.  You can hear the waves crashing along the cliffs, and truly feel the cool crisp breezes move across your body.  We spent some time on Mount Desert Island (MDI) – Cadillac Mountain, Jordan Pond, Sand Beach; but to avoid the weekend traffic we also make our way to the Schoodic Peninsula.  Only 1 in 10 visitors to Acadia make their way here.  It is much more secluded, and you get a more intimate experience of the raw natural beauty.  Acadia is one of those parks you can visit over and over again.

A Spontaneous 24 Hour NYC Stop

We didn’t come to NYC to see the leaves, but we were here to spend time with the most beautiful, colorful human on our trip – Riley.  Getting the beast into NYC was a white-knuckle experience.  Some of the bridges are too short for the van to get through, and although I did as much map navigation as I could it ended up being a triangulation between camping apps, maps, and the reality of what the road signs told us.  We were lucky enough to find a free parking space right in front of John’s parents’ home in NYC!  We spend our time solely in Central Park, followed by dinner with Riley.  As you parents know, you do what you can to spend what time with your kids they can give you.  3^rd year architecture school keeps her very busy, and we look forward to seeing them at Thanksgiving.

Blue Ridge Shenandoah Virginia

A 105 mile skyline drive bisects the park along a mountain crest.   There are 75 overlooks, as well as many hiking trailheads off the main road.  The leaves are just starting to turn in Virginia, but the rolling hills and sunset views were just beautiful.  We made it on two rewarding hikes, with great pinnacle payoffs.

New River Gorge West Virginia is a New One

New River Gorge has been a protected area since 1978, but it didn’t become a national park until 2021.  It is mostly known for white water rafting, but there is also so much rugged beauty surrounding the New River – waterfalls, hikes, and bridges.  The colors here were more vibrant than Virginia but just starting to turn. Almost heaven.

One Last Stop….Athens and Hocking

Athens and Hocking hold a special place in our hearts.  We have been coming to this area since we were in college.   First, just outside Athens we stayed at a rest area that had of all things a tiny chapel on site – Ohio’s smallest church. Janice and Lloyd Middleton built it on their property in 2004, and then moved it to it’s present site. The attached article shares more about it.

Athens is a college town, home to Casa Nueva, a worker owned co-op restaurant that (ironically) our friend Laura worked at when it got its start back in the 80s.  In fact, John designed the logo for the restaurant that they still use to this day! We had to stop there to reminisce.

We had to make Hocking our last stop on our trip.  We love everthing about it.  The beautiful yellows and oranges, alongside the bright green moss over gigantic rocks.  The caves are enormous, and were empty and peaceful on a Wednesday morning which was perfect.  Spiritual. It felt like we had the entire park to ourselves.  If you haven’t been to Hocking, get there.  I am not sure why it isn’t a National Park.  It sure does look like one with its epic beauty.  In some ways I am glad it isn’t because it would be so much more crowded if it was!

Before we stopped at home, I made contact with a yoga friend looking to rehome a beautiful 10-year-old hibiscus tree she couldn’t take care of anymore.  It fit perfectly in our van, and her house in Findlay was right on the way home as we were coming back from Hocking.  Meant to be.  I promised Sara, we would take good care of her 

John and I agree we had an absolutely fantastic trip.  Great weather, beautiful views, quality time, wonderful connections.  But being in your own bed, with all the comforts of home, and spending time with family; always grounds us and makes us smile.

We will be out again before the year end, but for now its time to relax.  There is no place like home.