Fall Colors in Vermont

Fall Colors Reflected in Unknown Pond, Bethlehem, New Hampshire

The Autumn colors seemed to take a while to materialize this year, perhaps due to the drought and the mild weather. But when they did change, they were a burst of brilliance. I was able to appreciate them last week with a long-time friend, who came from Texas, along with her cousin from Wisconsin, to experience New England in the fall. They couldn't have picked a better week and the weather and the colors were near perfect.

On our fist day in Vermont we took a bike ride in the afternoon around Lake Memphremagog and then  watched the sunset over the lake from downtown Newport.

As a hiker, I am always looking for a new mountain to climb. For this trip, I selected Wheeler Mountain, near Lake Willoughby. When we have guests visiting, we frequently take them to Mount Pisgah on the East side of Lake Willoughby, but I was interested in exploring the trails on the opposite side. The Wheeler Mountain trail was described as having some of the finest and most varied views in the area. Since I had an older hiking book and map, I did not know that the parking area and the beginning of the trail had been rerouted earlier this year with assistance from the Northwoods Stewardship Center.This was a bit confusing since the trail did not follow the description in the book and at one point after continuing on a long descent, we thought that we may have made a wrong turn. Fortunately, we did not turn around and were able to experience the tremendous views for which this trail is known.

The trail begins at the new parking area, then crosses Wheeler Mountain Road before continuing into the woods.   

Beginning of Wheeler Mountain Trail

A white birch is a beautiful contrast to the changing foliage colors

After going down hill, the trail passes the former trail which is marked as closed. The trail then turns left and continues up the side of the mountain. Shortly after the sign, the trail begins to climb again

View on Wheeler Mountain Overlooking Peak Fall Colors 

and then breaks out of the woods and expansive views. Large open ledges provided plenty of opportunity for photos.

View as the trail continues upward toward Eagle Rock

Standing on Eagle Rock with Lake Willoughby in the background.

From the first ledges to the Eagle Rock outlook, the trail continues to climb, becoming steep in sections, but new views around every turn keep you going. Upon reaching the high point, known as Eagle Rock, there is a sign-in book to record your impressions. Although this is a popular trail, we only encountered a handful of other hikers, including a young couple who had just become engaged on Eagle Rock, a testament to the beauty and uniqueness of this place.