(This was a day trip we took on 21 September 2020)

Would You Get Up Early on a Morning Like This?

This report starts out at O-Dark-30 (military types know this means to be up way before the sun comes up). We were on the road from Salem to Island Pond Vermont, down to Guildhall VT, crossing into New Hampshire at Lancaster, down to Crawford Notch, and home on Route 16. 450 miles and 12 hours total time…

Did we see peak fall colors? Maybe, but much of the journey, we saw only single trees and small stands of trees. I wanted to drive a set route to try a scenic route that I could write about in a future article.

Here is what has the colors running so fast, by Linda Baird-White

Where do the fall colors really start to show?

Lisa and I drove up I-93 from Massachusetts to make the best time possible, and it was still dark as we pulled into the Hooksett Tolls rest area. Normally, I wouldn’t touch on this subject, but as I age I’m a little more concerned with bathrooms, so yes this will be a potty conversation. 🙂 And I know some travelers have the same concerns.

The Hooksett Toll rest area bathrooms 🚻 were open even though sunrise was still an hour or so away. I talked to the cashier in the “General Store” section of the building, and she says they stay open 24/7. The cider donut place was not open yet so we hit the road.

The sun was coming up as we got to exit 23 (turn of here to go to Meredith and the Lakes Region). I was seeing bright branches, and maybe a single tree. but wasn’t anything to make me want to stop.

By the time we got through Franconia Notch, we were seeing very nice color. Some was very bright, but much of it needed some more days of sun to help it along. I often refer to this as needing to cook a little longer, but it was very nice in the dawns early golden light.

This image is a cell shot from my dash and it’s from the northernmost point on I-93 before it dips south to meet I-91 in Vermont. We will come back to New Hampshire this afternoon.

Peak/Not Peak found in Vermont

From 91, we got off on Route 114 North making our way up to Lake Willoughby, and then over to Island Pond. This is near Moose Alley which is Route 114 North from Island Pond to Norton Vermont. It turns out we didn’t need to take that route today because before we even got to Lake Willoughby, we saw a female moose crossing the road. (Best way to see a moose!)

TIP: Always look out for oncoming cars that are stopped in their lane. This is a good indication that something has caused them to stop. At first, I wasn’t sure what they were stopped for, but I stopped 50-75 yards away looking for what they might have stopped for. Usually it is deer, but this morning, I saw the moose sauntering through the field, and came out right in front of us. I was lucky enough to have my cell ready, and snapped a few shots before she crossed the road and hightailed it for the treeline.

Lake Willoughby Vermont

We drove past Lake Willoughby which, while getting pretty fall colors is still dark. Since there was a trailhead there we utilized the port-a-potty. (sorry no pics of the port-a-potty 🙂 ) The Northeast Kingdom doesn’t have a lot of Dunkins or McDonalds to stop in at, so you will have to take advantage of these opportunities as they come up. From Lake Willoughby, we headed to Island Pond to check the fall colors over there. [Bonus Tip] Head into Sentinel Rock State Park for a different view of Lake Willoughby.

Island Pond Vermont was very pretty and the town is nice and rustic. We explored the town a bit to see if there was an angle to get the church steeples against a hillside of fall colors but it wasn’t happening, so we headed back to Route 105 heading east.

Stone Dam Pull-out

We were seeing some very pretty color so we stopped for lunch at the Stone Dam pull out on Route 105. This is part of the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge- Nulhegan Basin Division in Brunswick Vermont. There is a small gravel parking area that allows kayakers and canoers to drop into the Nulhegan River at this point, and it made a great spot to eat our lunch and enjoy the fall colors on the surrounding hills. On this trip, this was the closest that we came to finding peak fall colors.

Guildhall Grist Mill in Vermont

Back on the road again, we arrived 30-40 minutes later in Guildhall Vermont on Route 102. Actually I was looking for Granby Road which in and of itself is a nice scenic drive over the hills to Burke Vermont… Search my site for Granby and you can read about it.

I don’t like being negative but as I drove up to the Guildhall Gristmill, the owner was out there putting up electric fencing… Yup! People impersonating “real” photographers have been jumping over the wooden fence onto her property and looking for better angles! Well, folks, these “persons” have worn out the owner’s patience. So if you jump that fence and hit the “electric” fence, well, I hope the only shock you get is a surprise, but the “new” fence will make you feel… unwelcome, so please stay on the street.

The owner also knows that the mill is overgrown right now and when she has time, she will try to bush-wack the brush. Nobody pays her to take care of this so it will happen when she has time… nuff said…

Back in New Hampshire

When we crossed back into New Hampshire at Lancaster we headed south on Route 3, and while there is some color, it’s more single trees than a whole hillside.
We came down 302 and there are the beginnings of nice color, but it’s still a week or two before we see really nice fall colors.

Lisa and I will be on the road this weekend so if you see us wave! and watch for images and on-the-spot posts on FB and Twitter

Jeff Foliage Folger

Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage

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