How to Photograph the Fall Foliage in Vermont (Routes, Hotels, Photography Gear, and the Best Spots)
One of the most beautiful areas of the country to photograph the Fall foliage is Vermont in New England. The colors begin to peak around the end of September but the timing varies year to year so. There are several websites and this one that help track the peak foliage so you can plan your trip accordingly.
““Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.” ”
My Route
There are of course a thousand different routes and locations to see the Fall Foliage. Each one has its pros and cons. Here is the route that we took. We flew into Boston Logan Airport and rented a car. Our first stop was Contoocook Railroad Covered Bridge near Henniker, NH. Its about 2 hours from Boston. From Henniker we drove to Woodstock, VT and stayed at the Woodstock Inn & Resort. The area is really picturesque but the best photos are on the small farming roads that you need to get lost to discover.
The next afternoon we drove towards Killington, VT and instead of taking the scenic Route 100 we continued to see the Chittenden Reservoir in Chittenden, VT. Its about another 30 minutes but a beautiful drive. After visiting the Reservoir we drove back to Killington and took the famous Route 100 Scenic Drive north towards Stowe.. A nice place to stop for a coffee break is in Rochester, VT right on Route 100.
From there we continued on Route 100 to Stowe. We stayed 2 nights at the Lodge at Spruce Peak and loved it.
Along Route 100
Photography Tips for Autumn
Filters-the 2 most useful filters for Fall Photography are the Polarizer and ND (Neutral Density Filters).
A Polarizer will make the skies more blue and saturates the leaves while reducing glare. Of course you need to be careful not to over do it making unrealistic blue skies. Rainy conditions create even more glare so a polarizer is essential.
An ND filter is perfect for slowing down the exposure time for more dramatic photos. It is especially good for photos with water. A 1 second exposure time will produce an image that shows the water movement.
Composition: simplicity goes a long way in the Fall. The image of the single leaf can be beautiful especially if taken with a wide open aperture that blurs the background. This is also known as Bokeh. A long lens will help isolate subjects. Another composition that works very well is a Panorama of rolling hills with the changing colors. This can only be down on a tripod. I will take 3 photos, each one overlapping by about 30%, and then stitching them together in Lightroom.
Light: as in all photography light plays a critical role. For example, since the leaves are translucent the light will pass through them which amplifies the colors of the leaves. Reflections of the leaves in water can produce stunning symmetrical images. As always you will get the best photos during the Golden Hour. However, photos under cloud cover or rain will also be beautiful.
““Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” ”
There are many beautiful places to photograph. Here is a list of what I plan on photographing while in Vermont.
Henniker, NH—a perfect first stop to Vermont on the way from Boston Logan International Airport. Contoocook Railroad Covered Bridge. The bridge was rebuilt in 1889 to replace a lighter covered railroad bridge constructed between 1849–50, having been built by the former Concord and Claremont Railroad (acquired by the Boston & Maine Railroad in 1887), the bridge is the oldest of four surviving double-web Town lattice railroad bridges, and is the oldest extant covered railroad bridge in the US.
1630 Jenne Rd (Reading, VT)—the most photographed farm in Vermont. Although it is easy to miss the Jenne Road turn-off from Route 106 when navigating to this private rural property 15 minutes south of Woodstock, Vermont, this photogenic scene is worth taking your time to find. You'll need to pay close attention to avoid driving right past this idyllic New England farm. Use 1264 Jenne Road in Reading, Vermont, as your GPS address.
3. Taftsville Covered Bridge—located right in Woodstock. The Taftsville Covered Bridge is a timber-framed covered bridge which spans the Ottauquechee River in the Taftsville village of Woodstock, Vermont.
4. Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge: is a 153-year-old, two-span, timber King-truss, interstate, covered bridge that crosses the Connecticut River between Cornish, New Hampshire (on the east), and Windsor, Vermont (on the west)
5. Worrall Covered Bridge—also known as the Woralls Bridge is a wooden covered bridge carrying Williams Road across the Williams River in Rockingham, Vermont, United States. Built about 1868, it is the only surviving 19th-century covered bridge in the town, after the Hall Covered Bridge collapsed in 1980 and was replaced in 1982. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
6. Kidder Hill Covered Bridge: just south of the village center of Grafton, Vermont. The bridge was built about 1870, and is Grafton's last surviving 19th-century covered bridge. It is the shortest historic covered bridge in Windham County, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
7. Scott Covered Bridge: is a covered bridge spanning the West River in Townshend, Vermont. Built in 1870, it is at 277 feet (84 m) one of the longest covered bridges in the state (the West Dummerston Covered Bridge is longer), exhibiting three different forms of support: a Town lattice truss, kingpost trusses, and laminated arches.
8. Dummerston Covered Bridge: is a historic covered bridge spanning the West River in Dummerston, Vermont, between Vermont Route 30 and Camp Arden Road. Built in 1872, it is at 280 feet (85 m) the longest covered bridge entirely within the state of Vermont.
9. Creamery Covered Bridge: a historic covered bridge in West Brattleboro, Vermont. Now closed to traffic, the Town lattice truss bridge formerly carried Guilford Road across Whetstone Brook, just south of Vermont Route 9. Built in 1879, it is Brattleboro's last surviving 19th-century covered bridge.
10. Green River Covered Bridge: is a covered bridge in western Guilford, Vermont. Built in the 1870s by Marcus Worden, it is a Town lattice truss bridge, carrying Green River Road over the eponymous river in a small rural village of the same name.
11. Silk Road Covered Bridge: is a covered bridge, carrying Silk Road across the Walloomsac River between downtown Bennington, Vermont and the village of North Bennington. A Town lattice truss bridge, it was built in 1840, and is one of three covered bridges across the river in fairly close proximity.
12. Sunderland, VT: Sunderland is a town in Bennington County, Vermont, United States.
13. Park-McCullough House: located at 1 Park St, North Bennington, VT a preserved Victorian estate on 200 acres
14. Dorset, VT: Chartered in 1761, Dorset is a vibrant and historic community nestled in the hills of southern Vermont.
15. Danby, VT Danby was first settled in the mid-18th Century as a farming community by settlers from New York.
16. Chittenden, VT and Chittenden Reservoir: a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,258 at the 2010 census.
17. Hammond Covered Bridge: is a Town lattice covered bridge spanning Otter Creek in Pittsford, Vermont. The bridge was built in 1842 by Asa Norse, and originally carried Kendall Hill Road, which now passes just to its south.
18. Mill Covered Bridge: is a replica historic covered bridge carrying Spring Road across the First Branch White River in Tunbridge, Vermont. It was built in 2000, nearly replicating a previous structure built on the site in 1883 and lost due to ice damage
19. Halpin Covered Bridge: also called the High Covered Bridge, is a wooden covered bridge carrying Halpin Bridge Road across the Muddy Branch of the New Haven River in Middlebury, Vermont.
20. Pulp Mill Covered Bridge: also called the Paper Mill Covered Bridge] is a wooden covered bridge that crosses Otter Creek between Middlebury and Weybridge, Vermont on Seymour Street.
21. Roxbury is a town in Washington County, Vermont, United States, created by Vermont charter on August 6, 1781.
22. Upper Cox Brook Covered Bridge: is a wooden covered bridge that crosses Cox Brook on Cox Brook Road in Northfield, Vermont. It is one of five surviving 19th-century covered bridges in the town, and one of three on the same road.
23. Gold Brook Covered Bridge: also known as Stowe Hollow Bridge or Emily's Bridge, is a small wooden covered bridge in the town of Stowe, Lamoille County, Vermont, carrying Covered Bridge Road over Gold Brook. Built in 1844, it is the only 19th-century covered bridge in the state built using wooden Howe trusses and carrying a public roadway.
24. Elmore State Park: The Town of Lake Elmore calls itself “The Beauty Spot of Vermont. Located in the southeastern part of Lamoille County, Elmore is mostly forested and agricultural land. Lake Elmore and Elmore Mountain, which rises almost from the lake’s shore, are prominent features of the town.
25. Peacham, VT It has been said that Peacham is the most photographed town in New England. In its September 2005 issue, Yankee Magazine designated Peacham as the best village in New England. "Of all the villages in New England, Peacham (population 665) is unsurpassed.”
26. Dixville Notch, NH is an unincorporated community in Dixville township, Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population of the township, all of whom live in Dixville Notch, was 12 at the 2010 census. The village is known for being one of the first places to declare its results during United States presidential elections and the New Hampshire primary.
27. Moss Glen Waterfall: the hike to the falls is very flat and easy to manage. There are 2 viewpoints one from the top that is easier to access and from below. If you want to capture the falls from below you will need water shoes to walk through the river.
Moss Glen Falls
28. Bingham Falls: is a more difficult waterfall to access. The way down is quite easy but to get to the actual falls you need to navigate some steep stairs and climb some rocks. Its definitely worth the visit. The way up is uphill but manageable for most people.
29. Barnes Wetland: I discovered this location while scouting places near our hotel and loved it. There is a boardwalk over the wetlands and several hikes you can take as well. From Barnes you can get a beautiful photo of the foliage and smugglers notch.
BARNES WETLAND
30. Smugglers Notch: I loved it so much I probably came back 5 times at different times of the day. The narrow roads through the Notch our spectacular. There are also several hiking paths to explore.
31. Mount Mansfield Drive—to get an overview of Stowe you can drive up the Toll Road to Mount Mansfield. It costs about $24 for 2 people but the drive up the mountain and the views from the top are well worth it.