Chad and I took another trip with Wildland Trekking this past autumn to Vermont. We flew into Burlington with the main goals of hiking (while we still have good knees and stamina for elevation gains) and leaf-peeping.
We built in extra days at the start and end of our trip in case of travel snafus. Lesson learned on our trip to Ireland, when we nearly missed our connection in Atlanta due to a delayed flight on the way there. On the way home we got stranded in Boston for an extra day due to a ground stop at the Boston airport.
Burlington is super charming, but unless you are visiting people there, a full day is plenty for walking around seeing the sights. It's interesting to walk a few blocks up Church Street to people watch there and at the nearby City Hall Park.
In Burlington, Lake Champlain Waterfront Park offers pretty views, with a walking and biking path along the shore. Champ, or Champy to their friends, is Lake Champlain's version of the Loch Ness monster. Sadly Champ did not show themself during our visit.
We walked from our hotel to the Lake Champlain Chocolates Flagship Store on Pine Street. We bought a few treats for ourselves, and a few to send to family and friends. Lake Champlain Chocolates are not only delicious, but also high quality and made with care at a family owned and operated certified B corp.
For casual meals in central Burlington, we liked American Flatbread Company for salad and flatbread pizzas, and August First - a bakery, cafe, coffee shop, with one of the best hearty salads I've ever had. City Market is a grocery co-op with a nice selection of local produce, a salad bar, a hot bar, and plenty of ready made snack and meal options.
Our Wildland Trekking guide picked us up at our hotel early the next morning to start our adventure. Venturing out from Burlington, our Wildland Trekking guide, Dara, took us to Shelburne, Waterbury, Warren, Waitsfield, and Stowe.
Shelburne Farms was idyllic fun with miles of walking trails through rolling pastures and a small botanical garden near the main guest house. We ended our trekking there with a cheese making demonstration and samples. Before leaving Shelburne Farms, we visited the farm store and the bakery stand. Shelburne Farms also hosts a food truck with picnic tables near the main barn. When we went, parking was free with free admission to the grounds.
Our next stop Shelburne Orchards, open only in September and October, featured live music, apples galore, cider, fresh made apple cider donuts, apple picking, tractor hay rides, and a few food trucks when we went. The vibes were relaxed, fun, and wholesome. Dara purchased about six different kinds of apples, so we could sample some new-to-us varieties. We found a shaded picnic table and rested a bit, enjoying the music.
Next up, Dara drove us to the Mad River Valley covered bridge. There are several covered bridges in the area. The first time we saw one was super charming, but we got numb to the quaintness of covered bridges pretty quickly, and started pondering the safety and practicality with today's heavy vehicles. Our modern concerns kill the magic of these bygone beauties.
In Warren, we stayed at the Warren Lodge, which was cozy, clean, and comfortable. A creek ran behind the building with a deck for lounging and a little pedestrian bridge over the creek. Nearby hikes included Silver Lake and Falls of Lana via Moosalamoo National Recreation Area, and Sunset Ledge as part of the Green Mountains Long Trail near Lincoln Gap. I loved these hikes for the leafy canopies shading the trails. Silver Lake was especially beautiful.
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| Silver Lake |
In Waitsfield, we visited the Lawson's Finest Liquids Taproom for a tasty beer flight. This taproom also has a restaurant, and is a certified B corporation.
Near Warren, we visited Baird Maple Syrup farm with a tour of the grounds and production area, and a syrup tasting. It was interesting to learn about maple syrup production, and a quintessential Vermont experience. Plus, we got to pet the resident cat there.
When visiting Waterbury, unless you are really into ice cream production, skip the Ben & Jerry's factory tour which is sometimes difficult to schedule, but do visit the free admission Flavor Graveyard on the edge of the parking lot. The headstones of past flavor offerings are informative and funny. You can buy ice cream scoops at the main building service windows, without having to enter the gift shop fray (unless you want to.) Also skip the Cold Hollow Cider Mill, which is a giant gift shop, Instagram bait area / tourist trap, with a hectic parking lot. We enjoyed the apple orchard in Shelburne so much more than Cold Hollow Cider Mill.
In Stowe, we spent two nights at the von Trapp Family Lodge and Resort, and wow, it's one of the nicest places I've ever stayed. Think Alpine style architecture mixed with The Sound of Music origin story family lore and history, luxe guest rooms, and gorgeous views! There are apple trees near the main lodge that drop many varieties of delicious apples. They encourage guests to grab an apple off the ground and enjoy. If a stay at the Lodge isn't in your budget, you can book a von Trapp history tour for about $30 each person that includes a 70 minute tour/presentation and a day pass for the expansive grounds with lovely hiking and biking trails. You'll also find a brewery, a restaurant, and a coffee shop on site.
Stowe is super-cute, complete with a covered bridge and many photo opportunities. We spent about 90 minutes in the main touristy shopping district, which was plenty for us. We mostly enjoyed the Old Yard Center Cemetery in the shadow of the big church steeple with headstones dating back to 1798!
Easy nearby hikes include Smuggler's Notch viewing area and Moss Glen Falls. We also hiked the Pinnacle Trail to Stowe Pinnacle which was moderately challenging with rocky scrambles, and nice views at the top.
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| Smuggler's Notch |
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| Moss Glen Falls |
Our fearless Wildland Trekking guide, Dara, drove a van up Mount Mansfield Toll Road so we could hike up to "the chin" at the top of Mount Mansfield. Locals refer to the various parts of Mount Mansfield as if it were a face with a forehead, eyes, nose, and chin in profile. The toll road costs $85 per vehicle -- ouch. Our guide and driver, Dara, must have nerves of steel, because the road was very steep grade, narrow with limited pull-out areas to allow passing traffic, and scented with burning brake pads. Dara is a seasoned pro, so she got us safely up and down the steep curves. The hike to the top of Mount Mansfield was a rocky scramble. The views were nice from the top, but honestly not sure if it was worth the effort, cost, or scary ride on the toll road, especially if you don't have seasoned pro driving you.
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| Mount Mansfield Summit a.k.a. the chin |
Speaking of our seasoned pro, Dara was so fun as a guide! She imparted nature knowledge, told us all the local information and lore, kept us safe, and made sure everyone in our small group feel included with easy conversation starting questions. I would be so happy to take another trip with Wildland trekking, and especially with Dara as a guide.
I loved visiting Vermont with fall foliage near peak season, which in 2025 was at the very end of September into the beginning of October. It was bucket-list worthy!
Book your fall travel to Vermont now. *Click here for the link for Wildland Trekking.* Or, build your own trip, but be forewarned about the Mount Mansfield toll road!
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| autumnal confetti |
