Mount Philo State Park
State park · Vermont
Vermont's first state park (1924) tops out at just 968 feet, but a short auto road or one-mile trail delivers an outsized payoff: a sweeping view over the Champlain Valley's turning maples to the lake and New York's Adirondacks beyond.
Don’t miss
Peak: October 10–October 14
Color builds from September 27 · mostly bare by November 2
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Mount Philo State Park’s own coordinates and elevation (296 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
Mount Philo State Park on the map
More things to do in Vermont
Smugglers' Notch (Vermont Route 108)
Scenic drivePeak October 9
Route 108 squeezes through Vermont's most dramatic mountain pass, threading hairpin turns beneath 1,000-foot cliffs between Mount Mansfield and Sterling Peak. The 3.5-mile stretch between Stowe and Jeffersonville closes each winter and peaks with maple and birch color in early-to-mid October.
Don’t miss: Hairpin turns beneath Mount Mansfield · Height-of-land parking area for short hikes · Closes mid-October to mid-May
Quechee Gorge
State parkPeak October 11
Known as Vermont's Little Grand Canyon, this 165-foot-deep gorge cut by the Ottauquechee River is spanned by a US Route 4 bridge with a pedestrian walkway, framed by red maples that make it one of the state's most-photographed fall stops.
Don’t miss: 165-foot gorge viewed from the Route 4 bridge · Trails down to the river · Adjacent campground and gift shops
Cold Hollow Cider Mill
Cider millColor nearby peaks October 11
Vermont's best-known cider mill has pressed apples on this Waterbury Center site since 1974, using a century-old rack-and-cloth press visible through viewing windows. The bakery's cider doughnuts and gallons of fresh sweet cider draw a steady line of leaf peepers off Route 100.
Don’t miss: Working rack-and-cloth cider press · Fresh cider doughnuts · Farm store with Vermont products
Shelburne Farms
FarmColor nearby peaks October 12
A 1,400-acre former Vanderbilt-Webb estate on Lake Champlain, now a nonprofit education farm with a working dairy, a cheese-making barn, gardens, and 10 miles of walking trails through pastures and hardwoods that turn gold and crimson each October.
Don’t miss: National Historic Landmark estate grounds · Farm barn cheese-making tours · 10 miles of lakeside walking trails
Frequently asked
- When does Mount Philo State Park peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 10–October 14 (best estimate October 12). Color starts around September 27 and is mostly bare by November 2.
- What is Mount Philo State Park best for?
- Big view, minimal effort.
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