Quechee Gorge
State park · Vermont
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
Peak: October 9–October 13
Color builds from September 26 · mostly bare by November 1
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Quechee Gorge’s own coordinates and elevation (197 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
Quechee Gorge 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
Mount Philo State Park
State parkPeak October 12
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: Vermont's oldest state park · Short auto road to the summit · Views across Lake Champlain to the Adirondacks
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 Quechee Gorge peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 9–October 13 (best estimate October 11). Color starts around September 26 and is mostly bare by November 1.
- What is Quechee Gorge best for?
- Quick roadside overlook.
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