Shelburne Farms
Farm · Vermont
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
Color nearby peaks: 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 Shelburne Farms’s own coordinates and elevation (70 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
Shelburne Farms 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
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
Frequently asked
- When does Shelburne Farms 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 Shelburne Farms best for?
- Historic estate walk with farm animals.
Own or manage Shelburne Farms? Update your listing or get in touch.