Smugglers' Notch (Vermont Route 108)
Scenic drive · Vermont
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
Peak: October 7–October 11
Color builds from September 24 · mostly bare by October 30
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Smugglers' Notch (Vermont Route 108)’s own coordinates and elevation (670 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
Smugglers' Notch (Vermont Route 108) on the map
More things to do in Vermont
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
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 Smugglers' Notch (Vermont Route 108) peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 7–October 11 (best estimate October 9). Color starts around September 24 and is mostly bare by October 30.
- What is Smugglers' Notch (Vermont Route 108) best for?
- White-knuckle scenic driving.
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