Vermont: A Colourful Treat

Let’s talk about colours. People of all ages, be it the youngest or the oldest, everyone loves a bright world. What would our world be without these various colours? Ever thought of a tree that could change colour every season? It’s time you entered the colourful state of Vermont in the USA.

Moss-Glen Fall

The people, water, mountains, land, forests and the famous seasons all combine to make Vermont, a truly unique destination. Vermont’s natural heritage covers a lot of areas. The abundance of natural beauty is made even more remarkable by the way it converges: seemingly endless emerald fields lead to forests crowned by magnificent mountains. Then there’s the water. A little known fact is that Vermont is home to over 400 lakes and ponds, plus hundreds of streams. The state is also the abode of Lake Champlain, the sixth-largest body of water in the US. If you are seeking sun and sand in one place, where water can also be a part of the picturesque – Vermont is the right place. The Moss-Glen falls in the Green Mountains is one such attraction.

A colourful trail
in Green Mountain

Woods, mountains and ice-cream – Vermont has just about everything to lure a traveller. During the fall season, the state’s Green Mountains are known for some of the most colourful foliage in the world. The state makes up for the absence of ‘attractions’ with the profusion of galleries, craft shops, maple syrup farms and cheese-making shops that spring from every curve in the road. The mountains where you will find the world famous fall foliage, the sweetest maple syrup, historic yet lively downtowns and the most snow on the east coast have more to offer. The local foods produced by local farmers and sold in the farmer’s market all year round, the ultra pampering spas and resorts, endless recreational and relaxing opportunities, significant historic sites and pristine parks, the classic inns…the treasures of Vermont go on and on.

The landscape in Vermont

In Vermont, one thing is beautifully certain; the seasons will change. And with that change, so does the landscape, the weather, the water, the activities and the way of life. With every season come new opportunities to explore the world around you in Vermont.

Though you could spend hours simply admiring in the scenery, it is even more rewarding to become a part of it. It could be long walks, hike a mountain trail or stroll through a covered bridge in one of the villages. Whatever the day offers, the night is sure to deliver peaceful sleep, whether you choose to camp under the twinkling stars or under a comforter at a bed-n-breakfast. But, the best way to explore Vermont is to get in a car and hit the roads, stopping at country stores that sell different kinds of maple syrup, cheese etc.

There’s nothing like visiting Vermont in autumn, to marvel at the foliage and sample the tastes of an older and simpler time. You can stand at one place for hours staring into the foliage colours – the yellows, orange, reds, pinks and sometimes purples. The general rule of thumb for Vermont is that the colour starts getting good in mid-September, and the brilliant show is over by late October.

The geographical variety of the state means there is a wide variation in colour in different areas at the same time. At anytime you can find good colour just by driving north or south or heading up the mountains or down the valley, depending on where you are. You should know that trying to predict when the colour will be absolutely perfect is a loser’s game.

The Foliage

Frankly, it is not necessary. Instead of chasing the elusive ‘peak’ of foliage is a way that you might ruin the trip. It takes away from all other things that make a fall trip in Vermont magical: harvest festivals, farm-stands, fresh-pressed apple cider and sunny days of fresh mountain air.

To enjoy the world’s most beautiful fall foliage and to escape from the hustle and bustle of  the city, here’s a chance to plan a trip to Vermont, one of the most colourful states on the east coast of the USA.

-          Srividya Iyer

Acadia: Nature Galore!

I had the opportunity to visit the USA, thanks to my older brother who lives there. And what a holiday it was! It was around the same time as my 25^th birthday that we made a road trip to the north-eastern part of the country.

Driving away from the city of Washington DC, exiting from one national highway to another only to reach Interstate highway 95, stopping by at Subways to grab a bite, passing through one state to another was an exciting journey by itself.

Rocky terrain of Maine

Our eagerness was more to getting to the place that my brother had kept a secret from me as it was my first time in the country.

After 8-9 hours of driving, we finally got to Maine in the state of New England. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost portion of New England. It has a rocky coastline, its mountains make it look as good as a landscape painting and its forested interior and waterways make the place look very serene and scenic. The place is well-known for the seafood, especially lobsters.

Mount Desert Island, located in Maine is the third-largest island on the eastern seaboard of the USA. Acadia National Park, one of the biggest national parks on the eastern coast is located on this rock-bound island. You will find soaring granite cliffs butting up against sand and cobblestone beaches. In winter, glacier-carved mountains rear up from the sea cupping deep lakes in their valleys. There are meadowlands, marshes and dense evergreen.

Acadia’s coastal location makes for plenty of ever-changing weather. Including days of brilliant sunshine and occasional mornings when the island is wrapped in a soft blanket of fog. It’s proximity to water also takes the edges off the summer heat and winter chill. Whatever season you visit Acadia be prepared for changes in weather and dress in layers.

Acadia’s not only a feast for the eyes, no visitor can claim to have truly experienced Maine without having sampled the specialties as boiled lobsters, steamed clams, clam chowder, baked beans and blueberry pancakes and pies.

Along with the mouthwatering savories, Acadia also boasts of varied and dramatic scenery including a coastline of chiseled granite, the ocean dotted with islands, 17 mountain peaks (constitute the highest headlands along the eastern seaboard) close to a dozen glacial lakes and ponds and Somes Sound, the only fjord (glacially-carved, u-shaped valley bordered by steep cliffs) in the contiguous 48 states.

Thunder Hole

Acadia is donned with many places that are worthy of appreciation. Many of the natural attractions are found along the 20-mile, two lane road that winds through the eastern half of Mount Desert, i.e.  Park Loop Road). The shoreline section of the park is the most heavily travelled in Acadia. The road offers marvelous views of the Frenchman Bay.

In this otherwise rock-bound park, Sand Beach is a graceful anomaly. Swimming at Sand Beach is not for the faint of heart. Ocean temperatures seldom climb over 55 degrees F. Another feature of the Park Loop Road is the Thunder Hole. Timing is of vital importance here. As wind-driven tides sweep into the narrow granite channel, air is trapped escaping with a thunderous sound. At low tide on a calm day, the Thunder Hole is stubbornly silent.

View of Frenchman and Blue Hill Islands

Whether driving from Park Loop Road to the top of its 1,530-feet summit or hiking up one of the trails, most visitors like we did consider Cadillac Mountain, the high-point – both literally and figuratively, the park’s highest peak, but it is also the tallest mountain of the Atlantic coast north of Brazil. On a clear day (visibility is best during fall and winter), the views Cadillac commands are panoramic and unparalleled. Spread out below are island-dappled Frenchman and Blue Hill bays, the whole of the park, and beyond that much of Maine itself. Some visitors arrive at Cadillac to see the sun rise in one of the first places in the US. Others prefer the mountain’s equally dazzling sunsets. Whenever they come, most visitors spend hours clambering over the bald granite dome.

The nature and wildlife of Acadia, is rich in diversity. For centuries, evergreens dominated much of northern Maine. Of the evergreens, red spruce still predominates. Outside the park, red spruce is heavily logged for pulp. White spruce is also found here. It is because of this that Maine is known as the ‘Pine Tree State’. The park is home to about 165 species of native plants, about 60 species of land and marine mammals and more than 100 breeding species of birds. Acadia also attracts more than 300 species of sea, shore, and land birds from the common loon to the majestic bald eagle and peregrine falcon. Sea ducks also frequent the coastal waters, particularly in winter. The other species include buffleheads, red-breasted mergansers, common eiders, black scoters, surf scoters and white-winged scoters. Dozens of brightly coloured warblers summer in Acadia, filling the woods with their cheerful songs. It is no wonder Acadia is known as a birdwatcher’s and a photographer’s paradise.

The sunset from Mount Cadillac

This pre-birthday surprise made an etching image in my memory for the years to come.

-          Srividya Iyer