Early Fall Jaunt to Vermont and the Adirondacks (Day 1 - October 1, 2022)

 

During the first weekend of October 2022, I took a two day weekend trip from the Capital Region of New York State up to the friendly confines of Vermont and the Adirondacks of New York State. Among the priorities for the trip were to go hiking and catch some fall foliage. But there's always so much to see along the way as well. Road trips tend to provide bountiful discoveries for bridges, scenery, history, you name it. This particular article will focus on the first day of the trip. Among the roads I took during this trip were the Adirondack Northway (I-87), NY 149, US 4, VT 100, VT 107, VT 110, US 302, I-89 and wrapped up the first day at the Lake Champlain Bridge that connects New York State with Vermont.

Sign for NY 146 on I-87 northbound. This is at the Sittlerly Road overpass, which was replaced just before this photo was taken due to an overheight vehicle that caused irreconcilable damage.

Exiting the Northway at NY 149. This is probably the most direct way to travel between the Glens Falls/Lake George area and Rutland, Vermont.

Entering the Adirondack Park on NY 149 eastbound. NY 149 really only skirts the southeastern edges of the Adirondack Park, but there are some roads that veer off of NY 149 that will lead you to some hiking trails for mountains on the east side of Lake George.

One example of the classic yellow on brown signs that you'll find on the highways and byways within the Adirondack Park. My understanding is that there is an exemption in place that allows signs with this color scheme to still be used within the Adirondacks.

Some mountains in the distance.

Now on US 4, which is signed as a north-south route within New York State. We'll take US 4 from Fort Ann, New York and over to Killington, Vermont.

US 4 shares a concurrency with NY 22 for a few miles between Comstock and Whitehall before parting ways. Formerly known as Skenesborough, Whitehall makes a claim that their town is the birthplace of the United States Navy.

Now for some Vermonting. Heading east on US 4 in Fair Haven.

VT 30 sign in Castleton, Vermont on US 4 eastbound. The spacing between letters on this sign strikes me as a bit odd.

US 4 goes through some mountains as the freeway heads to Rutland. West of Rutland, the mountains that US 4 travels around is the Taconic Range, which is separate from the Green Mountains.

Heading into Rutland, now the Green Mountains are in view.

US 7 joins US 4 as the highways travel across Rutland, which is one of the bigger cities in Vermont in terms of population.

And just as soon, US 4 parts ways with US 7.

US 4 is the Crossroads of Vermont Byway as it crosses the Green Mountains.

Some dashes of color as we approach the Green Mountains on US 4 eastbound.

Entering Killington, Vermont. The famed ski mountain that is Killington Mountain is actually a few miles south of US 4.

Now on VT 100 northbound. While this trip will only take us on VT 100 for a few miles, I don't think you can find a more quintessential road in Vermont than VT 100.

And it's scenic too! The sign said so.

An idyllic autumn scene looms in Pittsfield, Vermont.

Going to head east along the White River on VT 107 to Bethel.

VT 107 eastbound. This road was quite affected by damaging floods from Tropical Storm Irene in 2011.

VT 107 is a peaceful drive.

Barns and America.

There are a few different branches of the White River. A different branch of the White River follows VT 12 north from Bethel, but no, we are still on VT 107 eastbound.

Speaking of VT 12...

An older steel truss bridge along Peavine Boulevard in Bethel, Vermont.

Bethel has some stately buildings.

There's another stately building in the distance.

Back on VT 107 eastbound, which has a junction with I-89.

END! VT 107. VT 14 follows the same corridor as I-89 between Barre and White River Junction.

VT 14 southbound. The cornstalks have already been taken after harvest, I see.

Royalton, Vermont.

From 1802, the northern terminus of the old Royalton and Woodstock Turnpike.

I told you there'd be history. Vermont does a good job with posting many historic markers around the state.

A little more reds, golds and yellows and this would make for a great fall scene.

With a narrow underpass, it is probably best that I-89 is the main corridor in this are and not VT 14.

Approaching VT 110.

Lots of history along VT 110. Covered bridges too, as you'll soon find out.

There's that October 1780 raid again.

VT 110 is quite scenic. This is in the Tunbridge area.

Howe Covered Bridge, built in 1879.

A classic New England barn.

North Tunbridge on VT 110 northbound.

Seeing a bit more color as I head north on VT 110.

This could be a painting.

Larkin Covered Bridge, built in 1902.

Back on VT 110 northbound. We'll be on this road for a while, so I may let the pictures do the talking for a while.

Chelsea, shire town of Orange County, Vermont.

A cattle convention.

My big hiking adventure of the day took me to Spruce Mountain at the L.R. Jones State Forest in Plainfield, Vermont. The trail is 2 miles each way, and I found it was overall fairly moderate.

The first mile of the trail was pretty flat.

I passed by a marsh on the way.

But had some rocks to climb. Fortunately, this rock had stairs.

This was the foundation for a fire observer's cabin at the summit of Spruce Mountain, which is 3,037 feet above sea level.

There is a fire tower at the top of Spruce Mountain. There have been fire towers at Spruce Mountain since 1919 and the current fire tower has been in place since 1944. While the fire tower is no longer used for fire detection, you can still climb up the tower for some stunning views.

There's some gorgeous views to be seen from the fire tower.

This is why we hike.

Back at lower elevation, US 302 travels through Barre's downtown. Barre, Vermont is known for its granite quarrying industry.

While US 302 continues on to US 2 and the capital city of Montpelier, I'll take VT 62 to go to I-89.

VT 62 is a useful bypass to go between Barre and I-89.

Time to hop onto I-89. I'll take this to Williston, Vermont before going back on some different roads to my destination for the night.

I-89 is pretty and scenic.

Welcome or Bienvenue to Montpelier, the capital of Vermont. I-89 merely bypasses downtown Montpelier to the south and west, but you can take the exit for US 2 into town.

This highway scene would look even more gorgeous within a few days after I took the photo.

US 2 follows I-89 between Montpelier and Colchester (just north of Burlington).

Take this exit to visit the Flavor Graveyard at Ben and Jerry's.

Now on VT 2A in Williston. I wound up piecing together a mix of state routes and side roads to my destination for the night, Crown Point on the New York side of Lake Champlain.

Lake Iroquois.

VT 116 in Hinesburg, Vermont. I find VT 116 to be a useful alternative to US 7 between the Middlebury and Burlington areas, especially if my travels are taking me east of Burlington.

Taking the side roads to Vergennes, Vermont.

The Green Mountains in the distance.

Now in Vergennes. While there is no VT 22 in Vermont, VT 22A continues onto New York State, where the route meets NY 22 as NY 22A. Vermont traditionally likes to duplicate route numbers if a state route continues into a neighboring state or province, even if the route is more prominent in Vermont.

VT 22A travels a long distance in Vermont, crossing into New York State at Fair Haven. There is also talk of alleviating some of the truck traffic that goes through Vergennes on VT 22A, and a link to the project study website can be found at VergennesPEL.com.

The sheep were out to greet me.

Taking more side roads between Vergennes and Crown Point.

At Chimney Point, nearing the Lake Champlain Bridge on VT 17 westbound.

Crossing the Lake Champlain Bridge into New York. There has been a bridge at this location since 1929. The first bridge was closed in 2008, and later demolished. The current bridge opened at the end of 2011 and a grand opening celebration was held in May 2012. I attended the celebration and even participated in the parade that was held during the celebration.

VT 17 becomes NY 185 in New York State. The NY 185 route number came into existence in recent years, long after VT 17 was numbered.

View of Lake Champlain and the Lake Champlain Bridge from the shores of the Crown Point Campground.

Views from atop the Champlain Memorial Lighthouse.

The Champlain Memorial Lighthouse has a long history and was not even the first lighthouse at this location.

A parting shot of the Lake Champlain Bridge at dusk. Good night!