Not every fall season is a showstopper. Vermont in 2025 was quieter than usual. But it was still Vermont in the fall, which means it was still beautiful in ways that are hard to explain to someone who has not driven those roads in October.

I made a classic rookie mistake and drove the Kancamagus Highway during peak fall foliage season. I would do it again without hesitation.

There are fall drives and then there is Crawford Notch in early October with fog sitting low over the mountains. They are not the same category.