Foliage Focus: September 20th - 26th - Best Parks & Cool Things To Do

As the cooler weather stretches into the valleys and further south in Vermont, the beautiful fall foliage spreads with it. Below are six state parks where the foliage and things to do are in full swing.

Underhill State Park, Underhill Center, VT:
Pick up great locally grown food at the Old Fashioned Harvest Market; Do a wine tasting at Boyden Valley Winery; Listen to a lecture by artists Chris Brown or Pablo Helquera at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, VT; Hike Mt. Mansfield, VT's highest peak: take a gondola ride up the mountain or drive up Mt. Mansfield's Auto Road; Stroll through the Grist Mill Covered Bridge in Jeffersonville, VT; Celebrate Shelburne's 32nd annual Harvest Festival; Pick up some historic facts from the Jericho's Snowflake Bentley Museum ("Snowflake" Bentley was the first person to photograph a single snow crystal!).

Kettle Pond State Park, Marshfield, VT:
Go hungry and leave full after doing a Cabot Creamery tour (free samples of all their cheeses at the end!); See stars during the day at the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium in St. Johnsbury; Pick up some real Vermont Maple Syrup at the Bragg Family Sugarhouse in East Montpelier; Take a Vermont State House tour in Montpelier; Satisfy your sweet tooth with a visit to Rainbow Sweets in Marshfield; Go for a walk in the woods in one of the many Groton Forest Trails

Elmore State Park, Lake Elmore, VT:
Stock up on warm wool at the Johnson Woolen Mills in Johnson; Have a pint at the 14th Annual Oktoberfest in Stowe; Peruse beautiful works of art at the Bryan Memorial Gallery, in Jeffersonville; Run through Percy Farm's Corn Maze in Stowe; Relax with a local brew at the Rock Art Brewery in Morrisville; Play a round of golf at the Farm Resort and Golf Course in Stowe; For those seeking adventure, try sliding down the mountains on the Alpine Slides of Spruce Mountain; Enjoy a delicious meal at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe

Little River State Park, Waterbury, VT:
Join Park Interpreter, Brian, for "Fall Foliage Frolic", "Making Tracks and Seeing Skins", or the popular "Night Ghost Hike" programs; Visit the Ben & Jerry's Factory in Waterbury; Enjoy a locally brewed beer at the The Alchemist in Waterbury; Rent a kayak and paddle the calm waters of the Waterbury Reservoir; Visit the Rock of Ages Granite Quarry and even use the outdoor granite bowling alley!; Cheers during a wine tasting at the Grand View Winery in Waterbury Center; Grab a cup of coffee while taking a tour of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters in Waterbury

Gifford Woods State Park, Killington, VT:
See the hay sculptures at the Killington Hay Festival in Killington; Take a gondola ride up Killington Peak where mountain biking and hiking are popular activities; Ride along one of many trails by horse on Pico Mountain with Pico Stables; Visit Coolidge State Historic Site in Plymouth; Get close to some wild birds at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science in Quechee; Take a hike with breathtaking views in Aitken State Forest; Check out the Old-Growth Forest Exhibits in Gifford Woods State Park

Mount Ascutney State Park
Windsor, VT:
Drive up the Mt. Ascutney's Auto Road for incredible views. While at the summit, enjoy a picnic at the shelter or watch the hang gliders take the easy way down the mountain - contact Morningside Flight Park (based out of Charlestown, NH) for more information; Visit the historic site and take in the beautiful sculptures of Saint-Gaudens in Cornish, NH; Go into a mine at Ruggles Mine in Grafton, NH; Watch glass be blown at the Simon Pearce Glass Facility in Windsor; Hike or bike one of the many trails up to the summit of Mount Ascutney