Champlain Valley in the Fall

Built during the summer of 1776 and home to over 12,000 soldiers, the American stronghold at Mount Independence was one of the largest military complexes of the Revolutionary War. Combined with nearby Fort Ticonderoga, its mere presence made British forces retreat to Canada that fall — setting the stage for key American victories at Bennington and Saratoga in 1777. Now one of the nation’s best-preserved Revolutionary War archaeological sites, Mount Independence tells its story through a museum and special events including September’s living-history weekend, Soldiers Atop the Mount. Among the six miles of trails through the remnants of the fort is the wheelchair-friendly 1.6-mile Baldwin Trail, filled with Lake Champlain views and historic highlights.

Deep enough in places to submerge the Statue of Liberty with plenty of room to spare, Lake Champlain is so vast that it actually affects the region’s climate. For farmers, that means an extended growing season, so it’s little wonder the Champlain Valley has long been a favorite spot for apple orchards. With roots going back more than a century, family-owned Champlain Orchards is one of the oldest continuously operating orchards in Vermont. It grows 175-plus varieties of apples—along with pears, stone fruits, berries, and more—on 220 acres of rolling farmland with views of the lake and the Adirondack Mountains beyond. In fall, visitors can pick their own or choose from the harvest at the farm market. The outdoor Cider Garden is a restful spot for snacking and sipping the orchard’s own sweet or hard ciders.

Glaciers may have sculpted the Green Mountains eons ago, but happily, they left some gaps in their handiwork. These openings between peaks offer a scenic route through—rather than around—Vermont’s famous north-south mountain range. In autumn, the gap roads are foliage gems, being less trafficked by leaf peepers than better-known foliage drives but still giving you phenomenal views. Three of the best-known are in the Champlain Valley: Middlebury Gap (Route 125), Appalachian Gap (Route 17), and Lincoln Gap, whose namesake road is the highest mountain pass that cars are allowed to drive on in Vermont. (It’s also where you’ll find the so-called “steepest mile in America,” with a sustained grade of 24 percent near the top.) Or, for an autumn cycling challenge, test yourself on gap routes used for the annual Vermont Gran Fondo road race.

Note: Maps on the event website can help drivers get oriented as well.