Short stop on the roller coast...
On our way out to New England, we stopped in Michigan to visit family (was so good to see you!!) and drove to Ohio to visit my favorite amusement park, Cedar Point.
We had a blast riding various coasters, my favorite being the Gatekeeper which greets you as you enter the park!
I typically visit Cedar Point in summer and it was great to go when the temps were much cooler. It was also fun to see how much they decorate for Halloween and fall. We came across an area of the park where they used SO MANY pumpkins and squash to create pumpkin art. From big ol' pumpkins to teeny tiny adorable little ones... so cool!!
No pumpkins were harmed in the making of this jack-o-lantern ;p
On to Vermont
We spent the first week in Vermont at a vacation rental that sat right on Lake Eden. It even came with a canoe and kayaks that you could use to explore the lake. We took the canoe out one day (ok, I say we, but we all know Jason did 95% of the rowing). It was a glorious fall day with a lovely blue sky and the reflection on the lake was just stunning.
Chasing waterfalls...
We took a short hike to see Moss Glen Falls near Stowe.
There's a couple different falls along the hike and both were gorgeous!
Lake Willoughby
Next we headed west from our rental to visit Lake Willoughby. The cliff faces surrounded by the fall color and topped off with a cheerful blue sky was a lovely sight to see. There were plenty of folks out on canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards enjoying the lake and even a few brave souls swimming!
I like this photo for the gorgeous colors and wispy clouds but I also took it because I loved that it captures a couple other folks enjoying the beautiful setting. On the far left is someone on a stand up paddleboard (SUP) and on the far right, sitting on the rocks, is a woman in a purple shawl taking in the tranquil and majestic setting.
On Friday, we visited another Moss Glen Falls near Granville and stopped at Smokin' Bowls for lunch which was an awesome food truck serving super yummy soups and an amazing shredded pork sandwich!
More waterfalls!
We spent our second week in New Hampshire exploring the area around the White Mountains. We took a hike up the Falling Waters trail which wandered past lots of cascades and some really gorgeous falls. The fall season was in full swing at this point which meant colorful leaves carpeting the ground.
The Kanc
There's a famous scenic road in New Hampshire called the Kancamagus Highway or the "Kanc" for short.
We made sure to do the drive on a non-weekend day and even so it was still pretty busy. Most of the pull outs along the road were full of cars and tourists, but I noticed one that was empty since there was no sign pointing to a trail or scenic overlook. I saw a faint trail going off into the woods and wanted to stretch my legs and explore. We wandered through the woods and discovered a little stream. It was so nice just soaking in the sounds of the bubbling brook and the wind in the trees. At one point the breeze sent a shower of leaves down around me and I realized I had the biggest grin on my face!
It was so much fun checking out the little bits of wonder, the way the sun shone through the multi-hued leaves, the vibrant green moss, the contrast of the bright leaves against the dark green evergreen boughs... it felt like a magical treasure we had all to ourselves!
Further along the Kanc we found a bike path leading off into the trees. A fuzzy little caterpillar greeted us as we started walking and once again we were captivated by the little things along the way such as the variety of leaves and mushrooms growing on trees.
At one point we stepped off the trail into an area where the forest floor was covered by the bright red leaves, below is a short video showing this area...
A quick trip to Maine
We headed out for another scenic drive that was supposed to be much less crowded than the Kanc Highway. We started off going up and over Hurricane Mountain Road which was simply incredible. It was a steep twisting road with forest pressing in on both sides, it felt like we were driving through a magical tunnel of trees. The road eventually connected to Hwy 113 which wound in and out of Maine.
I spotted the tree below and the little pond in front of it just off the side of the road, so we turned around for a quick photo. It felt like everywhere we went we were treated to amazing reflections showcasing the fall colors and blue skies.
At one of our stops along Hurricane Mountain Rd, I found these sweet little heart shaped leaves and a fuzzy little bee enjoying the the fall flowers.
Basin Brook Reservoir
One of the highlights along our scenic drive was the Basin Brook Reservoir. We pulled up to the dirt parking lot and were happy to see just a few other cars. Folks were sitting at a couple picnic tables enjoying this spectacular view and we decided it was the perfect lunch spot for us as well.
After lunch, we strolled around a bit and I was surprised to find some flowers sprinkled throughout the grass with a butterfly flitting about enjoying them.
One last stop along the road. Jason flew his drone and I wandered off into the woods to see what I could find.
And I found mushrooms... LOTS and LOTS of mushrooms!
And I found mushrooms... LOTS and LOTS of mushrooms!
Do you see the little baby mushrooms on the trunk below big ones?
And different varieties of mushrooms!
And, of course, more colorful leaves mingled in with the moss and tree trunks and evergreen boughs.
And, of course, more colorful leaves mingled in with the moss and tree trunks and evergreen boughs.
After this drive, there were a couple days of rain which we didn't mind since we'd seen and done so much and it was nice to have a break to sit inside next to the wood fire and think back over the adventures we'd had. The trip was full of incredible jaw-dropping views but also many small moments of wonder. Lots of fantastic memories made and shared.
Thanks for reading, take care!
Thank you!
