Vermont
2024's Towns In Vermont That Come Alive In The Fall
As the home of 55 state parks, over 100 covered bridges, and some of the most vivid fall foliage in the country, it is easy to see why the New England state of Vermont is one of the most sought-after places to visit in autumn. And despite the fact that we are already several weeks deep into the season, there is still plenty of time to savor the sights, with many Vermont towns reserving their brightest leaves for the second and third weeks of October.
As these towns shed their usual greenery in place of crimson and gold, a warm glow is cast across Vermont’s hilltops, river shores, and mountainsides. Add in pumpkin patches, hayrides, and festive events celebrating the season, and you have the perfect recipe for experiencing a New England fall at its finest in 2024.
Stowe
Named one of 2024’s “Top 10 Best Places to See Fall Colors in the United States” by USA Today, Stowe embodies everything we know and love about a classic New England fall. Overlooked by Mount Mansfield (Vermont’s highest peak), this northern Vermont town of just over 5,000 locals welcomes a massive amount of the 13 million who visit Vermont each year. With summer and winter being the busiest seasons, fall in Stowe offers the perfect blend of tranquility and stunning views. Seasonal colors arrive as early as the beginning of September and, in some areas, last well into October, depending on the elevation.
If you are looking for Stowe’s vibrant hues earlier in the season, your best bet is to embark on higher hikes like the Stowe Pinnacle Trail, which grants breathtaking panoramic views of the valley and surrounding mountains. For a more easygoing foliage hike, Stowe’s 75-acre Kirchner Woods features flatter paths with stunning yellow and red sugar maples.
But for the ultimate leisurely leaf-peeping experience, you may just want to take to the sky. The town has several attractions that allow a bird’s-eye view of the foliage, including the Stowe Mountain Resort’s Gondola SkyRide, a forest zipline with ArborTrek Canopy Adventures, or Air Stowe Helicopter Tours. Just make sure to be back on land by October 11 to celebrate the Stowe Foliage Arts Festival, which will feature over 150 artists and artisans, live entertainment, and tons of delicious festival foods.
Burke
Although the picturesque mountain town of Burke has already seen its famed Fall Festival pass in late September, there is still plenty of autumnal bliss to savor in fall. As part of Vemront’s Northeast Kingdom, the town’s surrounding forests and alpine atmosphere means foliage begins to transform around mid-September, reaching peak vibrancy in early to mid-October. This period offers the perfect opportunity to witness the brilliant gold, red, and orange leaves in Darling State Park, which features stunning vistas on paths like the 1.3-mile Burke Mountain Overlook trail.
Beyond exploring the seasonal bliss by foot, Burke is also famous for its Kingdom Trail network, which boasts over 100 miles of biking paths. Whether you choose to rent a bike from Burke’s Village Sport Shop or bring your own, cycling these scenic forest trails is a fantastic way to soak in the beauty of the season. Alternatively, for a more unique experience, consider Burke’s DND Stables Guided Trail Rides, which offer leisurely horseback adventures suitable for riders of all skill levels, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the stunning autumn landscape.
Waitsfield
Over in the heart of the Mad River Valley, Waitsfield is a cozy town promising dramatic sights and spirited experiences in the fall. The valley, centrally located in Vermont, offers a striking contrast of Green Mountain summits and Mad River lowlands, combined with a tapestry of fiery autumn hues and crisp alpine airs. During your time in Waitsfield, you can expect peak-foliage in early to mid-October, but like Stowe, it will also depend on elevation.
For an immersive experience, adventurous travelers may want to take a Guided Fall Foliage Tours with downtown Waitsfield’s Clearwater Sports. While many people associate paddling with summer, the tree-dotted riverbanks reflect vibrant fall colors into the water, creating a truly special effect. With wildlife actively packing on the pounds for hibernation, you are also more likely to spot animals like the American black bear.
Another fantastic way to enjoy the fall scenery is through the Foliage Lift Rides at Mad River Glen. This ski area hosts its Foliage Weekend event on October, providing round trips to the summit for breathtaking views of the valley’s foliage. If you would like to linger a bit longer to take in the sights and snap some photos, you can step off the lift for a leisurely hike down the scenic 2.5-mile Stark Mountain Trail. On October 12, the Stark Mountain Foundation will also organize a Family-Friendly Nature Hike, guiding families from this trail to Waitsfield’s Kent Thomas Nature Center.
Manchester
Traveling to southern Vermont, Manchester is the perfect town for those craving spectacular views without the hike. Sandwiched between the Green and Taconic Mountains, picturesque backdrops are a constant in Manchester, with Mount Equinox towering above the skyline at 3,850 feet. With the addition of the Battenkill River encircling the town, postcard views are as natural as breathing.
For a jaw-dropping “Drive to the Sky,” visitors can take historic Route 7A (located between Manchester and Arlington) for a trip up the Mount Equinox Skyline Drive. As the longest privately owned paved toll road in the United States, the road’s 3,248-foot, 5.2-mile ascent to the top of Mount Equinox is stunning year-round. But mid-September through October is when the trees replace their usual green with a stunning tapestry of yellows, oranges, and reds, making this one of the most sought-after times to take the scenic drive.
Manchester is also an excellent destination for those with young kids, since the town hosts a great range of family-friendly activities. Fall Foliage Wagon Rides at Hildene Farm are a great follow-up to tours of the Lincoln Family Home. Alternatively, the Equinox Valley Nursery Pumpkin Patch also hosts a mountain-view wagon ride, along with a corn maze and an annual pumpkin carving festival (date to be determined).
Woodstock
While certain Vermont towns are at their most crowded in the summertime, Woodstock’s busy season is from September to October, when the leaves are at their brightest. The best entry to this quintessential New England town is via the Crossroad of the Vermont Scenic Byway, whose sparkling landscapes will set the mood for your stay. Woodstock is also bordered by the beautiful Ottauquechee River, making the town’s scenes that much prettier.
The 3-mile Ottauquechee River Trail is one of the best ways to take in the town’s autumnal sights, or you can opt for a more vertical path up Mount Tom for a bird’s-eye view of the village. Quechee State Park is also a short drive from Woodstock, known for its Quechee Gorge Trail. As for those looking for a more easygoing foliage hike, Woodstock has several rural areas worth exploring, like Sugarbush Farm and Bourdon Maple Farm. In the autumn months, Bourdon offers free sugar house tours, maple samples, and self-guided hikes through the farm’s vibrant Maple Trail.
East Corinth
For Halloween fanatics looking for a laid-back day trip this October, East Corinth boasts a ton of whimsy without the Woodstock crowds. Despite often being overlooked, the town’s main claim to fame is its reputation as a Beetlejuice Filming Location since the 1988 film’s outdoor scenes were shot throughout East Corinth, including the iconic bridge scene. To this day, the town exudes a gothic charm reminiscent of the film, showcased in 19th-century buildings like the East Corinth Congregational Church, which was built in 1840.
Leaf-peepers will also find themselves mesmerized by the stunning hillsides in this rural town. This year’s Corinth Fall Festival is set to line up with the region’s peak foliage season when the hills will come to life with dazzling shades of red and gold. The festival promises tractor rides, face painting, food, and artisan vendors.
Burlington
Despite being Vermont’s largest town, Burlington has that cozy small-town feel New England is famous for. As local oaks and maples take on their fall colors (generally reaching their crescendo in the first couple weeks of October), the town’s parks and green spaces feel warmer and cozier than ever. Oakledge Park is a great choice for views of Lake Champlain, or you can head to the heart of Burlington to explore The Intervale Center. This 360-acre nonprofit boasts everything from organic farms to recreational paths like the Intervale Trail, which winds through farmland and wooded paths along the Winooski River.
As for seasonal festivities, for those looking to get into the Halloween spirit, this historic Vermont town is also famous for its award-winning haunted town tour. The Queen City Ghostwalk, “Vermont’s Original Ghost Tour,” was awarded the 2024 “Best Guided Outdoor Tour” by Seven Daysies and has been voted one of New England’s best-haunted walks by magazines like Yankee and AAA. Alternatively, for those craving treats instead of tricks, Burlington’s Choctober Fest is a fun event taking place every Saturday in October, promising free chocolate tastings with seasonal maple, cider, and pumpkin flavors.
Grafton
With “Peak New England Vibes” and less than 700 locals, the sleepy and underrated village of Grafton is an ideal getaway spot for those craving a quieter experience this fall. Like other southern Vermont towns, Grafton sees its brightest foliage toward the beginning of October, so this is the best time to visit. And thanks to the town’s alpine atmosphere, crisp mountain air will accompany your views every step of the way.
For a scenic autumn drive (and a charming photo), Grafton’s Kidder Covered Bridge is an adorable little landmark that takes you across the South Branch Saxtons River. But to explore Grafton’s scene on foot, you will want to head to the Grafton Trails & Outdoor Center. Spread over 2,000 acres of land, the area boasts everything from rolling hills to vibrant woodlands where visitors can hike, mountain bike, leaf-peep, and even book a stay at the adjacent Grafton Inn hotel.
As a follow-up, the Nature Museum at Grafton is a great way to learn more about the area’s stunning outdoors and wildlife. As for those who would prefer to experience more of Grafton’s rural atmosphere, the Plummer’s Sugar House is a great next stop. Their free farm tours are a delight in the fall, plus they sell countless maple syrup goodies for those with a sweet tooth.
Final Thoughts
Summertime may be Vermont’s busiest tourist period (welcoming 5 million people every season), but autumn is when the Green Mountain State truly lives up to its New England image. Whether visiting towns like Woodstock (which has become world-famous for its classic autumn scenes) or sleepier rural towns like Grafton for a quiet getaway in the mountains, the kaleidoscope landscapes, seasonal flavors, and warm festivities will reveal why so many choose to spend their weekends, road trips, and getaways in Vermont this time of year.
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Vermont Lottery offers several draw games for those willing to make a bet to win big.
Those who want to play can enter the MegaBucks and Lucky for Life games as well as the national Powerball and Mega Millions games. Vermont also partners with New Hampshire and Maine for the Tri-State Lottery, which includes the Mega Bucks, Gimme 5 as well as the Pick 3 and Pick 4.
Drawings are held at regular days and times, check the end of this story to see the schedule.
Here’s a look at July 16, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Gimme 5 numbers from July 16 drawing
08-10-35-36-37
Check Gimme 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 16 drawing
Day: 4-3-2
Evening: 3-4-4
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from July 16 drawing
Day: 5-7-1-5
Evening: 6-6-9-0
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 16 drawing
09-21-29-52-57, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
For Vermont Lottery prizes up to $499, winners can claim their prize at any authorized Vermont Lottery retailer or at the Vermont Lottery Headquarters by presenting the signed winning ticket for validation. Prizes between $500 and $5,000 can be claimed at any M&T Bank location in Vermont during the Vermont Lottery Office’s business hours, which are 8a.m.-4p.m. Monday through Friday, except state holidays.
For prizes over $5,000, claims must be made in person at the Vermont Lottery headquarters. In addition to signing your ticket, you will need to bring a government-issued photo ID, and a completed claim form.
All prize claims must be submitted within one year of the drawing date. For more information on prize claims or to download a Vermont Lottery Claim Form, visit the Vermont Lottery’s FAQ page or contact their customer service line at (802) 479-5686.
Vermont Lottery Headquarters
1311 US Route 302, Suite 100
Barre, VT
05641
When are the Vermont Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Gimme 5: 6:55 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
- Pick 3 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
- Pick 4 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
- Pick 3 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
- Pick 4 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
- Megabucks: 7:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily
What is Vermont Lottery Second Chance?
Vermont’s 2nd Chance lottery lets players enter eligible non-winning instant scratch tickets into a drawing to win cash and/or other prizes. Players must register through the state’s official Lottery website or app. The drawings are held quarterly or are part of an additional promotion, and are done at Pollard Banknote Limited in Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Vermont editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Sam Gabriels and Chrissy Bellmeyer were no strangers to living small. Before they met, Bellmeyer designed and lived in a tiny house on wheels and Gabriels spent four years living out of a van, looping the country to organize pop-up farm-to-table dinners alongside Michelin-starred chefs. So, when the couple bought a half-acre lot in Waitsfield, Vermont’s Mad River Valley in a development called the Waitsfield Ten, where neighbors help each other build, 800 square feet didn’t feel like a constraint.
Architectural designer and builder Andy White of Boreal Design started by creating a simple, 20-by-20-foot box that was drywalled, then painted, in a weekend. Inside it, White built the living spaces as independent, self-supporting platforms arranged at staggered heights. He describes the plan as a counter-clockwise spiral: Down one step from the entry into the living room, up two into the kitchen, up one more into the dining room.
The level variations define each space. “If built traditionally with two floor plates and 9-foot ceilings, the house would feel claustrophobic,” White says. “Here, you experience the full interior volume, with long sightlines from corner to corner.”
Without walls dividing the public spaces, rooms morph to fit current needs and individual elements do double or triple duty. For example, the open cubbies that store Gabriels’s vinyl collection are also perches for overflow dinner party guests in the dining room and extra seating in the living room. Initially, White worried — unnecessarily — that the living room was too small and lacked a wall for a television. The couple got a projector and screen, and noted that the deck expands the experience. The mechanicals and storage are under the floors.
Upstairs, the 8-by-12-foot space in front of the primary bedroom is both a closet/dressing area and mini lounge. In the morning, guests might wander over from the second bedroom to chat; during parties, it’s another spot to hang out. “We’re very open people, so it works for us,” Gabriels says. If things change, the couple could add standard-size French doors to hide their bed. The second bedroom, which already has a pocket door for privacy, could absorb the office nook beside it to become a larger bedroom.
The materials palette celebrates what’s commonly available: nothing is precious, everything is considered. Walls and ceilings throughout are CDX fir plywood — construction-grade sheathing that is normally hidden behind drywall. Structural fir posts, usually buried, are left exposed. The couple planed, sanded, and stained the posts and sanded all the plywood, removing lumberyard stamps. In place of galvanized joist hangers, White used inexpensive angle steel, spray-painted black. Running the length of the staircase and bracketing the bedroom thresholds, it’s the home’s signature accent. It matches the exterior siding — corrugated metal that is distinctive, inexpensive, easy to install, and low-maintenance.
Sustainability was non-negotiable. Fourteen-inch-thick, cellulose-filled walls push the dwelling past passive-house standards for insulation and airtightness. They also leave deep window sills that double as seating, plant shelves, and such. The utility bill for the all-electric home averages just over $100 per month (excluding internet).
Decor-wise, color does the talking. The bright yellow kitchen and pink-tiled bath are odes to homes that Gabriels admired in New Mexico, Oregon, and California. “We took a Pacifico beer bottle cap to Home Depot to find the right canary yellow for the kitchen cabinets,” Bellmeyer says.
White says his construction methods make it easy to add onto the home, although the couple has no plans to do so. Rather, they hope to build an ADU to offer housing to others in the community. “This is a mid-income development, making it cheaper than the median house price but not attainable for everyone,” Bellmeyer says.
Meanwhile, they’re grateful for White’s unconventional approach, fulfilling their wish list within the square footage their budget allowed.
White deflects the praise back onto the couple. “The home wouldn’t have come together the way that it did for anyone else; it’s very much theirs,” he says. “Chrissy and Sam’s vision, willingness to take risks and reimagine typical rooms, informed the design more than any specific space-saving or building strategy.”
Architectural designer and builder: Boreal Design, borealdesignvt.com
Cabinetmaker: Han Hewn, hanhewn.com
Marni Elyse Katz is a contributing editor to the Globe Magazine. Follow her on Instagram @StyleCarrot. Send comments to magazine@globe.com.
Vermont
Ben & Jerry’s Foundation says it will shut down amid legal dispute with parent company – VTDigger
The Ben & Jerry’s Foundation says it will shut down at the end of the year after its corporate parent cut off funding and evicted its three staffers Wednesday. The move leaves $600,000 a year in grants to Vermont organizations, and 40 years of the ice cream brand’s progressive mission, hanging on a judge’s future ruling.
“This is the other foot dropping in terms of the way Magnum is trying to destroy the social values of Ben & Jerry’s,” said Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, in an interview Wednesday.
The Vermont-based iconic ice cream brand has been in a legal fight with its parent company, The Magnum Ice Cream Co. — an ice-cream spinoff of the larger corporation Unilever — since November 2024. Ben & Jerry’s alleges that the corporation overreached its control, pushing out the CEO and interfering with the brand’s political views. The question before a judge is whether the corporate parent had the authority to reshape governance and withhold funding from the foundation.
Amid the push-and-pull over governance, Unilever audited the foundation, which is the philanthropic arm of Ben & Jerry’s, in April 2025, finding conflicts of interest and a lack of governance and financial control.
Liz Bankowski, president of the foundation’s board of trustees, said in an interview that Unilever withheld the philanthropy’s funding late last year and ordered foundation staff to vacate its corporate office in South Burlington by July 15 because of governance issues the audit raised. This led the foundation’s leaders to join the ongoing lawsuit, fought by the ice cream brand’s independent board, in an effort to retain funding. The lawsuit is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
While the foundation’s leadership is framing the decision to cease operations as the only option after Unilever withheld funding, an unnamed spokesperson for Magnum wrote in a statement to VTDigger that the shuttering is “entirely down to the Trustees and their decision to ignore the findings of an independent audit and failure to put in place basic good governance; much to our dismay.”
Since the audit, the foundation has adopted a conflict of interest policy, but “the bottom line was that unless we changed our board, they were going to continue to withhold funding,” Bankowski said.
Cohen described the audit as “a bunch of trumped-up charges.”
“The foundation has been independently audited every year,” he said. “I think that Magnum was searching in vain for some illegal or unethical activities. I think they found none.”
Since Ben & Jerry’s sold the ice cream business to Unilever in 2000, the corporation has given $60 million to the foundation. The philanthropic arm has operated for 40 years, supporting the ice cream brand’s progressive mission by offering financial backing to social justice organizations across the country. The foundation does not have an endowment and is reliant on the funding its parent company gives annually, outlined in its merger contract.
A chunk of that funding, $600,000 a year, goes to Vermont organizations such as the immigrant farmworker rights organization Migrant Justice and the LGBTQ+ nonprofit Outright Vermont, according to foundation leaders.
“We fill a particular niche that not a lot of other funders fill,” said Rebecca Golden, the foundation’s director of programs, who has worked at the organization for 34 years.
Golden is one of three foundation staffers whose last day in the physical office is Wednesday, following orders from Magnum to vacate. Although Magnum did not directly address its vacate order in its statement to VTDigger, the spokesperson wrote that the foundation’s leaders recently “took the position that its staff are not Ben & Jerry’s employees, despite utilising Ben & Jerry’s offices and systems.”
Golden described the possible shutdown as an “enormous loss” that will not only affect the organizations that the foundation supports but also Ben & Jerry’s employees who “feel very proud of being a part of the foundation.”
“It’s been a really long year, so there’s been a lot of emotions — the whole gamut, as we like to say of the seven stages of grief. But I think at this point we’re sort of in the acceptance phase,” she said.
The Magnum spokesperson indicated that the work of the foundation will continue even if its leaders decide to cease operations at the end of the year, writing that the company is “firmly committed to funding a grant-giving foundation, supported by appropriate governance controls to ensure it is living by its values.”
But Cohen is not confident that Magnum will uphold the values of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation in the corporation’s continued philanthropic efforts.
“What are they going to fund? I have no idea. My guess is that they would not be looking to fund entities that are opposed to the status quo,” Cohen said.
The foundation’s leaders have pointed to its support of Migrant Justice during a period when the farmworker organization was considering a boycott of Ben & Jerry’s as an example of their commitment to social justice. After immigrant farmworkers raised concerns about working conditions at farms supplying Ben & Jerry’s, the company joined a program that collaborates with farmworkers to strive for fair working conditions.
Political activism has been central to the Ben & Jerry’s brand since its founding. As a part of the ongoing lawsuit, Ben & Jerry’s alleged in a May filing that Magnum has been undercutting its social justice mission in order to “censor, intimidate and purge” the company’s independent board, which Cohen said was created to defend its progressive values.
Three of the board’s members, including one who has been an outspoken critic of Israel, were removed late last year after the parent corporation introduced a new set of governance practices. In its motion to dismiss the lawsuit, Magnum argues that it retains ultimate authority and the brand’s social mission must be nonpartisan.
As the lawsuit awaits a decision, Cohen, who is not a part of the suit, has created a campaign to “free Ben & Jerry’s,” amassing around 160,000 signers for its petition demanding that Magnum sell Ben & Jerry’s to a “group of values-aligned investors.”
“The very values-led business model that built Ben & Jerry’s into this amazing, phenomenal brand is the very thing that Magnum is currently destroying,” Cohen said.
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