A Fall Weekend in Vermont
A gondola ride, a waterfall painting, and my first bald eagle.
We booked our long October weekend in Vermont only about a month ahead, hoping to catch the foliage and see a part of the state we didn’t know well. We’ve recently taken up skiing, so we also wanted a feel for Vermont’s ski areas before planning a winter trip. We settled on Killington as our home base, and we couldn’t have been happier with the choice.
We stayed in a converted lodge at the base of the mountain, five minutes from the slopes, with a golf course tucked behind it. We arrived late Friday night, so we didn’t really see where we were until morning.
For this trip I kept my painting supplies simple: small 3 × 5 and 3 × 7 canvas panels that fit in a pocket or bag. Rather than committing to a full painting at every stop, I could sketch a composition, make a few notes and take reference photos to work from later in the studio. It felt like the right approach for a family getaway, a little painting woven into the day without letting it take over.
October 10
Waking up in the mountains
Saturday morning brought blue skies, burnt-orange hillsides and the ski slopes practically in our backyard. While the rest of my family slowly woke up, I took the dog for a walk and started sketching the mountain from the back of my car.
Vermont is busy in foliage season. We waited more than an hour and a half for breakfast, though the food was worth it. In fairness, we’re not early risers, so we may have picked the worst possible time to show up!
October 10
To the top of Killington
The K-1 Gondola to the summit turned out to be a highlight of the weekend. I went in a little nervous, since a gondola ride at Disney during a storm left me with memories of rocking and swaying in the wind. This one was wonderfully steady, and the views were well worth the ticket.
At the summit we found something I hadn’t known was there: a restaurant with nearly 360-degree views of the Green Mountains. We snagged the best seats in the house, right beside a window overlooking the gondola as it traveled up and down, and naturally I pulled out a little panel and made a quick study.
A short trail led from there through pines and firs, with deep moss on the forest floor and a beautiful understory, before opening onto a rocky overlook on the northwest side of the mountain. It reminded us of our hike up Craigendarroch in Ballater. Something about the mossy woods, the evergreens and the rocky top felt familiar.
We spent about two hours on the summit. This wasn’t meant to be a hiking trip, but it made me want to come back and explore more of Killington’s trails.
October 10
Painting beside Thundering Brook
In the afternoon we went to Thundering Brook Falls, where a boardwalk and trail follow the waterfall through damp, mossy forest. This was where I set up for my first proper painting of the trip.
I gave myself 30 minutes. I didn’t want to take too much time away from my family, but I wanted the chance to settle in and really experience the place. There was a particular kind of peace in standing in the dim forest with the sound of the waterfall all around me. Sometimes the greatest reward of painting outdoors is simply slowing down long enough to notice the atmosphere of a place.
While I painted, my husband and son explored toward the top of the falls. A little time for me to paint, and a little time for everyone to take in the landscape their own way.
That evening we went to The Garlic, a quirky restaurant near our hotel. You know you’ve arrived somewhere distinctive when the first thing you notice is the smell of garlic, with bunches of it hanging all through the room. We got seats at the bar before the rush, a small victory after that breakfast wait. Back at the hotel, the boys watched college football by the fire while I worked on my painting.
October 11
Covered bridges and Quechee Gorge
On Sunday we headed toward Woodstock and Quechee Gorge, taking country roads whenever we could and seeking out as many covered bridges as we could find. It was more overcast, and some pockets of foliage had already faded. I suspect we missed peak by a couple of days, but the softer light gave everything a different character. I was especially drawn to the mountains reflected in the river, where the colors and shapes seemed to merge into the water.
I’d been to Quechee Gorge as a child and remembered loving it. As an adult I had a new appreciation for how dramatic it is: the depth of the gorge, the pale rock walls and the striking blue-green water against the autumn color. It was busy, with plenty of people climbing down onto the rocks, which made photos tricky, but it’s easy to see why it draws a crowd. I kept mentally composing paintings as I walked.
October 11
Simon Pearce and a bald eagle
Lunch was at Simon Pearce, a restaurant in a historic mill on the Ottauquechee River. We got the best seats in the house again, right beside the dam and the bridge. The food was incredible, the wine was wonderful, and the hand-blown glassware made it feel special.
Walking back through the parking lot, I heard a call and looked up to see my first bald eagle following the river, carrying a branch and glancing down at us. I’ve always kept an eye out for one. We watched as long as we could.
Driving the roads around Quechee, we spotted a church steeple rising against a mountain, another little composition. We also passed the Quechee Inn, where my parents honeymooned. I took a quick video and sent it to my mother so she’d know it was still there. I love when travel offers these little links between the places we’re exploring and the stories our families carry.
Back in Killington, we had dinner at the hotel and spent the evening looking through our photos while I worked on sketches at the table.
October 12
Clouds on the mountain
Our last morning brought another surprise: low clouds wrapped around Killington, softening the slopes into something moody and almost ethereal. We took one last ride up the mountain before heading home.
After Saturday’s clear skies, it felt like a different place. As a painter, I find these shifts fascinating. A bright autumn morning calls for burnt orange, golden yellow and clear blue, while a misty one invites softer values, muted color and a closer look at atmosphere.
On the way home we stopped at the Vermont Country Store and treated ourselves to maple creemees.
Bringing Vermont home
Back home, I brought my little Vermont studies to an open studio session at the Art League of New Britain and kept working on them there. I’ll keep using them as studio warm-ups to loosen up my brushwork, and as sweet little additions to my collection.
They may be small, but each one holds a moment, from the slopes outside our lodge to the quiet forest at Thundering Brook and the reflections near Quechee Gorge. Looking at them, I remember what it felt like to be there: the chill in the air, the sound of rushing water, the changing light.
Painting doesn’t always have to mean hours at an easel. Sometimes it’s about collecting impressions, a branch reflected in the water or the color of a mountain before the light changes. We came home with photos, sketches and plenty of reasons to return, and now we’re even more excited to see Killington in ski season.