Spruce Peak, Stowe, Vermont
Before snow arrives on the slopes near Spruce Peak resort, the Smugglers’ Notch area is visually afire with foliage in blazing scarlet, gold and orange. It’s the height of leaf-peeping season from late September to mid-October.
In the early 1800s, the Notch became a secret smuggling route thanks to its dense forest and abundant hidden caves. Today, the whiskey flows freely at Spruce Peak’s WhistlePig Pavilion, named for Vermont’s lauded distillery. In autumn, the popular après ski spot becomes an excellent vantage for sipping and enjoying the colors and the warmth of a two-story stone fireplace.
The sprawling Spruce Peak property at the base of Mount Mansfield offers a variety of accommodations from traditional hotel rooms to private residences, including two-level, four-bedroom penthouses at the top of the Lodge at Spruce Peak.
The main hotel includes two premier dining venues, a spa, a wellness center and a swimming pool, while the surrounding village has grab-and-go food, shopping, a performing arts center and a village green, which doubles as a music venue and a skating rink.
With its forested alpine landscape and quaint New England village complete with a white church steeple, Stowe is one of the most picturesque foliage destinations in New England. And the area delivers year-round adventure with mountain biking, hiking, fly fishing and, of course, alpine and cross-country skiing.
For golfers, Spruce Peak’s award-winning, Bob Cupp-designed Mountain Course winds along the natural contours of the geography through dramatic rock outcroppings and wooded areas, rising to more than 1,800 feet with sweeping views of Mount Mansfield.
Guests of all levels can also play the course at Stowe Country Club, fully redesigned by Beau Welling Design with a layout that blends classic charm and modern playability. The newly renovated front nine was ready last summer, while the full 18-hole renovation is set for completion next year.
After a day of exploring the autumn foliage, visiting acclaimed craft breweries and dining at the resort’s farm-to-table restaurant, sneak away for a nightcap at The Linehouse, a hidden speakeasy in the village, and channel the spirit of those Prohibition smuggler days of yore.
