Spring in Smugglers Notch, Vermont

 

Aerial shot of Smugglers Notch from my DJI mini 4K drone. Beavers have created a wetlands area in the foreground. All of the trees that look bare are popping out tiny new leaves for spring. These will turn yellow, red, and orange during the peak Autumn foliage season later this year.

Spring is here in Vermont. I am waking up to bird noises in the mornings, and the trees are sprouting new leaves. There is still a touch of snow near the tops of the Green Mountains, and a patchwork still left on the slopes of Stowe Mountain Ski Resort. Otherwise, the hikes are opening up, and the forests are waking up.

This is a quiet time here in Stowe, Vermont. The rush of the ski season is past, kids are back in school after spring break, and now folks are waiting for summer break to start really traveling again. Hotels and restaurants are taking the reprieve to close up and renovate, and the road workers have the same idea.

Today I wanted to head up into the mountains above Stowe, where the famous Smugglers Notch is located. It is a mountain pass that is closed to vehicle traffic all winter. Multiple streams and rivers wind their way out of the mountain pass, and signs of beaver dams create wetlands which can be wildlife havens. With my camera in hand, I hiked to different parts of the Notch that are accessible. And for those that aren't, well I just sent up my drone for some bird's eye views.

The last of the snow on the slope of Stowe Mountain Resort.

A winding boardwalk meanders through the wetlands at the entrance to Smugglers Notch.

Rocky streams wind out of the mountain pass and into the farms and small towns of Vermont.

View out of a covered bridge.

Clouds on the mountains create a dark background as the sunrise lights up the foreground.

Quaint, wooden covered bridges like the Brookdale Bridge are one of the things that give Vermont its charm.

The Stowe bike path follows the river past farms and homes.

Water level at the beaver pond, looking deeper into Smugglers Notch. The beaver home is in the right corner of the pond.

A beautiful Vermont spring day here in Stowe.

A boardwalk leads across the wetlands, entering Smugglers Notch.