There is no shortage of scenic drives in Vermont, and Vermont Route 125 through the Green Mountains is one of our favorites for gorgeous scenery and easy outdoor recreation.
![Scenes from Vermont Route 125 in the fall.](https://vermontexplored.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/vermont-route-125-feature-1024x597.jpg.webp)
This trip starts in East Middlebury and travels just 15 miles through the Green Mountain National Forest to the town of Hancock. Don’t let the short driving time fool you into thinking that this is a humdrum road trip.
The journey takes you through Robert Frost Country, through Middlebury Gap (2,144 feet), where the Long Trail crosses the highway and leads to a lovely mountain lake and one of the state’s most beautiful waterfalls.
It’s a fantastic route for picnicking, and sturdy footwear and bug spray are both recommended.
Ready to make this trip a reality? Fill up your gas tank and start this trip in Middlebury, where Route 7 meets Route 125, or in Hancock, where Route 125 meets Route 100.
At-A-Glance: Vermont Route 125 Day Trip
Distance: 15 miles
Best time to visit: June to October (early to mid-October for stunning fall colors)
Time required: 2-5 hours
Where to eat: Pick up sandwiches or picnic supplies at the Ripton Country Store (west) or Hubbard’s Country Store in Hancock (east).
Tip: Download your online map for offline use or pick up the Delorme Atlas & Gazetteer: New Hampshire, Vermont. For hiking trails, the AllTrails+ app allows you to follow your GPS route offline.
Ripton Country Store
![Ripton Country Store on Vermont Route 125. Photo credit: Jimmy Emerson.](https://vermontexplored.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ripton-country-store-flickr.jpg.webp)
For a touch of nostalgia going back 140 years, stop into the Ripton Country Store, where you can stock up on Vermont products (they have sharp cheddar and maple syrup) and grab a sandwich and some penny candy for your adventure.
If you’ve got nothing but time, you can head to the back of the store and relax in the rocking chairs next to the ancient wood-burning stove. Maybe one of Ripton’s 600 residents will join you.
Robert Frost Interpretive Trail
![A wooden boardwalk through a hardwood forest in the fall.](https://vermontexplored.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/robert-frost-trail-3.jpg.webp)
The poet Robert Frost taught at Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English in Ripton for 42 years. On January 20, 1961, he became the unofficial first Poet Laureate of The United States. He was named Poet Laureate of Vermont in July of the same year.
Head to the Robert Frost Interpretive Trail in the Green Mountain National Forest for a glimpse of the beautiful landscape that inspired Robert Frost. Here, you can meander along an easy, universally accessible path, where you’ll find many of his poems mounted on posts along the trail.
![An interpretive sign showing the names of the distant peaks in the Green Mountains.](https://vermontexplored.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/robert-frost-trail-7.jpg.webp)
The Robert Frost Interpretive Trail was recently redone to make its entire mile-long length universally accessible. It now features two connected loops that wander through the varied landscapes that inspired Robert Frost.
Several benches along the route encourage you to linger in the landscape, read the poems, and reflect on the beauty of Vermont’s wilderness. Picnic tables near the parking area also encourage you to stay awhile, listen to the birds, and enjoy a snack before continuing your journey.
Robert Frost Cabin and Homer Noble Farm
![Robert Frost's writing cabin on the Homer Noble Farm.](https://vermontexplored.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Homer-Noble-Farm-4.jpg.webp)
Every summer and fall between 1939 and 1963, Robert Frost lived and wrote in a small cabin on what was then called the Homer Noble Farm.
The Ripton property is a National Historic Landmark owned by Middlebury College. It’s open to the public during daylight hours, and while you can see the cabin where Frost lived and wrote, the inside of the cabin is off-limits.
![Mountain views from Robert Frost's cabin.](https://vermontexplored.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Homer-Noble-Farm-5.jpg.webp)
To visit the cabin, turn onto Robert Frost Road (Forest Road 396), just past the Robert Frost Wayside picnic area. Drive the short distance and park in the parking area near the white farmhouse. From there, it’s a short 1/4-mile walk to the cabin.
It’s easy to see why this spot inspired Frost to write some of his best poetry.
Hike to Pleiad Lake on the Long Trail
![Fall foliage reflected in Pleiad Lake.](https://vermontexplored.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/pleiad-lake-2.jpg.webp)
As you continue to head east on Vermont Route 125, you’ll gain a significant amount of elevation as you pass Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf Campus. This beautiful campus is home to Middlebury’s summer creative writing, theater arts, and literature programs.
Parking for the Long Trail and Pleiad Lake is two miles past the Bread Loaf campus.
The Long Trail is a 272-mile trail that follows the ridgeline of the Green Mountains from the Vermont-Massachusetts state line in the south to the Canadian border in the north. It was the first long-distance hiking trail in the United States.
Park your car on the south side of the road and hike the Long Trail south to Pleiad Lake, which is especially lovely in the fall. The hike is 1 mile round-trip and gains just 220 feet of elevation. Once you reach the lake, there are several spots along the shore to relax and enjoy the scenery.
I hiked to Pleiad Lake for the first time in 2023, and I can’t wait to return with Eric and the dogs this year.
Texas Falls
![Texas Falls in Green Mountain National Forest.](https://vermontexplored.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/texas-falls.jpg.webp)
Not only is Texas Falls one of Vermont’s most stunning waterfalls, but this lovely area also includes a riverside picnic area and a short, easy nature trail through the woods.
Texas Falls began to form at the close of the ice age approximately 12,000 years ago when melting glacier ice began to cut through the glacial till and bedrock.
The falls are located on the Hancock Branch, which drains east into the White River and eventually into the Connecticut River. The falls are actually a series of plunges flowing through a narrow, steep gorge.
![Texas Falls.](https://vermontexplored.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/texas-falls-vermont.jpeg.webp)
To get there, turn off Vermont Route 125 onto Texas Falls Road (Forest Road 39). Parking is located at the Falls Observation Site at 0.5 miles and the picnic area at 0.7 miles.
From the parking area on the left side of Forest Road 39, cross over the road and walk back along the road for a short distance to the footbridge. This is an excellent viewing area to view the largest of the waterfalls.
You can meander around and check out the different vantage points of the falls or head into the woods and walk the Texas Falls Nature Trail, a 1.2-mile loop through a mixed forest with lots of beech, cherry, and birch trees.
Where to Next?
After exploring Vermont Route 125, you can easily hop on Vermont Route 100 and head either north or south to continue your adventure. Here are some other nearby places you won’t want to miss:
- A Weekend in Bristol, VT: Waterfalls, Glamping, and Hiking
- Plan a Perfect Summer Weekend in Shelburne, Vermont
- Killington is a Vermont Hiking Hub: Here are the Top Trails in the Area
Follow us on social media for more Vermont inspiration!
![A collage of fall foliage photos from Vermont Route 125 in Ripton. Text overlay: Vermont Route 125 Day Trip: Green Mountain National Forest.](https://vermontexplored.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Vermont-Route-125-pin-683x1024.jpg.webp)
![](https://vermontexplored.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/7C71E8E8-E9B6-41D1-A1FF-4D13ED0CBE64.jpeg.webp)
Tara Schatz is a freelance writer and the founder and editor-in-chief of Vermont Explored and Back Road Ramblers, an American road trip blog. She is also the co-author of the 3rd edition of AMC’s Best Day Hikes in Vermont, released in May 2023, and the author of 100+ Wonderful Ways to Experience Vermont.
ll arolyn Lowitz
Tuesday 3rd of September 2024
This was amazing info! We’ll be starting from Burlington and we have from Monday to Friday before we want to be in Boston so we’ll need to Break this wonderful trip through Vermont. Can you suggest good places to stop for a night? Here and then further on this journey. We’re probably up for a Ike or two and certainly visits in small towns that you could recommend. I’m very excited about all of Your suggestions.
Tara Schatz
Tuesday 3rd of September 2024
Hi Carolyn,
It’s just a hunch, but I have a feeling the fall colors will be brightest a bit farther south that week. I would check out the area around Killington — Woodstock, Ludlow, Plymouth Notch, and the surrounding towns and roads. I will drop a few links to the area I’m talking about. I suggest spending the night in Ludlow so you can explore the surrounding areas.
On the way south, drive over the mountains on Route 125 from East Middlebury to Hancock and then head south from there on Route 100.
Woodstock will be busy, so it’s best to visit during the week. Gondolas (Killington and Okemo will likely only be open on the weekends).
https://vermontexplored.com/vermont-route-125/
https://vermontexplored.com/10-perfect-things-to-do-in-woodstock-vermont-in-the-fall/
https://vermontexplored.com/fall-foliage-weekend-ludlow-vt/
Have a wonderful trip!