Stowe Area Covered Bridges Tour

from an October 2005 posting in the foliage forum by PWT.

It starts in Stowe. Take School Street across from the big church on Main Street. Drive this road about π of a mile and look for the Stowe Hollow Road on the right and take that road. It starts out with woods on both sides. Then you come out on a hill with a wide open view ahead. This is Stowe Hollow. At the bottom of the hill turn right to continue the Stowe Hollow Road. You will see covered bridge on the right side. Drive through the bridge and park on the left to look over the bridge. Looking down stream you will see the stone foundation of an old mill. Finish this dirt road back to the Stowe Hollow Road and turn left to get back to Stowe.

Turn right on Main Street. Drive until you see Shaws Supermarket on the left. Take the West Hill Road on the left side just past the supermarket. This road starts out paved but will change to dirt. Drive it to the end at the Sterling Valley Road and turn right to get to the next bridge. It‚s on the left next to this road. There may be a little nice color left up there. There was today. After you are done here continue straight on the Sterling Valley Road until it ends on the Stagecoach Road and turn right. When this road ends on route 100 bear right to get back to Stowe. In Stowe take route 108 north through Smugglers Notch to Jeffersonville.

After you go through the Notch you will go by the Smugglers Notch Ski Area. A few miles farther you will see the Highlander Motel on the right. Then you will go around a right curve and down a steep hill. At the bottom of the hill there is the Canyon Road on the right side. Turn right on the Canyon Road and you will see the bridge. The road curves left just before the bridge with a parking area off the top of the curve. Turn around and go back to route 108 and turn right to get to Jeffersonville. This road splits just before you hit Main Street. Take a right at the split and drive down Main Street.

Main Street curves left and goes out to route 15. Turn right on route 15 east. Look for a motel on the right. RT. 15 curves right just past the motel with a road on the left coming in at an angle. Turn left on this road, the Cambridge Junction Road for the next bridge. . Park before the bridge and check it out. Then drive through the bridge to the end on route 109 north and turn right. When you get to Waterville village look for the white church on the right. Take the road across from the church for your next bridge. When you are done turn around and go back to route 109 and turn left. Your next bridge is next to the road. Park before the bridge. Check your odometer. Drive on about 7/10 of a mile and route 109 goes up a hill. At the bottom of the hill on the right side is the Codding Hollow Road and your next bridge. Go back to route 109 and turn right. Look for the Waterville Elementary School on the right. About a mile past that you will come to a itty-bitty community with a bridge over the river. Right after that bridge and on the left is the Back road and your next 2 bridges. You will drive through the first bridge and park on the left.

Look down stream for another foundation of an old mill. Continue the Back Road to the next bridge. Finish the Back road to route 109 and turn left. Drive through Belvidere and out of civilization as we know it. It‚s pretty lonely until you get to Montgomery. When route 109 ends at route 118 it splits. Go straight for a mile to the pull off for Long/Belvidere Pond. Hopefully there is some color there. Turn around and go past route 109. Check your odometer when you go past route 109. At about the 7 mile mark, look for the Gibou Road on the left. Right after the Gibou Road is another road on the left. Take this road, The South Brook Road a short way to the Hutchins Bridge Road and go to that bridge. You may have to drive through and park. All of the bridges built in Mongomery were built by the Jewett Brothers. When you are done go back to the South Brook Road and turn left to get back to route 118. Turn left to get to Montgomery Center. You may want to get a bite here. (BTW, the bridge on the Gibou Road has been taken down and store away until thry can fix it) Continue route 118 to Montgomery Center. As you come into the village look to the right by the village green and you will see the next bridge. When you are done go back and take the first right by the village green. When you get back to route 118 bear right and look for the Comstock road on the left before route 118 curves right. Take this road through the bridge and back to route 118 and turn left. Now the fun begins. A little ways ahead you will see the Hill West Road on the left. Go by this road, over a bridge and turn left on the WEST HILL ROAD. Drive this road about 3 miles to a cross road. The Creamery Bridge Road is on the left. Take this road to a parking area on the left and walk a short way to the bridge. The Jewett Brothers had their mill near this bridge. Now, if the colors are good enough, go back to the West Hill Road and turn left. Drive this road and look for a cemetery on the left. Right after this cemetery there is the Lane Road on the left. Take the Lane Road to the end at the Hill West Road and turn left to get back to route 118 and turn left there. If the color isn‚t good turn right on the West Hill Road and go back to route 118 and turn left. The last 2 bridges are next to route 118 and on the left side. Finish route 118 to route 105 and turn left. Drive route 105 to Enosburgh Falls village. At the south end of the village route 105 turns right, but you go straight. At the 4-way stop turn left and you are on route 108 south. Take that back to Stowe.