New England Fall Foliage Trip Day Six: Fort Ticonderoga

[Julian created a meme to convey the unpleasant customer service experience we encountered with Aerie Inn…] An early departure on another overcast morning was made more palatable with fresh donuts and hot drinks from Mrs. Murphy’s in Manchester. With treats in tow we made our way Northwest, crossing into upstate New York for our first destination of the day: Fort Ticonderoga.

Affectionately dubbed “America’s Fort,” the structure first served the French in the mid-18th Century as Fort Carillon.

It was later captured by the British, then the American Colonists, and then again by the British Army during the Revolutionary War.

Situated between Lake Champlain and Lake George, the name “Ticonderoga,” which the British gave to the fort, literally means “at the junction of two waters.”

Various parts of the fort were demolished at different times, eventually reducing its walls to about 5% of the original structure. It was rescued by the Pell family and a later generation began restoration of it in 1909, opening it to the public almost immediately for tours.

Reenactors stationed throughout the fort gave guided tours and provided demonstrations throughout the day.

A short walk from the fort sits “The King’s Garden.” An ornate gate and a tree-lined walkway welcome guests who are free to admire the flowers and pick their own samples from the vegetable gardens and apple trees.

The fresh snacks were just what we needed to continue our exploration of the 2,000 acre property – peeking in an old log cabin, sitting on a bench overlooking the water, and walking down the lane back to the entrance.

Claire has been practicing her photography skills along the way, and is having fun figuring out all the different settings and features of the camera she is borrowing.

Since tokens to drive up Mt. Defiance were included in our admission, we followed the directions provided by the park to make that trip to the summit.

One of Vermont’s famous covered bridges grabbed our attention on the way, so we took a short detour to snap some photos and ended up eating our picnic lunch while we were stopped.

After that it was a short ascent by car to the top. The view was breathtaking! Here you can see Fort Ticonderoga nestled in the peninsula.

Miles and miles in every direction bespoke the grandeur of God’s creation, especially all the fall colors splashed across the landscape like an artist’s board full of paint.

At the suggestion of a friend, we took the slightly longer, but more scenic, Vermont Route 100 toward Waterbury.

Of course we had to stop along the way for a few important points of interest. Most importantly: ice cream. The Vermont Maple Farm & Market offered “maple creemees” – a soft serve vanilla ice cream with maple syrup blended in.

I selected their Maple Creemee Cookie Sandwich – the aforementioned ice cream lathered between two large chunky chocolate chip cookies. Yum!

Another covered bridge beckoned us from the side of the road in Warren, so we stopped for a few pictures and grabbed a hot tea while we were at it.

The trees, the waterfalls, the farms, the barns, the grass – everything is so vibrant and captivating as we drive through Vermont.

The sun streamed through the clouds this afternoon, making the colors pop even more.

We arrived at our next destination in Waterbury Village Historic District with full hearts, grateful for the opportunity to travel and see this magnificent part of the country. And so as another night comes to a close, we bid all “adieu.”