Abbey Pond is a beautiful fall colors hike. Abbey Pond is wilderness mountain pond near Middlebury, Vermont.
The trail head is off of Highway 116 only 5 or 10 minutes from downtown Middlebury.
The lower part of the hike follows Abbey Brook through tall white pine trees.
There is a small waterfall not far into the hike. A one time there was a bridge here. But I think it was damaged, then removed, in the floods of 2023.
Beautiful green canopy along the lower sections. Lots of rugged rocky areas from the flooding. The trail is a bit challenging in the lower reaches. The trail has not been fully restored in all areas.
The stream was running and had some fallen leaves on the surface. Last year was very dry and the stream was very low. Nice to see it at more normal levels this year.
Eventually you cross the brook and start climbing up through the woods.
This section of the hike is pretty step but it is a beautiful hike in the woods.
As you began to climb, the colors started to appear in the forest canopy.
The maples turning bright red and orange are the stars of the show but beech trees and birch trees turn a bright yellow as well.
Finally the payoff for the long hike. Abbey Pond provides an opening in the woods that reveals all the colors.
The pond also reflects back the colors.
Here is a full pano of the lake and Robert Frost Mountain in the background. The hike to the lake is a little over 2 miles with about 1200 feet elevation gain. Of course it is much shorter going back downhill 😂