Quechee Gorge

After leaving the Billings Farm we started driving back to our hotel in White River Junction.  On the way we spotted what looked like a fun place to explore, so we stopped at Quechee Gorge and explored the area for a while.

The park's location along US Route 4, and its proximity to many upper-valley attractions make it a popular tourist destination. Hundreds of thousands of visitors stop each year to take in the breathtaking views of the Quechee Gorge. Other visitors seeking an overnight stay enjoy the easy access to the park’s spacious campsites. The focal point of the park is Vermont’s deepest gorge...
--from Quechee State Park site

We first stopped by the visitor center which is shared by the Army Corps of Engineers, the local chamber of commerce, and the state park.

Inside we learned more about the history of the park--a mill was originally located here, but later the land was taken over by the Army Corps of Engineers.

After leaving the visitor center I walked across the bridge to a snack bar located just across the road.

The view down into the gorge is great from the bridge.

I met everyone else who had driven across in the van and took the youngest kid in a backpack and headed down into the gorge to explore.

First we headed down a set of stairs.

I always enjoy seeing maps when I'm visiting someplace so that I can see the entire area at a glance.

The trail went under the road right at the edge of the bridge.

The underside of the bridge looks pretty amazing from this angle.

There was quite a bit of foliage alongside the path.

The view back towards the bridge was pretty amazing once I got down the trail a ways.  I spent some time trying to capture the perfect shot, balancing out the shadows and the sunlight as it was quite late in the afternoon.

The rocks I had walked out onto were quite fascinating.

In some spots the water was flowing fast so I was able to turn a Live photo into a long exposure shot.

It wasn't a long hike, but it was beautiful and well worth the time.

There were only a couple other people in sight.

As I headed back up I paid a bit more attention to the path.

I took the route back to the visitor center in hopes of making a pressed penny, but sadly they had closed for the day and I had to make my way back to the car with no coin.

You can view a few more photos from the gorge in this album.

~Matt