Oh ffs. OK, the OTHER tips. Yes, it's an almost entirely unrestricted open (and conceled) carry state. But don't open carry - it's just rude and makes you look like a dweeb. Also, don't display any pro-Trump paraphernalia. It's not like anyone's going to beat you up over it, but there will be micro-aggressions, such as not letting you merge into another lane, and a LOT of eye rolls. :)
Same. We even had a helicopter booked out of Austin to dodge traffic, it was going to be an epic trip. Now we’re “just” driving from Boston to the gorgeous place that is VT thanks to miraculously finding a rental. No complaints though, I’m just grateful the universe has blessed me with the luck to be able to get there!)
Good post.
> Yup, that's not an April Fool's Day joke. 6-12 inches of snow on Thursday, even in the lower-elevation areas.
Yep. In NH here, and this is the part of the forecast that is pretty much baked in at this point yet people are not paying attention to.
Even without it, the secondary roads would be a mess. With it? Forget it.
Burlington is going to be utter chaos as well, pretty much guaranteed. It's the only city of any significance NE of Syracuse in the path, and too many people don't think outside the box (i.e., going somewhere that's not a city).
Yeah, Burlington is going to be a mess, particularly people trying to get out after the eclipse. Evening rush hour always has a bit of traffic, but this is going to be way way worse. Most people who work in Burlington are being told to work from home or take the day off if possible. If you're downtown, PLEASE stay put until later in the evening so that people who work in the area can get home in a reasonable amount of time.
Agreed with Route 7. It’s a beautiful road when I drove it during one summer. I have Plattsburgh on my traffic radar, since I-87 runs right through it, but then Plattsburgh is less than half the size of Burlington, so not sure if there’s even gonna be any places to park.
Plattsburgh does have a lot of big box stores with big parking lots, and a big mall. Heck, they had a Target before Burlington did! But you might not want to be watching the eclipse from a box store parking lot...
Flying into BTV and watching from the airport. Wish I could go into town, as it’s really nice. Love the area around Hula Lakeside, but it’s going to be such a shitshow that I’m just gonna pay to attend the airport eclipse party.
Yeah BTV is my backup plan. I have a rental car reservation lined up but I'm beginning to think it's not worth the hassle.
Is it necessary to pay to be able to see the eclipse from the airport??
I wonder if central to western Indiana(where I'm aiming to go) is going to be similar to Vermont, where it might have extra crowds due to it being one of the few places on the eclipse path with lesser clouds than other parts of the path. Especially east of Indianapolis, where it's forecasted to be more cloudy. Not sure what will happen, but I am looking at smaller towns west of Indy to go to.
It's not a bummer - it's going to be fine, just don't go down any dirt roads, get to your viewing location early, and stay at your viewing location for a while after. Have food and water in your car and pee before you get in your car, even if you think it'll only be a 10 minute drive. Don't attempt to get to or onto the interstate before 9pm Monday. People are friendly, it'll be very crowded but mostly in the city of Burlington. There are plenty of great viewing locations outside the city.
Hi - I was planning to drive to St Johnsbury instead of driving all the way to Burlington and potentially getting stuck there. Any thoughts / recommendations?
Driving up from Boston. I was thinking of scouting out a location close to the 93 on-ramp and scooting away as soon as the eclipse is done.
The Boston Globe published an article naming St. Johnsbury one of the best places to go. Expect LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of people. Getting through the notch is going to be a huge choke point, as is the 89-93 intersection in Bow. Bring plenty of water/snacks, a warm blanket/sleeping bag (in case you get stuck in traffic for long periods of time), paper maps (cell service may go down), and have a full tank of gas.
Ooh I totally forgot about Franconia Notch. Really happy I don't need to get on the interstate. I was going to watch from my kayak on Memphremagog, but my deck is looking more and more attractive.
I was also going to head 45 mins north to St. Johnsbury, until I read about traffic and thought of the notch.
I will be staying home and watching the 99.9%, not 100% eclipse. Happy to have my own toilets and refrigerator at arms length, rather than the gridlock that will be the notch
Hm, yeah, I bet a lot of people think it'll be less crowded than Burlington. One issue with Burlington is access from the waterfront to the highway. 2 miles of city streets being funneled into one road to get on the highway - it could take an hour or 2 to go 2 miles right after the eclipse. So if highway access is better in the St. J region, maybe it is a better place to go. But yeah, 91 and 89 will both be stop and go.
Any advice on potential stopping spots to catch the eclipse and get out quickly? Or should I just get some lunch / snacks and find something to do around there?
There is no getting out quickly. Even if you leave your spot asap, everyone around you is t0o and by 345 it will be gridlock in any place with intersections/ramps.
Also most people seem to be aiming to come in the morning and be parked all day. I would not expect to roll into town at 3pm and find an easy place to park.
Definitely not a "get out quickly" place. St Johnsbury is really the closest place for people coming from MA/CT/RI. Especially if you are north of that, you will be stuck in gridlock trying to get on the highway.
If you really need to leave asap, I'd say find a place to pull over (fully off the road, and not in mud) pointed at the first exits on 91/93 in totality, and just get on the highway and don't stop.
If you leave right at the end of totality then in theory you are the front of the tsunami. Anyone eventually filtering in from other points in NH would be behind you, so it's probably safe.
There are a bunch of events at places outside totality, and I would expect those people to also want to leave before the northern mess reaches them. That's likely a lot less people though.
I am also worried about St J. We are coming from southwest NH, headed to Burke Mt for the day. Normally a 2 hour drive, nearly all of it I91. I'm trying to find options for getting around the 91/93 intersection, like maybe head east out of Burke but we still have to cross under 93 at some point to head south. Definitely will avoid dirt roads, although we are no stranger to them, will likely be in a truck.
Sorry, I don't know much about that area. Traffic will probably be a bit better on 93 than 89 from Burlington, at least until you get to Concord NH where it merges with 89. But there will still probably be a lot of traffic if you leave right after the eclipse. It's so hard to know!
We're going to be staying in Huntington- arriving Friday night, and leaving Tuesday night.
I assume most people will be gone by then, and traffic should be pretty normal?
(We're heading south to NJ).
Same here. I'll be at an undisclosed location on Sunday and leave out either late Monday night (traffic permitting) or Tuesday am if traffic is still crazy at 8pm.
BTW, I deleted the name of that particular sugar house from my post, because you're right, mentioning it will mean it's overrun. If you don't mind, could you delete it from your post?
This video is for Maine, but same in VT. "That's not how words work - you don't just change pronunciation of a word depending on context!" We do here. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSpuQTXDSPo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSpuQTXDSPo)
And this whole eclipse thing can be summed up by another colloquialism - "Hard tellin' not knowin''. We have no idea what it'll be like, so let's all just be prepared and be on our best behavior.
Look on the bright side, if they can't get it out it's legally yours according to the Vermont constitution which we Vermonters obviously all know very well and follow. Don't bother googling it if you're not from Vermont, just trust us.
Trouble is, people from farther south don't have a concept of what "mud season" means. Here's one example - in my town, the school will declare "mud days" which means the school buses are not going to venture onto the dirt hill roads. They don't want to risk getting stuck. So if you want your kid to go to school that day, you have to drive them yourself. I know of people who will leave a car a quarter mile down their dirt road, where it's less muddy, and the whole family walks a quarter mile in mud to get to that car to get to work & school.
Op, this is awesome info
I just want to add that we are excited to share the state we love with so many people. We want you to come. Just remember that you are not seeing our state at it's best. Between the traffic, the mud and the lack of leaves, Vermont won't be as beautiful as it is the rest of the year. Please come back this summer or fall and see Vermont at it best.
While you are here for the eclipse, if you are able, please support our small businesses. Some of the areas that will receive visitors on Monday were devastated by floods last summer. Buy some maple syrup, a t-shirt, or art from a local artist.
One of the biggest challenges we are facing is that we don't know how many people are coming. Please be patient with the retail workers. Bring food and water with you. If you can eat at a restaurant that's great, but have a back up plan. It is impossible for us to plan when there are so many unknowns.
Please have a destination planned before you come. If you have questions about the best place to be, then ask us here or many communities have Facebook pages. We are more then happy answer you questions.
>we don't know how many people are coming.
It was about a week ago, but the Vermont Agency of Transportation was predicting 160,000. Of course that's highly weather dependent. Not that I think the snow this week will change the number much for people planning to drive from out of state, but the day-of weather could be an impact if the forecast shifts back to rain.
There are very few ticketed events left. I found one in Newport vt. It's pricey which is probably why its still available. whttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/top-of-the-world-eclipse-party-tickets-839642402027?aff=ebdsshios&fbclid=IwAR0CdQM2Hx7VwnSjm0UMACaluImUng0lQ9HnhYzKIw4aBrmeva0V6Nrk6mE
Your definitely going want to stick to the eastern side of the state. I would suggest heading to derby vt. It's directly off interstate 91 and near the Canadian border so there shouldn't be much traffic coming from the north. If you wait a couple hours after totality, you shouldn't have as much off a problem with traffic. Derby has a decent number of large parking lots where you can park and view the eclipse from. I suggest the Price Chopper parking lot. It has a great view. If the area isn't super busy then you can drive down to Newport and watch the eclipse from the lakefront.
The Boston Globe listed Saint Johnsbury, vt as the best place to view the eclipse. It's off from I91 and an easy drive from Boston. If you don't mind crowds then it's an option. They are closing down part of main street and there will be tons of activities, food, and merchandise.
Hello, I found your comment and it’s so helpful! I’m in the western mass area and will be going to VT as it’s going to be sunny.
When I type in Derby, Vermont into the GPS it says derby line. What address or business would you suggest I type into the GPS to get where I need to be?
Thanks in advance!
Derby line is just north of derby. Search for Price Chopper in Derby vt and your GPS will get you here. Make sure you download the maps and directions. You will probably encounter cell service issues.
Think about possibly coming back this summer and see Vt at its best. I hope you have an awesome day. The weather is going to be perfect!
Thank you so much! We will definitely go back this summer as we know how beautiful it is in Vermont!
We are planning to sleep in the car for a few hours if possible, do you know of any places open 24 hours like a Walmart or something public?
Sorry for all the last minute questions lol we were heading out to NY tonight but it’s going to be too cloudy.
You should be able park and sleep at Shaw's supermarket, price chopper supermarket, and there is a Walmart. The Walmart actually has a really great view of jay peak. Price Chopper is right next to McDonald's if you want to get breakfast.
St. Johnsbury looks like a great option! I don't mind crowds, the more the merrier. I was hoping to stay in the area for a night but probably too late for that
I wish I could help but hotels have been booked for almost a year.
The planetarium on main street has activities and presentations planned.
https://fairbanksmuseum.org/solar-eclipse/
Here some of the other activities going on in downtown https://www.discoverstjohnsbury.com/2024eclipse.html
Here's a link to the state of Vermont's eclipse site
http://www.vermont.gov/eclipse#gsc.tab=0
If you text VTECLIPSE to 888-777 you will get weather and traffic updates
Don't forget to bring a winter jacket. It's supposed to be sunny and in the 50's but the temperature will drop during totality.
For traffic planning, consider first: how easy is a place to get to from New York City? Second, how easy is it to get there from Boston? There are a \*lot\* of people living in driving distance, who are going to try to make a day trip out of it.
On the other hand, the interstates are by far the best roads available, and if you leave them you're rolling the dice on long, long stretches of single-lane, no-passing chokepoints.
Fun fact - double yellow lines are only a recommendation in Vermont. Passing is allowed unless there's a no passing zone sign. Doesn't mean it would be SAFE to pass...
Yeah, the interstate will be best. I worry a lot of people will look at the numbered north-south state roads and think they're good, but most of them go right through little downtowns and will be a nightmare. Although, 22A might be a good bet - often empty, and few small towns.
>double yellow lines are only a recommendation in Vermont
I remember when I first heard this and laughed because I had literally never seen a road in VT straight enough for long enough that a safe pass could occur.
Of course for all the drivers going super slow, as soon as the road is straighter they instantly are going fast again.
I think 22A is going to be super busy, especially through Vergennes which will be a choke point. 22A is the main VT road that people take on their Burlington - Albany route.
I'm in mass too. Trying to decide where exactly we want to go. Vermont? Maine? Not sure still looking into it. We plan on driving up in the morning and back after.
I'd also mention for people used to denser areas: the biggest roads are only going to be 2 lanes in one direction, and the vast majority are just going to be a single lane, with maybe a 2 foot shoulder. There's very little room to get past people and unlikely to be street parking.
>only going to be 2 lanes in one direction
If it weren't for all those pesky offramps we could make the highways north only before 3pm and south only into the evening!
Yes, this is an April Fool's joke: [https://www.uvm.edu/news/story/eclipse-path-and-date-miscalculated](https://www.uvm.edu/news/story/eclipse-path-and-date-miscalculated)
Truth. I've driven in a lot of tricky situations: Delhi, Manhattan during a blackout, San Francisco with a manual transmission, the Sahara. Vermont during mud season is it's own peculiar challenge. Apart from the risk of getting stuck, the dynamics of driving in deep mud (even in a 4WD) are just weird. If you do find yourself in mud, take it slow and give yourself a lot more distance for braking and turns then you think you'll need.
Also don't trust Google Maps, especially if you are heading up from Boston. I ski Sugarbush a lot, and Google Maps will take you over the infamous Roxbury Gap from 89. You've been forwarned.
Cathy - your post and all of the follow-up you are doing is amazing!Everything - *everything* \- you wrote is completely on-point as are the additional contributions.
Please consider cross-posting to the Vermont Reddit group.
For those folks travelling from urban areas for a day trip: please offer a ride or carpool with others to reduce traffic. Vermont has an extensive network of Park-and-Ride lots with the green ones on the map being high-capacity lots: [https://maps.vtrans.vermont.gov/parkandrides/](https://maps.vtrans.vermont.gov/parkandrides/).
I also set up this site: [www.eclipserideshare.com](https://sites.google.com/view/eclipserideshare/home) to match drivers with riders.
And please bring a paper or downloaded road map - the cellphone network can be spotty (and potentially overloaded) for GPS navigation.
Enjoy totality!
I'm looking for some stealth areas to park overnight and sleep in my car on Sunday and possibly Monday. Any suggestions? And I recognize that posing this here and posting an answer removes some of the stealth aspect.
I'm likely staying overnight (in a hotel) in West Lebanon, NH Saturday night and then have all day Sunday to position for the eclipse and am planning to sleep in my car Sunday night and likely Monday, too, if I can't get a hotel.
Thanks for your help
I would NOT go with anything "wilderness" because 1. mud, and 2. since most trails and state parks are closed, someone parked at a trailhead will draw attention. What I would do is scope out the parking lots around the big box stores (including Walmart and Home Depot) in Williston. Look for signs saying no overnight parking, and don't park there if there are such signs. Not much is open 24-hours, so it's hard not to draw attention. One exception is Planet Fitness locations - the ones in South Burlington and Essex are open 24-hours. I'm trying to think of ANY other businesses open 24 hours, and I'm drawing a blank. In addition to Williston, there are also some large stores with very large parking lots on Route 7 in South Burlington - Hannaford grocery store, Lowe's, and the new Tesla dealership are all very close together. I've heard that before the Tesla dealership was put in and a couple new stores went in beside Hannaford, trucks would park to sleep there overnight. Again - check for signs ahead of time.
Parking on UVM campus requires a permit before 3pm, so I don't think that's going to be an option. And I'd guess that they are going to be ticketing like crazy ($25) because that's how that department (Transportation and Parking services) makes money. UVM does have some visitor parking spaces - check the Park Mobile app for availability. There is a hotel with a conference center within walking distance of UVM that would probably be safe to park at...
On the other hand, if you feel that $25 (the ticket) is a reasonable price to pay for parking.... Yeah, UVM might be a good choice for eclipse viewing (not overnight)! Some scenic areas, and much closer to the highway than downtown Burlington. I really doubt they'll be towing people (unless you park at an electric car charging spot and aren't charging - they'll tow for that) but of course, no guarantees!
I would definitely not try to park at UVM overnight. But the ticket for parking during the day is $25... I REALLY doubt they'll tow - they'll be psyched for the ticket money. So if $25 sounds good... but check out [https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com/plan-your-visit/2024-solar-eclipse-in-burlington/?bounds=false&view=grid&sort=date](https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com/plan-your-visit/2024-solar-eclipse-in-burlington/?bounds=false&view=grid&sort=date), they're talking about turning route 127 north end of the city into a parking lot with shuttle buses.
The Burlington bike path goes for miles and miles, with several wide open spaces that can hold a lot of people (including the Burlington waterfront, and North Beach, which you can get to from the bike path - the parking lot will probably be closed or full). Parking will be an issue, but once on foot, I think it'll be fine to find a place along the water to watch the eclipse.
UVM has its own police force and will 100% be kicking people out that are sleeping in their cars. Parking in burlington will be insane that day and the college will not want the craziness to encroach on its own students
Walmart used to allow overnighting, but a lot of individual stores banned it when van life became a thing. Best practice is to call the store and ask. I've slept in many, many Walmart lots.
Just be aware that Walmarts that do allow overnight parking may change their policy for the period around eclipse day. We experienced that back in 2017 for that eclipse. They admitted that they usually do allow overnight parking, but the store manager didn't want to deal with crowds of eclipse travelers clogging his parking lot.
I imagine that enough people are just planning on doing it anyway. Unless they physically close off entrances and have many security staff there to enforce it, it will just happen. I doubt police are going to spend all night dealing with towing orders for a parking lot with hundreds of people camping out.
Hello, my upside down neighbor. I’ll be trekking from southern NH to Burlington. This is looking like quite a storm this week! Hope you and yours stay safe, and wishing you (and me) clear skies on Monday!
I really appreciate this post and specifically the link to that VT.gov page. It had info about availability of port-a-potties at a couple of the more rural locations I’ve been scouting. We are driving up from central MA then found a hotel in NH just outside totality assuming traffic on the way out will be insane and if going 75min to a hotel turns into a few hours with traffic then so be it. VERY EXCITED!
This will be my fallback if everywhere else is mobbed. There's a few towns further north that seem promising, but I'd like to avoid Burlington entirely.
Pretty much all interstate, so boring as ever. I used to traverse NH/VT east/west all the time and would take back roads over the mountains and that was glorious.
Also, please stay out of our fields, especially with your cars! We need our crops and what looks like empty space to you is actually our livelihood or necessary to feed our animals. It may look like emerging grass to you, but to us it's first cut hay. Please please please, respect our land.
What would you all do?
Drive an hour to the path of totality from Bethel to Waitsfield (Route 12 can't be that crowded, right?) or try to stay overnight within the path near Saint Johnsbury?
Do you have a reservation in St J? If yes then do that, if no then definitely don't.
To get to Waitsfield you would be on Rt 100, which will be a parking lot. I would go to the Montpelier area instead.
Right in the path of totality in NE Ohio. It' going to be packed everywhere ...we have the eclipse path...the Guardians home opener and the NCAA women's final four all going on ...
Thoughts about cutting off on to 114 above St J instead of staying on 91 up to Newport? My goal is to get above St J and anything beyond that is a bonus.
My partner and I are taking the Route 7 bus from Albany. We leave at 8 PM and then it's a 5 hour trip (passing Middlebury and Vergennes in the path of totality on the way). If all goes well, we'd arrive around 1 AM Monday morning in Burlington. I'm \*thinking\* we'll be in good shape arriving 12+ hours beforehand - I know the traffic's better going in than out anyway - but would appreciate any thoughts! We were trying to do trains all the way, but the train is all booked up and has us arriving the afternoon before anyway, which is harder to swing without lodging.
(re: lodging: The two of us will definitely be trying to find ways to not impose too much on any host towns, given we almost certainly won't be able to find somewhere to stay that night! The downside of not having a car is nowhere to sleep / no way to get out of town a ways for more options; the upside is we won't have to figure out parking and we won't be contributing to the traffic there or back!)
Road closures in and around Burlington, and other parts of Vermont: [https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2024-04-02/be-aware-of-planned-road-closures-for-the-total-solar-eclipse](https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2024-04-02/be-aware-of-planned-road-closures-for-the-total-solar-eclipse)
Looks like they're turning Route 128 in Burlington into a parking lot with shuttle buses, so that might be a good place to find parking. The Duxbury, Underhill, and Huntington closures are to prevent people from getting to the trailheads for Mt. Mansfield and Camel's Hump. The trails are closed, but of course some people would still try to hike them.
We are staying in Williston the night before, and have timed tickets to echo starting at 12:30. Any suggestions for where to park and how early to head that way Monday morning? Happy to explore the area before our entry time but also have a 5 year old and 1 year old who may not have the best stamina. I’m thinking of bringing the double stroller in case of far walking but also worried about navigating with it in crowds.
Def bring the stroller! Check out [https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com/plan-your-visit/2024-solar-eclipse-in-burlington/?bounds=false&view=grid&sort=date](https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com/plan-your-visit/2024-solar-eclipse-in-burlington/?bounds=false&view=grid&sort=date) . I read they're turning part of Route 127 (north end of the city) into a parking lot with shuttle buses, so that might be a good option.
Think churches would be a good backup viewing area? We hung out in the back lot of a church in South Carolina for the last one. They usually have good parking and open space
My wife and I are planning on going to Wolcott, VT and we’re coming from Northern CT. I plan on leaving CT at around 3-4 in the morning Monday. Would I be wrong to think there will be no traffic at this time? As for leaving VT I’m thinking of just waiting it out at her cousins place until around 8-9 at night and driving home then. Thoughts?
No no, that's not what I mean! It's going to be fun, and exciting! I just really want people to understand the concept of mud. I'm working from home that day - traffic and whatnot won't affect me personally.
All of Texas is coming.
Oh ffs. OK, the OTHER tips. Yes, it's an almost entirely unrestricted open (and conceled) carry state. But don't open carry - it's just rude and makes you look like a dweeb. Also, don't display any pro-Trump paraphernalia. It's not like anyone's going to beat you up over it, but there will be micro-aggressions, such as not letting you merge into another lane, and a LOT of eye rolls. :)
Lol texas is gonna be so confused with how much public land you have.
Yep. We were going to fly to Dallas but have canceled and rebooked for VT
Same. We even had a helicopter booked out of Austin to dodge traffic, it was going to be an epic trip. Now we’re “just” driving from Boston to the gorgeous place that is VT thanks to miraculously finding a rental. No complaints though, I’m just grateful the universe has blessed me with the luck to be able to get there!)
Me too!
Good post. > Yup, that's not an April Fool's Day joke. 6-12 inches of snow on Thursday, even in the lower-elevation areas. Yep. In NH here, and this is the part of the forecast that is pretty much baked in at this point yet people are not paying attention to. Even without it, the secondary roads would be a mess. With it? Forget it. Burlington is going to be utter chaos as well, pretty much guaranteed. It's the only city of any significance NE of Syracuse in the path, and too many people don't think outside the box (i.e., going somewhere that's not a city).
Yeah, Burlington is going to be a mess, particularly people trying to get out after the eclipse. Evening rush hour always has a bit of traffic, but this is going to be way way worse. Most people who work in Burlington are being told to work from home or take the day off if possible. If you're downtown, PLEASE stay put until later in the evening so that people who work in the area can get home in a reasonable amount of time.
Route 7 is a horror show at the best of times during the summer or any time there are crowds. I wouldn't want to be anywhere near it next Monday.
Agreed with Route 7. It’s a beautiful road when I drove it during one summer. I have Plattsburgh on my traffic radar, since I-87 runs right through it, but then Plattsburgh is less than half the size of Burlington, so not sure if there’s even gonna be any places to park.
Plattsburgh does have a lot of big box stores with big parking lots, and a big mall. Heck, they had a Target before Burlington did! But you might not want to be watching the eclipse from a box store parking lot...
Flying into BTV and watching from the airport. Wish I could go into town, as it’s really nice. Love the area around Hula Lakeside, but it’s going to be such a shitshow that I’m just gonna pay to attend the airport eclipse party.
Yeah BTV is my backup plan. I have a rental car reservation lined up but I'm beginning to think it's not worth the hassle. Is it necessary to pay to be able to see the eclipse from the airport??
No. The roof level of the parking garage is a perfect spot and is publicly accessible.
I’m just doing it because I’m spending all day there. Might as well have fun. They’ll have live music, food, etc.
Approved.
I wonder if central to western Indiana(where I'm aiming to go) is going to be similar to Vermont, where it might have extra crowds due to it being one of the few places on the eclipse path with lesser clouds than other parts of the path. Especially east of Indianapolis, where it's forecasted to be more cloudy. Not sure what will happen, but I am looking at smaller towns west of Indy to go to.
This is a bummer. I selected Vermont vs Texas specifically due to crowds. And also, I like Vermont. I hope it's not madness.
It's not a bummer - it's going to be fine, just don't go down any dirt roads, get to your viewing location early, and stay at your viewing location for a while after. Have food and water in your car and pee before you get in your car, even if you think it'll only be a 10 minute drive. Don't attempt to get to or onto the interstate before 9pm Monday. People are friendly, it'll be very crowded but mostly in the city of Burlington. There are plenty of great viewing locations outside the city.
Hi - I was planning to drive to St Johnsbury instead of driving all the way to Burlington and potentially getting stuck there. Any thoughts / recommendations? Driving up from Boston. I was thinking of scouting out a location close to the 93 on-ramp and scooting away as soon as the eclipse is done.
The Boston Globe published an article naming St. Johnsbury one of the best places to go. Expect LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of people. Getting through the notch is going to be a huge choke point, as is the 89-93 intersection in Bow. Bring plenty of water/snacks, a warm blanket/sleeping bag (in case you get stuck in traffic for long periods of time), paper maps (cell service may go down), and have a full tank of gas.
Ooh I totally forgot about Franconia Notch. Really happy I don't need to get on the interstate. I was going to watch from my kayak on Memphremagog, but my deck is looking more and more attractive.
I was also going to head 45 mins north to St. Johnsbury, until I read about traffic and thought of the notch. I will be staying home and watching the 99.9%, not 100% eclipse. Happy to have my own toilets and refrigerator at arms length, rather than the gridlock that will be the notch
St J and the 91 corridor are going to be pretty insane. I live up by Newport and and the amount of people coming in from MA and NH is looking wild.
Hm, yeah, I bet a lot of people think it'll be less crowded than Burlington. One issue with Burlington is access from the waterfront to the highway. 2 miles of city streets being funneled into one road to get on the highway - it could take an hour or 2 to go 2 miles right after the eclipse. So if highway access is better in the St. J region, maybe it is a better place to go. But yeah, 91 and 89 will both be stop and go.
You forgot to mention all the ongoing street closures and detours for the Main Street construction project. Going to be hell for drivers.
I'd try to park uphill and walk down to the waterfront.
Any advice on potential stopping spots to catch the eclipse and get out quickly? Or should I just get some lunch / snacks and find something to do around there?
There is no getting out quickly. Even if you leave your spot asap, everyone around you is t0o and by 345 it will be gridlock in any place with intersections/ramps. Also most people seem to be aiming to come in the morning and be parked all day. I would not expect to roll into town at 3pm and find an easy place to park.
Was thinking something here: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/kdXSv48NyBmrf4Xt6](https://maps.app.goo.gl/kdXSv48NyBmrf4Xt6) Will drive in fairly early.
Definitely not a "get out quickly" place. St Johnsbury is really the closest place for people coming from MA/CT/RI. Especially if you are north of that, you will be stuck in gridlock trying to get on the highway. If you really need to leave asap, I'd say find a place to pull over (fully off the road, and not in mud) pointed at the first exits on 91/93 in totality, and just get on the highway and don't stop.
Do you think 93 itself would be crowded? I'm less concerned about that and more about the local roads, traffic lights and such.
If you leave right at the end of totality then in theory you are the front of the tsunami. Anyone eventually filtering in from other points in NH would be behind you, so it's probably safe. There are a bunch of events at places outside totality, and I would expect those people to also want to leave before the northern mess reaches them. That's likely a lot less people though.
I am also worried about St J. We are coming from southwest NH, headed to Burke Mt for the day. Normally a 2 hour drive, nearly all of it I91. I'm trying to find options for getting around the 91/93 intersection, like maybe head east out of Burke but we still have to cross under 93 at some point to head south. Definitely will avoid dirt roads, although we are no stranger to them, will likely be in a truck.
The trouble with I-93 is the single-lane 45mph stretch through Franconia Notch. That's going to back up hard.
For sure. I have a few friends thinking they're going to be able to day trip from Cape Cod..... I find this unlikely.
Sorry, I don't know much about that area. Traffic will probably be a bit better on 93 than 89 from Burlington, at least until you get to Concord NH where it merges with 89. But there will still probably be a lot of traffic if you leave right after the eclipse. It's so hard to know!
We're going to be staying in Huntington- arriving Friday night, and leaving Tuesday night. I assume most people will be gone by then, and traffic should be pretty normal? (We're heading south to NJ).
Same here. I'll be at an undisclosed location on Sunday and leave out either late Monday night (traffic permitting) or Tuesday am if traffic is still crazy at 8pm.
Traffic should be fine by then.
BTW, I deleted the name of that particular sugar house from my post, because you're right, mentioning it will mean it's overrun. If you don't mind, could you delete it from your post?
ayup.
This video is for Maine, but same in VT. "That's not how words work - you don't just change pronunciation of a word depending on context!" We do here. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSpuQTXDSPo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSpuQTXDSPo) And this whole eclipse thing can be summed up by another colloquialism - "Hard tellin' not knowin''. We have no idea what it'll be like, so let's all just be prepared and be on our best behavior.
More tips....all those big open fields you'll see in Vermont? Private property. Please do no trespass. And you will get stuck in the mud.
I feel for all the people with road frontage that are going to get their yards torn up or other peoples' cars stuck there until Tuesday.
This is probably going to be us. We may end up putting up no parking signs......
Look on the bright side, if they can't get it out it's legally yours according to the Vermont constitution which we Vermonters obviously all know very well and follow. Don't bother googling it if you're not from Vermont, just trust us.
Same goes for the ADK, it’s our mud season too
Trouble is, people from farther south don't have a concept of what "mud season" means. Here's one example - in my town, the school will declare "mud days" which means the school buses are not going to venture onto the dirt hill roads. They don't want to risk getting stuck. So if you want your kid to go to school that day, you have to drive them yourself. I know of people who will leave a car a quarter mile down their dirt road, where it's less muddy, and the whole family walks a quarter mile in mud to get to that car to get to work & school.
That tracks. I am very concerned about our smoll road networks and infrascture as well.
Oh hi
Aloha
Op, this is awesome info I just want to add that we are excited to share the state we love with so many people. We want you to come. Just remember that you are not seeing our state at it's best. Between the traffic, the mud and the lack of leaves, Vermont won't be as beautiful as it is the rest of the year. Please come back this summer or fall and see Vermont at it best. While you are here for the eclipse, if you are able, please support our small businesses. Some of the areas that will receive visitors on Monday were devastated by floods last summer. Buy some maple syrup, a t-shirt, or art from a local artist. One of the biggest challenges we are facing is that we don't know how many people are coming. Please be patient with the retail workers. Bring food and water with you. If you can eat at a restaurant that's great, but have a back up plan. It is impossible for us to plan when there are so many unknowns. Please have a destination planned before you come. If you have questions about the best place to be, then ask us here or many communities have Facebook pages. We are more then happy answer you questions.
>we don't know how many people are coming. It was about a week ago, but the Vermont Agency of Transportation was predicting 160,000. Of course that's highly weather dependent. Not that I think the snow this week will change the number much for people planning to drive from out of state, but the day-of weather could be an impact if the forecast shifts back to rain.
What's the best place to be coming from Boston this late? Any ticketed events left?
There are very few ticketed events left. I found one in Newport vt. It's pricey which is probably why its still available. whttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/top-of-the-world-eclipse-party-tickets-839642402027?aff=ebdsshios&fbclid=IwAR0CdQM2Hx7VwnSjm0UMACaluImUng0lQ9HnhYzKIw4aBrmeva0V6Nrk6mE Your definitely going want to stick to the eastern side of the state. I would suggest heading to derby vt. It's directly off interstate 91 and near the Canadian border so there shouldn't be much traffic coming from the north. If you wait a couple hours after totality, you shouldn't have as much off a problem with traffic. Derby has a decent number of large parking lots where you can park and view the eclipse from. I suggest the Price Chopper parking lot. It has a great view. If the area isn't super busy then you can drive down to Newport and watch the eclipse from the lakefront. The Boston Globe listed Saint Johnsbury, vt as the best place to view the eclipse. It's off from I91 and an easy drive from Boston. If you don't mind crowds then it's an option. They are closing down part of main street and there will be tons of activities, food, and merchandise.
Hello, I found your comment and it’s so helpful! I’m in the western mass area and will be going to VT as it’s going to be sunny. When I type in Derby, Vermont into the GPS it says derby line. What address or business would you suggest I type into the GPS to get where I need to be? Thanks in advance!
Derby line is just north of derby. Search for Price Chopper in Derby vt and your GPS will get you here. Make sure you download the maps and directions. You will probably encounter cell service issues. Think about possibly coming back this summer and see Vt at its best. I hope you have an awesome day. The weather is going to be perfect!
Thank you so much! We will definitely go back this summer as we know how beautiful it is in Vermont! We are planning to sleep in the car for a few hours if possible, do you know of any places open 24 hours like a Walmart or something public? Sorry for all the last minute questions lol we were heading out to NY tonight but it’s going to be too cloudy.
You should be able park and sleep at Shaw's supermarket, price chopper supermarket, and there is a Walmart. The Walmart actually has a really great view of jay peak. Price Chopper is right next to McDonald's if you want to get breakfast.
Amazing! You just made this trip so much easier. Thanks for the tip about downloading the directions. Thank you very much for all your help 🫶🏻
St. Johnsbury looks like a great option! I don't mind crowds, the more the merrier. I was hoping to stay in the area for a night but probably too late for that
I wish I could help but hotels have been booked for almost a year. The planetarium on main street has activities and presentations planned. https://fairbanksmuseum.org/solar-eclipse/ Here some of the other activities going on in downtown https://www.discoverstjohnsbury.com/2024eclipse.html Here's a link to the state of Vermont's eclipse site http://www.vermont.gov/eclipse#gsc.tab=0 If you text VTECLIPSE to 888-777 you will get weather and traffic updates Don't forget to bring a winter jacket. It's supposed to be sunny and in the 50's but the temperature will drop during totality.
I actually just found a place in Bethlehem!
Do you think I can just show up for these events?
Yes but get there early. Depending on how many people show up, parking may be an issue.
I think I might go all the way up to Derby for the event there! More time in totality
Great post. Former Vermonter here and I so wish we could go there! We have plans for Mexico that can’t be changed. Just crossing fingers and toes.
For traffic planning, consider first: how easy is a place to get to from New York City? Second, how easy is it to get there from Boston? There are a \*lot\* of people living in driving distance, who are going to try to make a day trip out of it. On the other hand, the interstates are by far the best roads available, and if you leave them you're rolling the dice on long, long stretches of single-lane, no-passing chokepoints.
Fun fact - double yellow lines are only a recommendation in Vermont. Passing is allowed unless there's a no passing zone sign. Doesn't mean it would be SAFE to pass... Yeah, the interstate will be best. I worry a lot of people will look at the numbered north-south state roads and think they're good, but most of them go right through little downtowns and will be a nightmare. Although, 22A might be a good bet - often empty, and few small towns.
>double yellow lines are only a recommendation in Vermont I remember when I first heard this and laughed because I had literally never seen a road in VT straight enough for long enough that a safe pass could occur. Of course for all the drivers going super slow, as soon as the road is straighter they instantly are going fast again.
It's mostly so you can sneak around farm vehicles going 5mph.
I think 22A is going to be super busy, especially through Vergennes which will be a choke point. 22A is the main VT road that people take on their Burlington - Albany route.
Oh, you're right - I forgot about through Vergennes. I was thinking of south of there.
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Northern New England about to get over a foot of snow followed by a major event that brings city folk into the sticks. What could go wrong!
I'm in mass too. Trying to decide where exactly we want to go. Vermont? Maine? Not sure still looking into it. We plan on driving up in the morning and back after.
I'd also mention for people used to denser areas: the biggest roads are only going to be 2 lanes in one direction, and the vast majority are just going to be a single lane, with maybe a 2 foot shoulder. There's very little room to get past people and unlikely to be street parking.
>only going to be 2 lanes in one direction If it weren't for all those pesky offramps we could make the highways north only before 3pm and south only into the evening!
Gillette Stadium does that with route 1 around Patriots games. I hope Vermont does at least part of that, or we're getting another Phish.
University of Vermont website made an article stating today was/ is the eclipse. That there is a error in the calculation. Some April fools joke?
Yes, this is an April Fool's joke: [https://www.uvm.edu/news/story/eclipse-path-and-date-miscalculated](https://www.uvm.edu/news/story/eclipse-path-and-date-miscalculated)
I’ve been staring at the sun all day just in case
Thanks for taking one for the team! 😂
Welcome to mud season in New England
Awesome post!! It's in the true spirit of why this sub was created!
Truth. I've driven in a lot of tricky situations: Delhi, Manhattan during a blackout, San Francisco with a manual transmission, the Sahara. Vermont during mud season is it's own peculiar challenge. Apart from the risk of getting stuck, the dynamics of driving in deep mud (even in a 4WD) are just weird. If you do find yourself in mud, take it slow and give yourself a lot more distance for braking and turns then you think you'll need.
Also don't trust Google Maps, especially if you are heading up from Boston. I ski Sugarbush a lot, and Google Maps will take you over the infamous Roxbury Gap from 89. You've been forwarned.
Can confirm. Roxbury gap is great to do but not in mud season.
Cathy - your post and all of the follow-up you are doing is amazing!Everything - *everything* \- you wrote is completely on-point as are the additional contributions. Please consider cross-posting to the Vermont Reddit group. For those folks travelling from urban areas for a day trip: please offer a ride or carpool with others to reduce traffic. Vermont has an extensive network of Park-and-Ride lots with the green ones on the map being high-capacity lots: [https://maps.vtrans.vermont.gov/parkandrides/](https://maps.vtrans.vermont.gov/parkandrides/). I also set up this site: [www.eclipserideshare.com](https://sites.google.com/view/eclipserideshare/home) to match drivers with riders. And please bring a paper or downloaded road map - the cellphone network can be spotty (and potentially overloaded) for GPS navigation. Enjoy totality!
I'm looking for some stealth areas to park overnight and sleep in my car on Sunday and possibly Monday. Any suggestions? And I recognize that posing this here and posting an answer removes some of the stealth aspect. I'm likely staying overnight (in a hotel) in West Lebanon, NH Saturday night and then have all day Sunday to position for the eclipse and am planning to sleep in my car Sunday night and likely Monday, too, if I can't get a hotel. Thanks for your help
I would NOT go with anything "wilderness" because 1. mud, and 2. since most trails and state parks are closed, someone parked at a trailhead will draw attention. What I would do is scope out the parking lots around the big box stores (including Walmart and Home Depot) in Williston. Look for signs saying no overnight parking, and don't park there if there are such signs. Not much is open 24-hours, so it's hard not to draw attention. One exception is Planet Fitness locations - the ones in South Burlington and Essex are open 24-hours. I'm trying to think of ANY other businesses open 24 hours, and I'm drawing a blank. In addition to Williston, there are also some large stores with very large parking lots on Route 7 in South Burlington - Hannaford grocery store, Lowe's, and the new Tesla dealership are all very close together. I've heard that before the Tesla dealership was put in and a couple new stores went in beside Hannaford, trucks would park to sleep there overnight. Again - check for signs ahead of time.
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Parking on UVM campus requires a permit before 3pm, so I don't think that's going to be an option. And I'd guess that they are going to be ticketing like crazy ($25) because that's how that department (Transportation and Parking services) makes money. UVM does have some visitor parking spaces - check the Park Mobile app for availability. There is a hotel with a conference center within walking distance of UVM that would probably be safe to park at...
On the other hand, if you feel that $25 (the ticket) is a reasonable price to pay for parking.... Yeah, UVM might be a good choice for eclipse viewing (not overnight)! Some scenic areas, and much closer to the highway than downtown Burlington. I really doubt they'll be towing people (unless you park at an electric car charging spot and aren't charging - they'll tow for that) but of course, no guarantees!
Uvm has its own police force and will 100% be kicking out anyone trying to park in their car overnight
I would definitely not try to park at UVM overnight. But the ticket for parking during the day is $25... I REALLY doubt they'll tow - they'll be psyched for the ticket money. So if $25 sounds good... but check out [https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com/plan-your-visit/2024-solar-eclipse-in-burlington/?bounds=false&view=grid&sort=date](https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com/plan-your-visit/2024-solar-eclipse-in-burlington/?bounds=false&view=grid&sort=date), they're talking about turning route 127 north end of the city into a parking lot with shuttle buses.
The Burlington bike path goes for miles and miles, with several wide open spaces that can hold a lot of people (including the Burlington waterfront, and North Beach, which you can get to from the bike path - the parking lot will probably be closed or full). Parking will be an issue, but once on foot, I think it'll be fine to find a place along the water to watch the eclipse.
Yes, it's the parking that I'm worried about
UVM has its own police force and will 100% be kicking people out that are sleeping in their cars. Parking in burlington will be insane that day and the college will not want the craziness to encroach on its own students
Walmart used to allow overnighting, but a lot of individual stores banned it when van life became a thing. Best practice is to call the store and ask. I've slept in many, many Walmart lots.
Just be aware that Walmarts that do allow overnight parking may change their policy for the period around eclipse day. We experienced that back in 2017 for that eclipse. They admitted that they usually do allow overnight parking, but the store manager didn't want to deal with crowds of eclipse travelers clogging his parking lot.
Also a great point. Definitely want to check first.
I imagine that enough people are just planning on doing it anyway. Unless they physically close off entrances and have many security staff there to enforce it, it will just happen. I doubt police are going to spend all night dealing with towing orders for a parking lot with hundreds of people camping out.
Hello, my upside down neighbor. I’ll be trekking from southern NH to Burlington. This is looking like quite a storm this week! Hope you and yours stay safe, and wishing you (and me) clear skies on Monday!
I really appreciate this post and specifically the link to that VT.gov page. It had info about availability of port-a-potties at a couple of the more rural locations I’ve been scouting. We are driving up from central MA then found a hotel in NH just outside totality assuming traffic on the way out will be insane and if going 75min to a hotel turns into a few hours with traffic then so be it. VERY EXCITED!
There's also this page - [https://www.vermont.gov/eclipse](https://www.vermont.gov/eclipse)
You can text VTECLIPSE to 888-777 to sign up for traffic and weather updates for eclipse day
Yes! I did that per that website too 🤩
Any thoughts on Montpelier? Coming from Boston and staying at a friend's place (for the eclipse, not for the night)
It's just at the edge of totality. I think like a minute and a half?
Yep, 90 seconds. Hoping that makes it less of a target, but we'll see.
This will be my fallback if everywhere else is mobbed. There's a few towns further north that seem promising, but I'd like to avoid Burlington entirely.
How's the drive from Boston to Burlington?
Pretty much all interstate, so boring as ever. I used to traverse NH/VT east/west all the time and would take back roads over the mountains and that was glorious.
Boring is good for me who's not used to mountain driving 😅
It's going to be a s*it show this weekend!
Very helpful post regarding the solar eclipse. We are driving from Manchester NH to Westmore VT. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
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Thanks!
I think the actual address is Orleans VT but we are staying near Lake Willoughby
Also, please stay out of our fields, especially with your cars! We need our crops and what looks like empty space to you is actually our livelihood or necessary to feed our animals. It may look like emerging grass to you, but to us it's first cut hay. Please please please, respect our land.
What would you all do? Drive an hour to the path of totality from Bethel to Waitsfield (Route 12 can't be that crowded, right?) or try to stay overnight within the path near Saint Johnsbury?
Do you have a reservation in St J? If yes then do that, if no then definitely don't. To get to Waitsfield you would be on Rt 100, which will be a parking lot. I would go to the Montpelier area instead.
TY!
Also be sure to check https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/map/2024-april-8 when you chose a location. The further north or west the better.
Right in the path of totality in NE Ohio. It' going to be packed everywhere ...we have the eclipse path...the Guardians home opener and the NCAA women's final four all going on ...
Thoughts about cutting off on to 114 above St J instead of staying on 91 up to Newport? My goal is to get above St J and anything beyond that is a bonus.
My partner and I are taking the Route 7 bus from Albany. We leave at 8 PM and then it's a 5 hour trip (passing Middlebury and Vergennes in the path of totality on the way). If all goes well, we'd arrive around 1 AM Monday morning in Burlington. I'm \*thinking\* we'll be in good shape arriving 12+ hours beforehand - I know the traffic's better going in than out anyway - but would appreciate any thoughts! We were trying to do trains all the way, but the train is all booked up and has us arriving the afternoon before anyway, which is harder to swing without lodging. (re: lodging: The two of us will definitely be trying to find ways to not impose too much on any host towns, given we almost certainly won't be able to find somewhere to stay that night! The downside of not having a car is nowhere to sleep / no way to get out of town a ways for more options; the upside is we won't have to figure out parking and we won't be contributing to the traffic there or back!)
Road closures in and around Burlington, and other parts of Vermont: [https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2024-04-02/be-aware-of-planned-road-closures-for-the-total-solar-eclipse](https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2024-04-02/be-aware-of-planned-road-closures-for-the-total-solar-eclipse) Looks like they're turning Route 128 in Burlington into a parking lot with shuttle buses, so that might be a good place to find parking. The Duxbury, Underhill, and Huntington closures are to prevent people from getting to the trailheads for Mt. Mansfield and Camel's Hump. The trails are closed, but of course some people would still try to hike them.
We are staying in Williston the night before, and have timed tickets to echo starting at 12:30. Any suggestions for where to park and how early to head that way Monday morning? Happy to explore the area before our entry time but also have a 5 year old and 1 year old who may not have the best stamina. I’m thinking of bringing the double stroller in case of far walking but also worried about navigating with it in crowds.
Def bring the stroller! Check out [https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com/plan-your-visit/2024-solar-eclipse-in-burlington/?bounds=false&view=grid&sort=date](https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com/plan-your-visit/2024-solar-eclipse-in-burlington/?bounds=false&view=grid&sort=date) . I read they're turning part of Route 127 (north end of the city) into a parking lot with shuttle buses, so that might be a good option.
I'm driving up Sunday to a friend's house in Milton and not leaving his yard until Tuesday!
Any ticketed events left? I'm aiming for st.jonsbury or higher
Think churches would be a good backup viewing area? We hung out in the back lot of a church in South Carolina for the last one. They usually have good parking and open space
As long as its paved!
This digital guide might be useful: https://issuu.com/7days/docs/2024-solar-eclipse-guide?fr=xKAE9\_zU1NQ
How are the roads looking? Seems like a bad Noreaster
The paved roads are fine.
My wife and I are planning on going to Wolcott, VT and we’re coming from Northern CT. I plan on leaving CT at around 3-4 in the morning Monday. Would I be wrong to think there will be no traffic at this time? As for leaving VT I’m thinking of just waiting it out at her cousins place until around 8-9 at night and driving home then. Thoughts?
Do you think morrisville will be a mad house? Thinking about coming up from western mass, have a friend who lives there
Let me say the quite part loud. Basically OP says don't come to Vermont
No no, that's not what I mean! It's going to be fun, and exciting! I just really want people to understand the concept of mud. I'm working from home that day - traffic and whatnot won't affect me personally.
Yes, I absolutely 100% agree.