The town of Pomfret in Vermont, in the north-eastern United States, is a quiet, sleepy community for most of the year, with a population of only a little more than 900 people. But as autumn sets in, it suddenly becomes a hub of activity, as sightseers from miles around flock to the town, attracted by the spectacular displays on offer as the abundant foliage turns from green to beautiful shades of red, orange, and gold. The beautiful Sleepy Hollow Farm is especially popular with visitors, keen to get their own pictures of the stunning surroundings.
Residents Frustrated by 'Leaf-Peepers'
Not everyone is happy. Residents say the number of people - known by some as "leaf-peepers" - flooding into the town and posting pictures of the spectacular autumn displays on social media has attracted yet more people to the town year by year, while others have claimed the behaviour of some of the visitors has left something to be desired.
A number of measures have been instituted in an effort to try and mitigate the issue - but with limited success. A key issue centres around people stopping on roads through the town to get out of their vehicles and take pictures of the stunning vistas - blocking lanes and potentially causing hazards.
Road Closure to Non-Residents
Cloudland Road, home to Sleepy Hollow Farm, isn't built to deal with the volume of traffic it experiences at this time of year, and in 2023, town officials closed the road to non-residents during the peak foliage season, from the middle of September to the middle of October. The move has been replicated in following years, and will again be in place from Saturday, September 26, to Tuesday, October 13 this year.
In a notice confirming the plan issued in August, the Town of Pomfret Selectboard said it understood the measures "cannot fully address the significant issues created by fall foliage traffic". It continued: "We also appreciate these steps may inconvenience area residents, their guests and others. Nonetheless, we believe these actions will significantly improve safety and quality of life for residents most severely affected by increased foliage season traffic, as they did the last several years."
Unruly Tourist Behavior
Others have said many visitors have been rude, disrespectful, or selfish in their efforts to capture a perfect photo or video, with little thought to those around them. According to news.com.au, local farmer Cathy Emmons said she and her husband Bill had witnessed one wander onto private property and set up a portable changing booth, before emerging wearing different outfits for her selfies.
She has also spotted tourists casually strolling into her farm and stealing her tomatoes, while another local spoke of a drone flying just a few feet over his head as he sat outside having dinner with his family. In a different incident, a tourist parked illegally in a resident’s driveway and used her garden shed as a toilet.
Community Fundraising Efforts
Last year residents set up a fundraising page named 'Save Cloudland Road', aimed at raising enough money to pay for road closures and traffic enforcement to deal with the influx of visitors. A message on the page reads: "Over the past several years, Cloudland Road (and the small roads leading to Cloudland Road) have experienced an unprecedented surge in Instagram and TikTok-fueled tourist 'influencers'.
"During fall foliage season, crowds commonly surge to hundreds of people at one time, and tour bus companies have even joined the fracas. Cloudland and surrounding roads can become impassable during the fall, and poorly behaved tourists have damaged roads, had accidents, required towing out of ditches, trampled gardens, parked in driveways, and verbally assaulted residents."
The page pleads with people in the community to band together to raise enough money - estimated to be more than $12,000, or around £9,000 - to pay for signs and sheriff deputies to man temporary closures. It says the measures are needed "to bring peace, safety, and civility back to the families who live here".
