Tourists have become so overwhelming in some parts of Vermont during autumn that residents are ‘basically paying out of pocket’ to close roads, according to a local sheriff. It’s October in New England, which means visitors from around the world are flocking to the region to view the beautiful fall foliage, but some locals say they are getting fed up with all the tourists.
The visitors are called leaf-peepers. While some locals welcome them, others want them off their streets. In Vermont, the Department of Tourism says around 2.5 million people visit during autumn, boosting the state’s economy. A lot of the smaller towns, like Huntington, have beautiful views of the mountains and leaves but lack the infrastructure to deal with the influx of people.