RoadTrip New England

In 1816, New England endured what became known as the “Year Without a Summer,” when prolonged cold and repeated frosts disrupted the region during what should have been its peak growing season.

Snow fell in June in parts of the region, and killing frosts returned in July and August, damaging crops like corn and hay and leaving fields unable to recover. Farmers reported ice forming in ponds during mornings, and communities faced mounting shortages as harvests failed and prices for basic food rose sharply.

The conditions were traced to the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia, which sent massive amounts of ash into the atmosphere and reduced global temperatures. In New England, the result was a season that reshaped settlement patterns, as many families moved west in search of more reliable farmland, leaving a lasting imprint on the region’s history.

Elephant’s Head is a well-known rock formation along Smuggler’s Notch in Vermont, where natural erosion has shaped the cliff into the profile of an elephant overlooking Route 108. The Notch itself is a narrow mountain pass through the Green Mountains, long used as a hidden route for cross-border smuggling in the early 1800s and later during Prohibition. Today, it’s one of Vermont’s most scenic drives, with steep cliffs, tight turns, and multiple pull-offs that make it easy to stop and spot formations like Elephant’s Head while exploring the historic corridor between Stowe and Jeffersonville.

Connecticut’s scenic drives wind through coastal roads, forested hills, and historic villages, with routes like the Merritt Parkway, Route 7, and the Quiet Corner offering classic New England views, fall foliage, and access to small towns, state parks, and preserved countryside landscapes.