The Green Mountain State
Vermont
Green Mountain backbone, 440 miles of the Long Trail, and the best fall foliage display in North America.
Vermont at a Glance
Green Mountains
The Green Mountain range runs the full length of Vermont, with Green Mountain National Forest covering 400,000 acres across its central and southern sections
Long Trail
The Long Trail, completed in 1930, is the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the US, running 272 miles along Vermont's spine from Massachusetts to Canada
Fall Foliage
Vermont's maple forests produce the most celebrated fall foliage in North America, drawing over 3 million 'leaf peepers' each October
Battell Research Forest
The 33,000-acre Battell Research Forest in Ripton is managed by Middlebury College and represents one of New England's longest continuous forestry research programs
Moose Habitat
Vermont's national and state forests support a significant moose population, with the Northeast Kingdom and remote Green Mountain sections having the highest densities
Craft Beer Culture
Vermont's outdoor towns host some of the best craft breweries in the country, with post-hike options in every trail gateway town
When to Visit
June through October. Mud season (April through mid-May) makes many trails impassable. Peak fall foliage runs late September through mid-October and is the most visited season. Winter brings excellent cross-country skiing.
Top Activities
Gateway Cities
Burlington
Vermont's largest city on Lake Champlain, within an hour of multiple Green Mountain peaks and the Long Trail's northern sections.
Manchester
Southern Vermont resort town near the Appalachian Trail, Long Trail junction, and multiple Green Mountain National Forest wilderness areas.
Did You Know?
Green Mountain National Forest contains the Robert Frost Interpretive Trail near Ripton, celebrating the poet who lived and wrote in the Vermont hills for decades.
The Long Trail shares its southern 100 miles with the Appalachian Trail before the AT heads east toward New Hampshire.
Vermont has more covered bridges per square mile than any other state, with many accessible from Green Mountain National Forest trailheads.
Camel's Hump (4,083 ft) in Vermont is the only major peak in the state with no facilities on the summit, preserving a truly wild mountain experience.
Vermont is the only New England state without a seacoast, but its forests drain into both the Connecticut River (Atlantic) and Lake Champlain (St. Lawrence), a continental divide.