Central Vermont

For generations, visitors and locals alike have considered Vermont as much a place in the heart as a place in the mountains and the ‘heart’ of Vermont is truly showcased in this central region. Here agriculture and sustainability are the life blood ingredients of the working landscape and its bounty of products is diverse, from award winning cheddar and ice cream to iconic maple syrup, handcrafted wood furniture, and quarried marble.

Farms and fields align with small towns as the Connecticut River lazily meanders along the eastern border of the state providing access points for fishing and boating. Quechee Gorge, known as “Vermont’s Little Grand Canyon,” imparts a dramatic visual on visitors while scenic Route 100, fondly termed the Skier’s Highway, meanders along the mountain ranges from Mount Ellen to Killington then southward to Okemo. The Long Trail, Vermont’s end to end hiking journey, parallels Rte. 100 to the west crossing the mountain peaks as the Appalachian Trail branches off and winds easterly to the Connecticut River. Pack a picnic lunch with homemade goodies from a nearby country store, then spend a day exploring Lake Pleiad and the Middlebury Gap, and the Robert Frost National Historic Landmark and rustic wooden writing cabin where the famed American poet found his inspiration.

Throughout the summer and fall, visitors will find numerous craft, art and antique shows, flea markets, agricultural fairs and field days, and theatre on the green happenings in this region. A visit to Montpelier, the smallest state capital in the country, may inspire a tour of the Vermont History Museum where the “Freedom & Unity: One Ideal, Many Stories” exhibit details Vermont’s past and people from 1600 to the present day. Or stroll the historic grounds of Plymouth Notch, virtually unchanged since the early 1900s. This rural Vermont village includes the homes of President Calvin Coolidge’s family and neighbors, an authentic general store, church and cheese factory, still making cheese using the original 1890 recipe, and the 1924 Summer White House office.

State and private campgrounds in this region are varied and plentiful, from the smallest with primitive sites or integrated within a working farm, to the larger resorts with all the amenities, including lake access for refreshing opportunities to swim, fish or boat and evening campfire reflection of a sunset over the water’s shore. With nature as your backdrop, the central Vermont region boasts plenty to do for those who love to keep moving. Bicyclists can follow scenic back roads through quiet villages, or explore the mountain trails at numerous offseason ski resorts. There’s hiking, paddling, bird-watching, and rock climbing, corn mazes and adventure races, and even four wheeling ATV tours.