VISTA LOOKING SOUTH PAST THE MONUMENT AT THE HUBBARDTON BATTLEFIELD STATE HISTORIC SITE
ESTIMATED LENGTH: 120 miles
ESTIMATED TIME: 2 days
HIGHLIGHTS: Killington is Vermont’s second-highest peak, and it’s shouldered by a half-dozen more of the highest Green Mountains, forming a destination for hikers and mountain bikers as well as skiers. Lucky for the rest of us, the spectacular view from glass-walled Peak Lodge, at more than 4,200 feet in elevation, is part of Killington Resort and accessible by gondola. This is said to be the 1763 spot on which the Reverend Samuel Peters described all that he could see as “Verd Monts,” thus christening the future Green Mountain state. The 2,170-mile-long Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine and Vermont’s 272-mile Long Trail keep company from the Massachusetts border to a point just north of US 4, the old east-west highway that crests here in Sherburne Pass. There’s also access to many local trails here, including the totally handicapped-accessible trail to Thundering Brook Falls.
Continuing west, US 4 drops in less than a dozen miles from this high country to bustling Rutland, Vermont’s second-largest city and the gateway to the gentle, open landscape that rolls to the majestic Taconic Mountains toward the New York State line. At the gracious old village of Castleton, this drive heads north with VT 30 along Lake Bomoseen, the largest lake completely within Vermont’s borders, offering ample access to swimming, boating, and fishing. At Hubbardton we veer off into rolling, wooded hills to the Hubbardton Battlefield, site of a 1777 Revolutionary War battle in which the Green Mountain Boys held off an invasion from Canada. It’s an unusually peaceful as well as beautiful spot. Our route winds back to Rutland, from which we also visit the Vermont Marble Museum in Proctor.
GETTING THERE: Killington and Rutland are accessible along the US 7 corridor from Burlington and Middlebury to the north and from Bennington and the Massachusetts Berkshires to the south. From the west US 4 is a divided, limited-access highway for 16 miles from the New York State border at Fair Haven to Rutland. This drive begins at the junction of US 4 and VT 100 in West Bridgewater 14 miles west of Woodstock.
US 4 and VT 100 wind west together from West Bridgewater, leaving the Ottauquechee River valley behind and climbing steadily up into the heavily forested Green Mountains. In about 4.5 miles, River Road comes up on the right. Turn here, and in a little over 1.5 miles, a pleasant drive through the tiny hamlet of Killington leads to the Thundering Brook Falls Trail. This is the first universally accessible portion of the Appalachian Trail and was built with help from the Green Mountain Club, the Green Mountain National Forest, the National Park Service, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. It has fully accessible parking, and the level terrain on the packed-surface trail is suitable for wheelchairs. The trail leads to Vermont’s sixth-highest waterfall on the Ottauquechee, whose headwaters are up in these hills. Return to River Road and then take a right on Thundering Brook Road to rejoin US 4 farther along.
The access road to Killington Resort is a short way ahead on the left, but before taking this turn, you might want to stop in at the Killington Pico Area Association (802-773-4181) on your right, near the junction at which VT 100 heads off to the north. The visitor center is manned, a source of information about the area’s myriad trails and events as well as lodging and restaurants.
Turn up Killington Road (Killington Sports is on the corner) to the 4-mile access road to Killington Resort (802-422-3333; killington.com). The road is lined with shops, restaurants, and lodges pretty much all the way up to the resort’s base area, from which there’s a clear view of Killington’s peak, crisscrossed with ski trails. The big summer/fall attractions here are the Mountain Bike Park, with lift-assisted access to more than 30 miles of trails, and the championship 18-hole golf course. The Snowshed Adventure Center, ($–$$) accessed in the main base lodge, offers attractions such as zip lines, a jump tower, slides, aerial lifts, and an alpine coaster; there’s also a food court. The enclosed gondola ride ($$) to Killington’s summit also begins here, ending near the resort’s surprisingly luxurious, glass-walled Killington Peak Lodge, good for breakfast, lunch, and drinks; check the main information number as well as the website to make sure that the lift is running and the lodge isn’t closed for a special event. On a clear day the view sweeps northwest to the Adirondacks and east to the White Mountains.
Detour to Chittenden Reservoir
This isolated, man-made lake, circled almost completely by the Green Mountain National Forest, offers boat access. From US 4 in Mendon, about halfway down the 9 miles between Killington and Rutland, turn right onto Meadow Lake Drive and follow it to Chittenden Road (eventually becoming East Pittsford-Chittenden Road) as it winds through forest and field and by the village of Chittenden. Turn in at forested Dam Road and follow it to the reservoir, where there is an access for small boats and kayaks near the dam. Some rough camping is available along the shore (carry-in/carry-out). The 750-acre reservoir was created by the Chittenden Power Company and completed in 1909. It’s now operated by Green Mountain Power.
Another overview of the lake is available from Mountain Top Inn and Resort (802-483-2311), a long-established resort with a national following. Both the rustically elegant Highlands Dining Room and the Mountain Top Tavern (pub menu) are open to non-guests and offer views of the mountain-backed lake. The resort’s 40 miles of equestrian trails are also open to non-guests for one- or two-hour trail rides, and there are 15-minute-long pony rides for kids. To reach Mountain Top, turn left on Holden Road at the Civil War statue in Chittenden Village.
Head back down Killington Road to US 4, passing Killington Supermarket and Deli (802-422-7736, 2023 Killington Road), a long-standing stop for hungry travelers. Turn left onto US 4 and follow it up to Sherburne Pass, the 2,150-foot height of land for this old highway. Not far over the crest, look for the Deer Leap trails on your right. The Deer Leap, itself part of the Appalachian Trail, is a 4.5-mile loop through the forest, rated difficult. The easier Deer Leap Overlook Trail is a 2-mile rocky trek that kids can handle, accessing impressive views of the lowlands. This is a popular place for dedicated Appalachian Trail through-hikers to begin; the AT veers west here on its way into the White Mountains and on to its terminus at Mount Katahdin, Maine’s highest mountain. Access to both the AT and the Long Trail is also available from US 4, 2.4 miles west of Killington, 0.2 mile before the entrance to Pico Peak Ski Area, which is part of Killington. The Long Trail runs 272 miles along the Green Mountains up the length of the state. Built by the Green Mountain Club (greenmountainclub.org) between 1910 and 1930, this is the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the United States.
For a different trek up Killington Peak on the side of the mountain opposite the resort, keep an eye out for Wheelerville Road about 3 miles farther down on US 4 West. Turn left and follow the road to the parking area for Bucklin Trail. This is a walk in the woods for the initial 2 miles, but at a waterfall it begins to climb steeply up the back side of Killington Peak, offering splendid views across the valley to the Adirondacks. Hikers do complain, however, that after all that work, the summit is crowded with “gondola people” who have taken the easy way up from the Killington base area.
Back on US 4, the highway continues its descent, lined with restaurants and lodging as it winds through the town of Mendon to its junction with US 7 in Rutland. At the traffic light, turn south on US 4&7 and drive through Rutland’s dense commercial district for 2 miles. Fill up at a choice of gas stations or roadside restaurants. You’ll pass by the Vermont State Fairgrounds, the end-of-summer site of the Vermont State Fair for more than 170 years. The fairgrounds are also a popular spot for exhibitions, special events, and car and truck rallies.
DETOUR
Detour to Rutland
From US 4&7, turn right onto West Street (US 4-Business)—this is an alternate to the US 4 main route through town, accessing older, industrial Rutland—and follow it past banks, offices, and stores. Turn left (there’s a light) at Merchant’s Row, a small commercial district with colorful architectural details on tall stone and brick buildings that lend a stately vintage feel to the area. On Wednesday and Saturday in the summer, a bustling farmers’ market sets up in Depot Park beside the train station and shopping plaza on Merchant’s Row.
Though Rutland has just about 16,500 year-round residents, it is the second-largest municipality in the state, maintaining a healthy economy while reclaiming an older identity as a center for art and culture in southern Vermont.
The Chaffee Art Center (802-775-0356) on busy South Main Street (US 7) is home to the Rutland Area Art Association. The imposing Queen Ann Victorian mansion, with its arched entry, stone foundations, and soaring three-story corner tower, was built by George Thrall Chaffee and completed in 1886. Its many spacious interior rooms and nooks have served as exhibit halls for the art center since the early 1960s. The center is currently renovating and opening new spaces for exhibits and events in the stately old building and on the grounds.
The art center sponsors an Art in the Park event each summer, setting up tents and booths across Main Street (US 4&7) on the town green, where guests find vendors of fine art and artisan items, natural products, and food.
The town dates back to the years before Vermont became the 14th U.S. state in 1791, being chartered in 1761 by the governor of New Hampshire, Benning Wentworth. By the 1850s, Rutland had become a railroad center, with trains serving local businesses and an especially thriving marble industry. Under Vermont Marble Company’s management, Rutland’s marble industry became one of the world’s largest. The prosperous city celebrated art, theater, and music as well, becoming known for visual and performing arts at the turn of the nineteenth to the twentieth century.
Detour to Vermont Marble Museum
Boasting “the world’s largest marble exhibit,” the Vermont Marble Museum and Gift Shop (802-459-2750; 52 Main Street, Proctor) has more than 100 exhibits of structural and decorative uses of marble, and has added information and demonstrations to show the industrial uses of calcium carbonate, which is ground and pulverized marble used in many products, from paint to toothpaste.
To get there, from US 4&7 in Rutland, turn right on US 4-Business. Follow through Rutland’s industrial district (not scenic, but the views improve shortly), traveling about 2 miles to VT 3. Turn right and continue another 3 miles through more pleasant terrain along Otter Creek to Proctor. Turn left onto Main Street and remain on Main as it turns right to reach the museum, open daily 10 AM–5 PM daily, late May–late October. $.
At the far end of the commercial district, turn right onto scenic US 4 and leave the hustle and bustle behind to head west toward small towns, rolling green landscapes, and mountain vistas in the shadow of the Taconic Mountains to the west.
Enjoy the drive westward, with green and rolling terrain stretching into the distance on either side of the road and slowly building to slopes and valleys as you near the Taconic Mountains. These peaks reach halfway up the western side of Vermont, from the southern border to the Middlebury area.
Take Exit 5 off US 4 toward Castleton. East Hubbardton Road takes you to VT 4A westward and on to South Street in Castleton. This section of town is quaint and lovely, with tree-lined streets and stately Greek Revival homes from ages gone by, some famous for their columned architecture designs by Thomas Royal Dake and dating back to the early 1800s. Visit Castleton University here, or just stop and stroll, visit the school, and enjoy the ambience.
The Birdseye Diner (802-468-5817) at 590 Main Street is open from 7 AM to 9 PM and offers a true “diner” experience in Castleton. The structure, a 1940s Silk City Dining Car, has been serving locals and visitors alike on Main Street for 50 years, with additional seating and an outdoor patio.
From Castleton, take VT 4A through town to pick up VT 30 and head north to reach the Bomoseen area. Drive along the lake with the water on one side of the road and forested hills on the other to reach Crystal Beach on the shores of Lake Bomoseen. Turn onto Prospect Point Road to access the beach. Dine on the shores Wednesday through Monday at the Palms at Prospect Bay (802-671-8180), or stop at the picturesque Lake Bomoseen Lodge and Taproom (802-468-5251) for a meal and an overnight stay with views of the lake outside your window.
INTO THE HILLS
Staying on VT 30, head north through the Crystal Beach area into hill country, where views are bounded on the west by the blue waters of Lake Bomoseen and on the east by the forested Taconics. From Hubbardton on VT 30, take Monument Hill Road, a narrow, winding way through rolling and forested terrain, to the Hubbardton Battlefield State Historic Site (802-273-2282). At the battlefield, stop in at the visitor center to learn about guided hikes replete with historical context and nature lore, activities, and events surrounding this Revolutionary War battle site. Hike to the top of Mount Zion to overlook the battlefield, green and serene below. At this site in July 1777, soldiers from the colonial town of Hubbardton and the Green Mountain Boys held off an invasion from Canada to give troops of the colonial army time to escape to fight another day. Today the grounds are peaceful and visitors gaze from this high vantage point out onto rolling landscapes to the south.
VISIT THE HUBBARDTON BATTLEFIELD VISITOR CENTER FOR INFORMATION AND GUIDED HIKES TO MANY OF THE STATE PARK’S HISTORIC BATTLE LOCATIONS
The 204-acre Taconic Mountains Ramble State Park in Hubbardton is a recent addition to Vermont’s Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation. Accessed via US 4 Exit 5, head north onto East Hubbardton Road (becomes Monument Hill Road), then take St. John Road to the park. To visit the park after stopping at Hubbardton Battlefield, head south on Monument Hill Road to St. John Road and follow to the park. The area has no phone or facilities, and camping and open fires are prohibited. The park includes trails and gardens developed by the landowner, Carson Davidson, who donated acreage to the state to be maintained for public use. The trails can be steep and rocky, including the one that leads to a Japanese Garden. Still under development, the area is carry-in/carry-out; no overnight stays currently allowed.
From the battlefield, head south on narrow, winding Monument Hill Road to pick up East Hubbardton Road. Follow it several miles through narrow winding valleys and between treed hillsides, with the occasional homestead or vacation cottage along the way. Make the uneventful but lovely ride back to US 4 and return to Rutland and Killington.
Best Places to Sleep
THE KILLINGTON GRAND RESORT (802-422-5001), 228 East Mountain Road, Killington. At the top of Killington Road is a 200-room resort at the base of the ski lifts. Options range from standard hotel rooms to three-bedroom, condo-style suites. Amenities include an outdoor pool and a health club. $–$$$$.
SUMMIT LODGE & RESORT (802-422-3535), 200 Summit Road, Killington. A four-season inn, the cozy, rustic lodge has two restaurants and lounges, swimming pools, and hot tubs. Laid back and comfy, many of the 44 rooms sleep up to six. $$.
THE INN AT LONG TRAIL (802-775-7181), 709 US 4, Sherburne Pass, Killington. This is the first building in New England specifically built to serve as a ski lodge. It began in 1938 as an annex to a splendid summer inn that has since burned. Designed to resemble the inside of the forest as much as possible, the interior incorporates parts of trees and boulders in amazing ways. The furnishings are largely Adirondack-style, and the fire in the large stone hearth is real. Since 1977 the inn has been owned by the McGrath family, and it caters to through-hikers on the Appalachian and Long Trails and to outdoorspeople of all sorts. The 22-foot-long bar is made from a single log, and a protruding toe of the backyard cliff can be seen in both Rosemary’s Restaurant and Pub McGrath’s Irish Pub (music Fri.–Sat.). Guest rooms vary from the small but cheery ($) to two-room suites with fireplace ($$–$$$), many rates varying with the seasons. All guests can access the redwood hot tub to soothe muscles after hiking or skiing.
KILLINGTON-PICO MOTOR INN (802-773-4088), 4840 US 4, Killington. On the road to Mendon, this traditional motor inn is affordable and convenient to Killington, Rutland, and beyond. Neat and tidy alongside US 4, its 30 rooms come with mini fridge, cable, and complimentary continental breakfast. $–$$.
MOUNTAIN TOP INN AND RESORT (802-483-2311), 195 Mountain Top Road, Chittenden. Luxury accommodations, spa, heated pool, gourmet dining, horseback riding, boating, and more in an unparalleled setting of natural beauty, Chittenden Reservoir, surrounded by protected Green Mountain National Forest on mountain slopes all around. $$–$$$.
RED CLOVER INN & RESTAURANT (802-775-2290), 7 Woodward Road, Mendon. Created out of an old farmhouse that dates to the mid-1800s, the inn is now fully renovated and updated to provide upscale lodging for skiers and summer visitors. The inn and adjacent carriage house offer selections including fireplaces, Jacuzzi, and two-level suits, all with private bath. $$–$$$.
LAKE BOMOSEEN LODGE (802-468-5251), 2551 VT 30N, Bomoseen. This is a good choice for a gracious overnight stay on the shore of Lake Bomoseen. Rooms, suites, condos, and cottages are available. The new owners have completely renovated the accommodations, previously known as Edgewater Lodge. From the lodge, visitors can stroll the shores of the lake or take part in water sports. $$–$$$.
Best Places to Eat
The Killington/Rutland region is replete with lodges and restaurants on US 100, US 4, and US 7 to serve the myriad travelers who flock to the region year-round. Here are a few notable choices:
KILLINGTON PEAK LODGE (800-621-6867), 4763 Killington Road, Killington). Open 10:30 AM–3 PM daily. At the top of Killington’s tallest peak, the lodge sits 4,241 feet above the rolling landscape. Views through surrounding walls of glass include three mountain ranges and green forests stretching over the horizon. Reached by hike or gondola, the lodge offers burgers, chicken, pasta, steak, and more. There is also a deli and light fare. Open for ski season, but also for summer and foliage season. $$.
ROSEMARY’S RESTAURANT, THE INN AT LONG TRAIL (802-775-7181), 709 US 4, Sherburne Pass, Killington. Rosemary’s offers casual fine dining in Killington near the start of several trails on the mountain, including the Long Trail and Deer Leap. Situated on a quiet parcel along US 4 at The Inn at Long Trail, it’s a relaxing and rewarding end to a busy day. $$.
RED CLOVER INN & RESTAURANT (802-775-2290), 7 Woodward Road, Mendon. Open Thurs.–Mon., 5:30–9 PM. Fine dining at its Vermont best in a charming old-time setting, warm and inviting, serving local produce and meats with wild touches. $$$.
THE RUTLAND RESTAURANT (802-775-7447), 57 Merchant’s Row, Rutland. Open 7 AM–8 PM daily except Sun. In the heart of Rutland’s downtown, within an easy walk of the weekly farmers’ market, this light-fare, casual café serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in simple surroundings. $$.
PALMS AT PROSPECT BAY (802-671-8180), 111 Prospect Point Road, Bomoseen. Open 5–9 PM Wed.–Sun., 12–4 PM weekends for lunch. Dine in comfort on delicious traditional American fare as you enjoy views of the water and watch the sky turn to dusk. $$.
BIRDSEYE DINER (802-468-5817), 590 State Street, Castleton. Open daily 7 AM–9 PM. Offers a true “diner” experience popular with locals and visitors. Tasty cuisine is served in an authentic old Silver City Dining Car trucked in from Paterson, New Jersey, decades ago. Enjoy the vintage diner ambience and local Vermont flavors. $.
LAKE BOMOSEEN LODGE AND TAPROOM (802-468-5251), 2551 VT 30, Bomoseen. Open 4–9 PM Sun.–Thurs., 4–10 PM Fri.–Sat. A nice spot for a meal and an overnight stay on the waterfront. Enjoy big juicy burgers and a cold brew while watching boaters on Lake Bomoseen just outside the lodge. A Vermont experience to be savored. $$–$$$.