MOSS GLEN FALLS IN THE GRANVILLE GULF
ESTIMATED LENGTH: 80 miles
ESTIMATED TIME TO VISIT: 1 to 3 days
HIGHLIGHTS: This magnificent valley, named for the river down its center, is best known for the expansive ski trails streaking the high mountains that form its western wall. In summer the focus shifts from skiing at expansive Sugarbush Ski Resort and rugged Mad River Glen to golf links, ridgeline hikes, and mountain biking on trails that lace the forested slopes. Swimming holes spot the Mad River as it tumbles down from its source high in the mountain gap, coming through the Granville Gulf and moving serenely along the valley floor. It’s shadowed through the valley by VT 100 and VT 100B, and also by the Mad River Path (802-496-7284), a series of recreation paths that follow the river or cross the landscape on small bridges, winding beside working farmland or through wooded glades. Two high passes in the Green Mountains—the Lincoln and Appalachian Gaps—afford spectacular panoramas and links to the Champlain Valley to the west, while the Roxbury Gap Road offers a splendid overview of this valley as it heads over the Northfield range to the east. Within the valley we explore quiet roads lined with rolling meadows set against the majestic mountains above. Lodging and restaurants dot the Sugarbush Access Road and cluster around the ski resort base, but the miles of VT 100 linking the lively valley villages of Warren and Waitsfield give little hint that several thousand visitors can bed down in the valley’s widely scattered lodgings. While there is plenty here to please visitors, including a full schedule of summer and fall special events, much of it is here for the enjoyment of its sophisticated outdoorsy and ecology-conscious residents, many of whom originally came here to ski.
GETTING THERE: Perhaps it’s the Mad River valley’s lack of direct access to an interstate highway that keeps it a bit of a summer and foliage season secret. From the south as well as the north, it’s best accessed from I-89 Exit 9 in Middlesex, 13 miles northeast of Waitsfield via VT 100B and VT 100. Valley residents will tell you that the quickest access from the southeast is I-89 Exit 4 in Randolph, then 15 miles north to Roxbury on 12A and 8 more on Warren Road up over Roxbury Gap. Our drive approaches the Mad River Valley from the south on VT 100 at its junction with VT 125, which runs west over the Middlebury Gap to US 7.
VT 100 follows the main stem of the White River north through a wide valley with open fields bordering wooded glades, some planted in hay and corn, past cows, sheep, and horses grazing in pastures, all set against the Green Mountains on the east. In the crossroads village of Hancock (population 300), marking the junction of VT 100 and VT 125, the landscape changes. The Old Hancock Hotel and Vermont Home Bakery (802-767-4976) here has a weathered, frontier look. The sign on the door says it’s closed Tuesdays “for a while,” and the sign itself has been there for a while, but the door is usually open and breakfast, lunch, and a light dinner are served; the reasonably priced all-you-can-eat Sunday buffet brunch has a following. Upstairs rooms are also reasonably priced, and there’s a small gift nook with souvenirs and new and used books good for browsing while waiting for a meal, preferably eaten at a table on the pleasant porch. Across VT 125 the Hubbard’s Country Store (802-767-9012) is the genuine article, with fuel pumps out front, hot coffee to go, and picnic supplies to take to nearby Texas Falls.
A SMALL BARN ALONG VT 100 BETWEEN HANCOCK AND GRANVILLE
Detour to Texas Falls
Turn on VT 125 in Hancock, and in about 3 miles, Texas Falls Road is on the right. It leads to the Texas Falls Recreation Area (open 6–10 PM daily), maintained by Green Mountain National Forest. There’s a small wooded park with hiking trails through the forest and a picnic area a short drive into the park where a pavilion and grills sit beside an open field for games. A walkway over Texas Brook leads to a lovely view of the falls and a gorge cut through the forest. The brook flows down to meet the waters of the Hancock Branch, eventually joining the White River.
Back on VT 100, continue north from Hancock, and in roughly 4 miles church and town hall spires rise around a bend and the tiny hamlet of Granville appears, straggling along the road. Originally chartered in 1781, the town still only counts around 300 residents. The Granville General Store (802-767-4600) offers hot and cold deli items as well as groceries. A few hundred feet farther on, Green Mountain Glass Works (802-767-4547) is worth a stop. The multicolored glass on display comes in a spectrum of bright colors in shapes and sizes ranging from large vases to delicately designed earrings. Michael Egan can usually be found working beside his forge, heating, blowing, and shaping his decorative designs while happily talking with visitors about the process. In addition to this location, Egan’s work is available in galleries around Vermont and across the country.
ALONG VT 100 BETWEEN GRANVILLE AND HANCOCK
GLASSBLOWER MICHAEL EGAN AT GREEN MOUNTAIN GLASSWORKS INVITES VISITORS TO WATCH HIM WORK OR ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ART AND INDUSTRY OF HAND-BLOWN GLASS
UP AND OVER
Beyond Granville, the landscape closes in and the hills hover high above VT 100, affording a cool, green passage through the Granville Gulf Reservation. The gulf is a narrow, 7-mile gap that winds up between steep slopes, its lush green forest sheltering fox, rabbits, porcupines, deer, moose, and bear. Drive slowly, and watch for a moose along the next 5 or 6 miles, its gangly body sauntering along under the leafy canopy or munching greens in a woodland marsh. The reservation itself comprises more than 1,100 acres and includes the source of the south-flowing White River, which joins other branches downstream and eventually empties into the Connecticut River. It also includes the source of the Mad River, beginning its north-flowing course to join the Winooski.
A little more than halfway up the gulf, look to the left for the frothy white waters of Moss Glen Falls. Here the Deer Hollow Brook tumbles over rocks from 80 feet above the road to join Alder Meadow Brook via a small pool at the side of the road. Just past the falls, a turnout offers parking so visitors can use a walkway to a close-up view of the falls. At the right time of year, fresh Vermont maple syrup may be on sale in the parking area, a favorite spot for local sugar producers to set up a stand.
VT 100 continues to climb through the gulf, deep shaded here as the forest closes in on all sides. The winding road is steep, and sheer walls lean out toward your car as you pass. Winter travel is precarious through here, but it is also beautiful, with thick, blue-white sheets of ice sheathing the rock faces at each turn in the road. At the top of the gap, the road plateaus for about 2 miles and the way opens out, with marshes here and there on either side, the most likely spot to see moose wandering the woods or standing in the water, enjoying a meal of goo. Once through the gulf, you leave Granville behind and begin your descent down the far side of the gap into the town of Warren at the southern tip of the Mad River Valley.
SWIMMING AT BLUEBERRY LAKE IN WARREN
FOLLOW THE RIVER
About 4 miles down the hill, keep a lookout on your left for signs pointing to Warren Falls, the first great swimming hole along the Mad River. Parking is off the road, and a marked trail leads through the woods to swim spots in the river as it rushes downhill. Local swimmers swarm over rock cliffs, jumping 20 or more feet into deep mountain pools below. Water flows out and down through stony sluices into ponds farther on in the river, finally coming to a wide, level, pebbly area that is ideal for small children and waders. But be advised, reaching the shallow water via the wooded path requires climbing down a small rocky hill (not easy in flip-flops).
VT 100 continues its descent into the Mad River Valley, and as it levels out there’s a sign on the right that directs you to Warren Village. Turn here onto Main Street and keep an eye out in 0.4 mile for a vintage 1880 covered bridge. The small village clusters around the Pitcher Inn (802-496-6350; $$$$) and Warren Store (802-496-3864). And it’s soon apparent that this is no backwoods village. The white clapboard, double-porched inn looks like it has been there forever, but it dates to 1997, when it replaced a more modest village inn that was lost to fire. Each Vermont-themed guest room has been elaborately decorated by a different designer, and a formal dining room and its restaurant—275 Main—offers fine dining on linen-draped, candlelit tables. Warren Store (open 8 AM–7 PM in summer and fall, otherwise until 6 PM) is a beloved institution with an outstanding deli counter and bakery and a seasonal patio with tables overlooking a small waterfall in the Mad River. The upstairs boutique offers an eclectic and sophisticated mix of clothing, jewelry, hardware, and gifts. Next door, the Parade Gallery (802-496-5445) is a long-established and respected showcase for original art and affordable prints.
A block farther on Main Street, turn right onto Brook Road and follow its twists and turns as it becomes East Warren Road. But before it does, you might want to detour to Blueberry Lake.
Continue on East Warren Road past the Roxbury Gap Road. Near its start, note the East Warren Community Market (802-496-6758), housed in an old schoolhouse. It’s a local destination for produce from valley farms and Vermont specialty foods, a great place to browse. This road climbs several miles, and there are pull-offs along the way with glorious views down and across the valley to the Green Mountain ridgeline. The road crests at the height of land known as Roxbury Gap. Turn where you can and enjoy the view on the way back down.
DETOUR
Detour to Blueberry Lake
At the top of the Brook Road, turn right onto Plunkton Road and follow it to the top of the hill; it turns to hard-packed dirt and, in a few hundred feet, you’ll see the access road to Blueberry Lake on your left. Drive in and park near the lake and—if it’s mid- to late August and they haven’t all been picked yet—you can sample the fresh blueberries, planted here when the lake was dredged from a parcel of forest and marshland by its owner in the early 1980s. Eventually it was sold to the U.S. Forest Service, which developed several hundred acres of hillside surrounding the lake into a protected area open to public use. It’s now a popular boating, swimming, hiking, and biking destination available free to visitors, with trails used for hiking and mountain biking in summer and snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in winter.
BLUEBERRY LAKE AND THE NORTHFIELD RANGE
If you don’t take the first access road to the water’s edge, continue on Plunkton Road over the earthen dam to a second access road on the far side of the lake. Park here to walk to the small beach. Just before the dam there’s a separate parking lot for people intent on spending time on marked, wooded trails.
Detour on Common Road
To explore higher up the east side of the valley, follow East Warren Road and bear right at the Y onto Common Road. This is a well-maintained dirt track leading in about 2 miles to Joslin Hill Road and Waitsfield Common, the town’s original settlement site, set high above the present village. You pass by the Skinner Barn (802-496-4422) on your left, a special events and entertainment venue, and as you approach the end of the road, you’ll notice the Von Trapp Greenhouse and Nurseries (802-496-4385), owned by members of the family made famous by The Sound of Music.
Cross over Joslin Hill Road and take North Road. At the intersection with Tremblay Road, turn left and drive less than a mile to reconnect with VT 100 north of Waitsfield. The Mad River Inn (802-496-7900) is on your right on Tremblay Road about a quarter mile before you reach VT 100. Picnic tables sit beside the road under a copse of pines at the junction with VT 100.
East Warren Road continues to wind through pastureland, past grazing horses and cows, with remarkable views up and down the valley. In a few miles, just after a dip, it veers to the left (Common Road is straight ahead; see Detour) and passes The Inn at Round Barn Farm (802-496-2276), a luxuriously refitted farmhouse inn adjoining a nineteenth-century round barn that’s been preserved as a cultural center and popular wedding venue. The way into Waitsfield this way is through the one-way Village Covered Bridge, dating from 1833 (beware the 9.5-foot height restriction) and spanning the Mad River above a swimming hole; in summer the bridge and its walkway are a popular jump-off point for kids taking a dip.
WAITSFIELD
Cross the one-way covered bridge onto Bridge Street, the walkable heart of Waitsfield, and park where you can. There’s parking on Bridge Street, in a lot directly across VT 100 from Bridge Street ahead and another just south on VT 100, hidden behind the shops and restaurants. Along Bridge Street check out the Artisans’ Gallery (802-496-6256) with its well-selected crafted clothing, pottery, rugs, glass, and much more. Peasant (802-496-6856; open for dinner Thurs.–Mon.; $$) is a popular local dining spot. If it’s open, you might like to look into the funky but fascinating Madsonian Museum of Industrial Design (802-496-6611; open Sat. and Sun. 12–4 PM; $), displaying items from toasters to automobiles.
At the corner of Bridge Street and VT 100, the Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce maintains a volunteer-manned Visitor Center (802-496-3409; madrivervalley.com), well stocked with local info.
Waitsfield’s many independently owned establishments, featuring antiques, furniture, quilts, wine, glass-blowing, and more, straggle along VT 100 north and south of Bridge Street. Just to the north is the Valley Players Theater (802-583-1674), staging live performances and dance, and across the way Clearwater Sports (802-496-2708) is the local source for canoe and kayak rentals. For details about the Mad River Path network of trails, which runs alongside the river through woodlands and by farm fields and pastures, visit the path headquarters in the historic General Wait House (802-496-7284; office hours are generally Mon. and Wed., 10 AM–noon; Tue. and Thu., 1–3 PM; the Wait House information center is open 24/7, including access to restrooms and trail maps) just past the Waitsfield-Fayston Volunteer Fire House on VT 100.
A DAIRY FARM ON VT 100 BETWEEN WAITSFIELD AND FAYSTON
Turning south on VT 100 from Bridge Street, around the bend a little more than a quarter mile or so, the Big Picture Theater and Café (802-496-8994), right on Carrol Road, shows popular and eclectic movies and holds film festivals. It includes a café and bar that are popular all day long and as a night spot. The theater adjoins a small pond in which locals “drown” an outhouse every spring, part of a bet on when the ice will melt.
Just past the theater is the Irasville section of town where two shopping centers—Village Square on the left on VT 100 and the Mad River Green Shops, set back off the road across the street—form the practical shopping heart of Waitsfield and include supermarkets, independently owned restaurants, and shops worth shopping. From 9 AM–1 PM Saturdays, mid-May–mid-Oct., the Waitsfield Farmers Market sets up on the grass of the Mad River Green right on VT 100 between the two centers, packed with vendors selling local produce and wares. Musicians and other entertainers are on hand, and there are usually horse-drawn wagon rides for families.
South on VT 100 a scant thousand feet, just before its junction with VT 17, turn up Bragg Hill Road. Broad and breathtaking vistas on this hilly, winding road encompass the forested heights of the Northfield Ridge across the valley to the east and the Green Mountains to the west—they seem so close you feel you can reach out and touch the slopes and ski trails. As you begin to wind and climb the steep track, look on your right for Knoll Farm (knollfarm.org; open mid-May–mid-Oct., 8 AM–6 PM, with organic berry-picking mid-July to late August). With its big weathered barn and white farmhouse, it’s a special place to stop.
The nonprofit farm is known for its regenerative farming system, growing blueberries and raising a flock of Icelandic sheep for widely distributed meat that’s available here. It’s also a venue for special events and workshops (there’s yurt housing for groups). Weekend farm tours feature visits to the barnyard animals and demonstrations of sustainable farming practices.
From Knoll Farm, head up Bragg Hill Road as it swings to the left, taking in the valley panoramas before finally descending via Number 9 Road to VT 17; a left leads down to VT 100 in Waitsfield, while a right continues to climb toward the Appalachian Gap.
On the way to the top of the Appalachian Gap heading west toward the Champlain Valley, pass the modest base area of the Mad River Glen, a ski area with a large following. Its ubiquitous bumper sticker is “Ski It If You Can,” and its naturally contoured trails are challenging and its snowmaking scant. This was the country’s first ski area to be cooperatively owned by its skiers and the last to preserve a single chair (vintage 1948) to its summit.
Now the road winds up steep grades, switching back several times as it climbs. At the crest of the gap, parking is available with access to the Long Trail which, if you follow it south here for a steep 2.6 miles, leads to the top of Stark Mountain with panoramic views.
Looping the Gaps
Note: This loop, winding and unpaved in places, is unsuitable for cars with trailers, and the road between Lincoln and Warren is closed in winter.
From the crest of the Appalachian Gap, VT 17 spirals down past rocky outcrops and a mountain pond, descending over the course of 9 miles to the Champlain Valley floor. A turn south on VT 116 leads in 2 miles to Rocky Dale. Note the pullout for Bartlett Falls, a swimming hole with 20-foot cliffs. It’s a beautiful spot by a stream with shallow falls dropping into pools. (Swimming shoes are a good idea.) Turn on the Lincoln Gap Road, which is unpaved in sections but leads to the little village of Lincoln, with its Old Hotel, (802-453-2567) and the Lincoln General Store (802-453-2981), described in works by best-selling author and Lincoln resident Chris Bohjalian. Continue to the crest of Lincoln Gap, where you’ll find parking and trailhead access to the Long Trail south to Sunset Ledge and north to the 4,052-foot-high summit of Mount Abraham (this is a serious 10-mile round-trip hike). The relatively short, steepest grade of the road is closed in winter; it’s 4.7 miles down a narrow, winding road to VT 100, but you can turn off halfway down onto West Hill Road, and traverse the mountain to reach the Sugarbush Resort base area.
If you don’t “Loop the Gaps,” turn back from the crest of the Appalachian Gap on VT 17, and in about 4.5 miles turn right on German Flats Road, another 3.5 miles to Sugarbush North (formerly Mount Ellen Ski Area). Just past there, pick up the Sugarbush Access Road and turn right to Sugarbush South at the base of Lincoln Peak, the center of Sugarbush Resort (802-583-6300 or 800-537-8427). This is one of the few major New England ski resorts owned by a locally based partnership, Summit Ventures NE, LLC, headed by primary investor Win Smith. Back in the ’90s, a multiresort owner proposed building a “grand resort hotel” here, but the community balked. The present 100-room Clay Brook condo hotel is barn red with a silo at its center, and the surrounding base area is human-scaled. The big draw here in summer is the 18-hole golf course, but there are also tennis courts, hiking trails, and a health and rec center. Kids will love the zip line behind Clay Brook, and they’ll thrill to jumping on the bungee-assisted trampoline in good weather (call the Farmhouse Rental Shop, 802-583-6504, to be sure it’s open in the event of rain).
For an exciting but relaxing adventure, take a scenic ride on the Super Bravo Express Quad Lift (800-537-8427; open during activity hours, June 4–Sep. 4, Fri.–Sat. 10 AM–6 PM and Thurs., Sun. 10 AM–4 PM; call for fall season) to the top of the slopes and enjoy unparalleled views across to the Northfield Ridge and up and down the valley. You can hike up or down. It’s steep in places, but the lift will take you both ways.
LEAVING THE VALLEY
Whether or not you visit Sugarbush Resort itself, the quickest way out of the valley, whether you are traveling north or south, is via VT 100 north to VT 100B (6 miles north of Waitsfield Village). Moretown General Store (802-496-6580) is a good fuel stop with pumps outside, and inside there’s an exceptional hot/cold deli and tables. Back on the road, VT 100B still follows the Mad River. Just before crossing the Middlesex town line, a large parking lot on a small rise is the tip-off for Ward’s Swimming Hole, with its small beach suitable for wading and swimming. For those of us with a little more adventure in our souls, rocks across the river tempt swimmers to jump into deeper pools there.
Beyond this spot, the road curves once or twice more and ends at the intersection of VT 100B and US 2 in Middlesex. A left here takes you back to the I-89 Exit 9 interchange on US 2, past a gas station on the right and the Red Hen Café and Bakery (802-223-5200), a great breakfast and lunch spot, on your left. The highway interchange to north and south is just beyond this.
Best Places to Sleep
THE PITCHER INN (802-496-6350), 275 Main Street, Warren. Luxurious and unique rooms and suites in the heart of charming Warren Village makes this a real vacation experience. One suite accepts dogs for an extra fee. Relais & Chateaux accommodations. $$$$.
INN AT THE ROUND BARN FARM (802-496-2276), 1661 East Warren Road, Waitsfield. Rooms are beautifully appointed in Colonial mode in this grand old inn. Formerly a working farm, the iconic Round Barn is on spreading grounds that invite visitors to sit a while. Gracious accommodations with excellent attention to detail. $$–$$$.
MAD RIVER INN (802-496-7900), 243 Tremblay Road, just off VT 100, Waitsfield. This lovely Victorian B&B serves up a true Vermont country experience, with antique decor and period accoutrements, feather beds (some with foam toppers), and private baths. Relax in the gracious living room, or enjoy pool, television, or games in the recreation room. Relax outdoors with pastoral views of the Valley. $–$$ nonpeak, $$ peak
CLAY BROOK AT SUGARBUSH RESORT (802-583-6300), 22 Gate House Lane, Warren. For a large hotel experience with luxury accommodations, try this foot-of-the-slopes option. Take part in resort activities during any season, or just stay for the comfort and views. $$$.
Best Places to Eat
PEASANT (802-496-6856), 40 Bridge Street, Waitsfield. Open for dinner Thurs.–Mon. 5:30 PM; reservations suggested. The à la carte menu favors Pan-European comfort food, cassoulet, and nightly pastas. Chris Alberti walked out of his World Trade Center office 20 minutes before the first plane hit on 9/11. His well-earned joie de vivre is palpable in the ambience and good food. $$–$$$.
AMERICAN FLATBREAD’S WAITSFIELD HEARTH (802-496-8856), 46 Lareau Road, Waitsfield. Open Thurs.–Mon. 5–9 PM. American Flatbread is baked on a local-stone hearth and topped with local ingredients. Salads and desserts are also made with as much local sourcing as can be had. The concept was developed by founder George Schenck in the 1980s, when he developed a hearth, itself made from local stone and materials, and baked flatbread made with nutritious local toppings. Developing his business at Lareau Farm in a barn that was a production center during the week and a restaurant on weekends, Schenck created a national brand that is produced and distributed off-site now but continues to attract foodies from around the world. The restaurant and bar in the rustic big red barn at Lareau Farm, where flatbreads are still cooked on a stone hearth, remains a favorite gathering spot for locals and visitors for meals and nightlife. $$.
GRACIE’S KITCHEN (802-496-9000), 4752 Main Street, Waitsfield. There’s a different selection daily, with meat and vegetarian options, at this ready-to-eat buffet. Also, wraps and desserts to go. Breakfast and lunch served but no menu, just the small buffet. $–$$.
HYDE AWAY RESTAURANT (802-496-2322), 1428 Mill Brook Road, Waitsfield. Open for dinner daily, 4–10 PM, this cozy and comfortable tavern and dining room serves pub fare and dinner entrées. Also a popular nightspot. $–$$.
LOCALFOLK SMOKEHOUSE (802-496-5623), 9 VT 17, Waitsfield. With its funky and interesting ambience, folks stop in for a bite and a brew here and stay to listen to live music or make it themselves on open-mic nights. The specialty is smoked BBQ. $$.
MIX CUPCAKERIE & KITCHEN (802-496-4944), 5123 Main Street (right beside Mehuron’s Market). Gourmet pastry and catering chef Darcy Acker creates cupcakes of all sizes and flavors. Salads, sandwiches, and meals-to-go also available, and call ahead to order your dinner ready to take home when you get there. $$.