Outdoors Archives - Happy Vermont

Outdoors

  • The Early Days of Skiing and Trails at Stowe
    The Early Days of Skiing and Trails at Stowe

    When it comes to Vermont ski history, 1934 was a big year. Ninety years ago, the first rope tow in the country opened in Woodstock. In 1934, the Mt. Mansfield Ski Patrol at Stowe Mountain Resort became incorporated, and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the...

  • Vermont Places: Mount Tom in Woodstock
    Vermont Places: Mount Tom in Woodstock

    Mount Tom in Woodstock is a small but mighty mountain. The mountain's environmental legacy, easy public access and central location in the community make it a special place in Vermont. Mount Tom is where you'll find miles of trails, beautiful views, a shining mountaintop star, old...

  • Little-Known Vermont Winter Trails to Explore This Season
    Little-Known Vermont Winter Trails to Explore This Season

    For a small state, Vermont is big on trails. The Long Trail, Catamount Trail, and Kingdom Trails are among the state's most legendary areas for hiking, backcountry skiing, and mountain biking. Fortunately, access to Vermont winter trails can happen without going to a ski resort...

  • 7 Festive Vermont Towns to Visit This Winter
    7 Festive Vermont Towns to Visit This Winter

    "The snow is sparkling like a million little suns." - Lama Willa White-capped mountains, icy ponds and snow-covered valleys make winter in Vermont hard to beat. In Vermont towns, you’ll find ski areas, festive events, sledding hills, skating rinks, general stores and restaurants. Here are seven of...

  • Hiking The Long Trail in the Heart of Vermont
    Hiking The Long Trail in the Heart of Vermont

    Hiking the Long Trail might mean seeing an old stone wall, a cellar hole, or an abandoned road. On mountains like Camels Hump—where the century-old Long Trail crosses its peak—nearby wreckage from a 1944 bomber plane crash has fascinated historians, hikers and locals for decades. But hikers...

  • 25 Things to Do in Vermont in Fall
    25 Things to Do in Vermont in Fall

    Looking for fun things to do in Vermont in fall? Here are ideas to help you make the most of Vermont fall foliage season. From scenic fall drives and gorgeous hikes to autumn festivals and outdoor activities, you'll find plenty of things to do in Vermont's...

  • Butterfly Watching in Vermont
    Butterfly Watching in Vermont

    Butterflies are a big part of Terri Armata's world. The Bennington resident, who moved to Vermont in the 1970s, has always loved exploring the outdoors. Two decades ago—somewhat on a whim—she volunteered for the Vermont Butterfly Atlas project to help document the status of butterflies in...

  • Woodchuck Golf in Waitsfield is a Backyard Labor of Love
    Woodchuck Golf in Waitsfield is a Backyard Labor of Love

    On a clear spring day, you can see the top of Jay Peak from Spencer Potter's backyard in Waitsfield. Just steps away from his house on Palmer Lane are a patio, a pond, a burn pile, and a six-hole golf course named Woodchuck Golf that...

  • The Wonder of Old Trees at Gifford Woods State Park
    The Wonder of Old Trees at Gifford Woods State Park

    It’s hard to imagine, but most of Vermont’s forests and hillsides were clear-cut in the 19th-century. Still, while 80 percent of the state had been deforested, a handful of Vermont’s old forests miraculously survived. Some of those old trees—more than 300 years old—can be seen...

  • Podcast: The Magic of Blueberry Hill in Goshen
    Podcast: The Magic of Blueberry Hill in Goshen

    On a dirt road in the small town of Goshen is where Tony Clark bought a run-down farm and eventually turned it into an inn and trail center. The Blueberry Hill Inn is a bright yet soothing shade of blue that’s hard to forget. The same went...