Green Mountain Peaks

Discover Vermont, One Story at a Time 🏔️

Local culture, season adventures, small towns,
and the honest side of life in the Green Mountains

Author: Green Mountain Peaks

  • Discover Vermont: Authentic Experiences Off the Beaten Path

    Discover Vermont: Authentic Experiences Off the Beaten Path

    autumn in vermont

    Vermont has a way of sneaking up on you. You come for a long weekend, maybe just to catch the fall foliage or ski a few runs, and then you find yourself standing at the edge of a covered bridge or eating the best bowl of cheddar soup you have ever tasted and thinking: I need more time here. There is always more time needed in Vermont.

    Whether you are visiting for the first time, spending a season here, or you have lived in the Northeast Kingdom your whole life and somehow still have not done everything on this list, consider this your guide. These are twenty things worth doing in Vermont before you go. Not tourist traps. Not the same recycled list you find everywhere. Just the real stuff.

    The Classics That Deserve Their Reputation

    1. Watch the Foliage From a Back Road

    Everyone talks about fall foliage in Vermont, and yes, the hype is real. But the difference between a foliage experience and a foliage memory is the road you take. Skip Route 100 on a Saturday in October and instead wind through Craftsbury, Greensboro, or the hills above Johnson. Pull over when the urge hits. There is no rush here.

    2. Eat a Maple Creemee

    Soft serve made with real Vermont maple syrup is not something you can replicate at home. It is creamy in a way that feels almost unfair. Find one at a local farm stand or sugarhouse rather than a chain. The ones sold roadside near a working sugarbush taste noticeably better, and half of that is probably just the setting.

    3. Visit a Working Sugarhouse in March

    Mud season gets a bad reputation, but early spring is when Vermont’s most iconic tradition comes alive. Sugarhouses across the state open their doors during sugaring season, and you can watch the whole process up close, smell the steam rolling off the evaporators, and taste fresh maple syrup poured over snow. The Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association keeps an updated list of open farms each year.

    4. Cross a Covered Bridge on Foot

    Vermont has more than a hundred covered bridges still standing, and the experience of walking through one quietly, no car rushing past, is something completely different from driving through. The bridges near Stowe, Montgomery, and Northfield are particularly beautiful in any season. Stop in the middle and just listen to the water below.

    covered bridge in autumn in vermont

    Get Into the Vermont Outdoors

    5. Hike to a Fire Tower

    Vermont has several old fire lookout towers that are still climbable, and the views from the top are worth every step. Spruce Mountain in Plainfield, Elmore Mountain in Lake Elmore, and Belvidere Mountain up in Eden each offer a different experience. Clear days reward you with views that stretch into New Hampshire, New York, and Canada.

    6. Swim in a Swimming Hole

    Vermonters guard their swimming holes with a certain quiet loyalty, and you understand why the moment you arrive at one. Cold, clear water fed by mountain streams, rocks to jump from, and an informal social code that basically amounts to: be cool and leave no trace. Bingham Falls near Stowe is a well-known one. The falls at Texas Falls in Hancock are also worth the short walk in.

    7. Ski or Snowboard a Classic Vermont Mountain

    Stowe and Killington get most of the attention, and rightfully so. But there is something to be said for a smaller mountain on a quiet Tuesday in January when the lift lines are nonexistent. Mad River Glen is co-op owned, single-chair, and proudly old school. Bolton Valley stays uncrowded and has terrain that surprises you. Pick the one that fits your style and go more than once.

    8. Paddle a Lake at Sunrise

    Lake Champlain is the obvious choice, and it is magnificent. But smaller lakes like Caspian Lake in Greensboro, Shadow Lake in Glover, or Elmore Lake offer a stillness that is hard to find anywhere else. Get out early, before the wind picks up, and you will understand what people mean when they say Vermont has a quietness that feels alive.

    9. Walk a Stretch of the Long Trail

    The Long Trail is the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the country, running 273 miles from the Massachusetts border to the Canadian line. You do not need to thru-hike it to appreciate it. Pick a section, pack lunch, and spend a half day in the Green Mountains. The stretch around Mount Mansfield or the Camel’s Hump ridge line gives you classic Vermont alpine scenery without requiring a week off work.

    summer hiking trail in vermont

    Dig Into Vermont Food and Drink

    10. Do a Vermont Cheese Tour

    Vermont is home to more than 50 artisan cheesemakers, and many of them welcome visitors. Cabot is the most famous name, but places like Jasper Hill Farm in Greensboro Bend, Neighborly Farms in Randolph Center, and Consider Bardwell Farm near Manchester are equally worth visiting. Buy something wrapped in paper, take it home, and eat it with crackers and local honey.

    11. Have Breakfast at a Diner That Has Not Changed in Decades

    There are still diners in Vermont where the coffee comes in a ceramic mug before you even ask, where the pie is made by someone in the back, and where the booths are vinyl and the floor is linoleum. The Miss Lyndonville Diner, the Blue Benn in Bennington, and Miss Bellows Falls Diner all carry that energy. Arrive hungry.

    12. Drink a Vermont Craft Beer at the Source

    The Heady Topper pilgrimage to The Alchemist in Stowe is practically a Vermont rite of passage at this point. But beyond that, breweries like Hill Farmstead in Greensboro, Foam Brewers in Burlington, and Lost Nation in Morrisville are worth a visit on their own terms. Drink something draft that does not travel outside the state. That is the whole point.

    13. Eat a Full Meal at a Farm-to-Table Restaurant

    Vermont’s food scene punches well above its weight given the state’s size. Restaurants here have long-standing relationships with local farms, and it shows on the plate. Places like Hen of the Wood in Waterbury and Burlington, The Inn at Weathersfield, or even smaller spots tucked into places you would never expect offer meals that genuinely reflect the season and the region.

    Small Towns Worth Your Full Attention

    14. Spend a Saturday Morning in Stowe Village

    Most people come to Stowe for the mountain, but the village itself is worth slowing down for. Walk Main Street, pop into the independent shops, get coffee somewhere that is not a chain, and watch the locals do their weekend errands. The farmers market runs seasonally and is genuinely good. It is the kind of town that makes you understand why people move here and then never leave.

    15. Wander Woodstock and Actually Go Inside Something

    Woodstock is beautiful, and yes, it can feel a little polished. But it has real substance too. The Billings Farm and Museum is one of the best living history farms in New England. The covered bridge right in the center of town is the most photographed in Vermont for a reason. Give it more than a drive-through.

    16. Explore Burlington’s Church Street and the Waterfront on the Same Day

    Burlington is a small city that earns its reputation as one of the most livable places in the country. Church Street is the pedestrian shopping and dining corridor, and the waterfront sits along Lake Champlain with a bike path, views of the Adirondacks, and enough going on in summer to keep you there all day. The combination of the two in a single afternoon is a very good Vermont day.

    The Unexpected and the Underrated

    17. Find a Roadside Farm Stand and Buy Something You Did Not Plan On

    One of Vermont’s most underrated pleasures is the honor-system farm stand. A wooden box, a price list, and fresh produce or eggs sitting in the open air. They are everywhere once you start looking. Stop at one even if you do not need anything. It is the kind of small transaction that reminds you where food actually comes from.

    18. Visit During an Off-Season Weekend

    Mud season has a bad reputation, but a rainy April weekend in Vermont when the crowds are gone and the rivers are running full and the sugarhouses are still going is quietly one of the best times to be here. Same goes for that window between ski season and summer. Vermont off-peak is for people who really want to see it.

    19. Go to a Town Meeting or a Local Event

    Vermont still holds traditional town meetings, one of the oldest forms of direct democracy in the country. If you can attend one, do. Even if you are just passing through, local events like community suppers, contra dances, library fundraisers, and harvest festivals give you a version of Vermont that no amount of scenic driving will show you.

    20. Just Sit Somewhere and Do Nothing for a While

    Vermont has a pace that rewards stillness. Find a bench, a porch, a rock by the river, a field that overlooks hills you cannot name. Sit there without a destination and without your phone and let Vermont do its thing. That might sound like nothing, but it is actually the whole point of being here.

    One More Thing Before You Go

    This list could be twice as long and still leave things out. Vermont is the kind of place where the best moment you have might be the one you stumble into by accident, a conversation at a general store, a sunset you caught from a dirt road you took by mistake, a farm dog who joined you for part of your hike.

    Keep the list in your back pocket, but leave room for the stuff that is not on it.

    Shop Green Mountain Peaks on Etsy

    Bring a little piece of Vermont into your home with our curated collection of gifts, apparel, and seasonal favorites. From cozy hoodies and crewnecks to Vermont-themed gift boxes and cookbooks, each item is designed to celebrate the Green Mountain spirit.

    • Vermont-inspired designs and gift sets
    • Printed and packaged with care
    • Ships directly to your door
    Visit Our Etsy Shop

    Discover gifts, apparel, and Vermont treasures made to share and enjoy year-round.

  • Why Stowe, Vermont Is the Perfect Place to Live

    Why Stowe, Vermont Is the Perfect Place to Live

    There are towns in Vermont that feel like they were built for a postcard. Stowe is one of them. But what makes it different from the other picture-perfect New England villages is that it actually holds up when you stay longer than a weekend. The mountain is real. The community is real. The life you can build here is real.

    I have spent a lot of time in Stowe, both as a visitor drawn back again and again and now as someone who knows the roads by heart in every season. And the more time I spend here, the more I understand why people who come for a ski trip end up calling a real estate agent before they leave.

    What Stowe Actually Feels Like to Live In

    Stowe is not a resort town pretending to be a real place. It has a functioning downtown with a post office, a library, a hardware store, and restaurants that locals actually eat at on a Tuesday night. Mountain Road has the lodges and the shops tourists love, but a five-minute drive gets you into neighborhoods where people have lived for decades.

    The scale of it matters too. Stowe has around 5,000 year-round residents, which means it is small enough that you start recognizing faces quickly but large enough that it has real infrastructure. You are not driving 45 minutes for groceries. You are not waiting months for a contractor to return a call. The town functions, and that is worth more than people realize until they have lived somewhere that does not.

    Winters here are serious, but they are also beautiful in a way that stops feeling like a cliché once you are in the middle of it. The kind of morning where everything is quiet and the mountain is covered and the air smells like woodsmoke and cold. People who love that feeling find Stowe and do not want to leave.

    The Case for Buying in Stowe

    Real estate in Stowe is not cheap, and anyone telling you otherwise is not being straight with you. But the reasons prices hold here are the same reasons the investment makes sense. Stowe is not going anywhere. The mountain is not going anywhere. The demand from people who want a piece of this place is not going anywhere.

    What you get for the price is genuine. Whether it is a farmhouse on a quiet road with views of Mount Mansfield, a condo a short walk from the ski area, or a home in one of the neighborhoods where kids ride bikes and neighbors know each other’s names, Stowe delivers on what it promises. That is rarer than it sounds.

    Year-Round Demand Keeps Things Stable

    One thing that sets Stowe apart from some other Vermont ski towns is that it draws people in every season. Summer brings hikers, cyclists, and people doing the Stowe recreation path. Fall brings foliage seekers from all over the country. Winter is ski season. Spring is mud season, and even that has its own charm if you grew up here.

    That year-round draw matters if you are thinking about a property as both a place to live and something with long-term value. The town does not go quiet for eight months. There is always something happening, always people coming through, always a reason to be here.

    The Outdoor Life Is the Whole Point

    Stowe Mountain Resort is the anchor, obviously. It is one of the best ski areas in the East, full stop. But the outdoor life in Stowe extends well beyond the mountain. The Stowe recreation path is one of the most beloved trails in Vermont, running along the West Branch River and connecting the village to the mountain. It is the kind of place where you see people walking dogs, pushing strollers, and finishing a morning run, all at the same time.

    The hiking around here is serious too. Mount Mansfield is the highest peak in Vermont, and having that in your backyard never really gets old. Smugglers’ Notch is just over the ridge. The Long Trail runs nearby. If you are the kind of person who wants your weekend to feel like it was actually spent outside, Stowe delivers that every single week of the year.

    The Community Side of Stowe

    Something I did not expect when I started spending real time in Stowe was how tight the community actually is. For a town with a big tourism footprint, it has held onto a strong sense of local identity. The farmers market at the Grange Hall draws real locals. The Stowe Elementary School has the energy of a school where people know each other. Local events like the Stowe Foliage Arts Festival feel like they belong to the town, not just to visitors passing through.

    There is also a real culture of small business here. The coffee shops, the bookstore, the local restaurants, the breweries and cideries nearby, they are all built by people who chose to put down roots in this place. That says something. When the people running the businesses are also your neighbors, the whole town feels more coherent.

    Practical Things Worth Knowing About Stowe

    The drive from Stowe to Burlington is about an hour, which puts it within reach of an airport, a hospital system, a university, and a real city when you need one. For people moving from an urban area, that kind of access matters. You are not giving up civilization. You are trading the noise of it for something quieter, and keeping the option to dip back in when you want.

    The school system here is well-regarded, and for families that is often a deciding factor. Lamoille Union High School, which serves Stowe students, has a strong reputation in the region. It is the kind of place where teachers know students and students have room to figure out who they are.

    Internet in Stowe has improved significantly, which has made remote work more viable for people who want to live here full-time rather than just vacation here. That shift has brought a new wave of people to town, people who realized they did not have to choose between a place they love and the career they have built.

    What the Real Estate Market in Stowe Looks Like

    Stowe has a wide range of property types, which is part of what makes it interesting from a real estate standpoint. There are working farms with significant acreage. There are condominiums in slopeside developments. There are classic Vermont cape-style homes in the village. There are newer builds that take full advantage of the mountain views. The inventory shifts, but the demand has stayed consistent.

    Properties here tend to move. When something is priced well and positioned right, it does not sit. That is worth understanding before you start looking, because the pace of the market can catch people off guard if they are used to having more time to decide.

    What Kind of Buyer Does Well in Stowe

    The people who tend to find exactly what they are looking for in Stowe are the ones who know what they actually want and why. They are not just chasing a general idea of Vermont. They have thought about whether they want to ski in winter, hike in summer, work from a home office, raise kids in a small community, or some combination of all of it. That clarity makes the search go better and makes the decision feel solid once it is made.

    If you are earlier in that thinking process, that is fine too. Spending time in Stowe across different seasons before committing is genuinely useful. The town that shows up in January is different from the one in July, and both of them are part of the deal.

    Why People Who Move Here Tend to Stay

    I have talked to a lot of people who came to Stowe thinking they would be here for a year or two and ended up building their whole life around this place. It happens more than you would expect, and when you ask them why, the answers are usually pretty simple. The mountain. The people. The pace of things. The feeling of being somewhere that has its own identity and does not apologize for it.

    Vermont in general has that quality, but Stowe has it in a particular way. It is a town that has been sought after for a long time, and it has stayed itself through all of it. That is not easy to do, and it is a big part of what makes this place worth paying attention to.

    If Stowe is on your radar, whether you are visiting for the first time or you have been coming back for years and finally want to explore what it might look like to stay, it is worth having a real conversation about what that could look like for you.

  • Top Family Day Trips in Vermont for Summer Adventures

    Top Family Day Trips in Vermont for Summer Adventures

    Summer in Vermont is made for family adventures. From a swim at Warren Falls to a hike up to Sterling Pond, this post covers the best day trips across the state, including farms, rainy day options, and where to find the best maple creemees. Worth a bookmark if you have kids in tow this summer.

    Top Family Adventures in Vermont
  • Unmissable June Activities in Vermont for 2026

    Unmissable June Activities in Vermont for 2026

    spring in vermont

    June is the month Vermont finally exhales. The mud season mud is gone, the black flies are winding down, and the whole state shifts into something that feels genuinely celebratory. If you have been waiting for the right moment to visit, or if you live here and want to actually make the most of the season, June gives you more reasons to get outside and show up somewhere than almost any other month.

    I have lived through enough Vermont Junes to know that the events calendar this time of year is not just filler. These are the kinds of gatherings that remind you why people move here, stay here, and drive three hours to get here on a Friday afternoon. Some are big enough to draw visitors from across New England. Others are the kind of small-town thing that you stumble into and never forget.

    Here is a honest look at the June Vermont events worth building a trip around in 2026, with a few notes on what makes each one feel like the real Vermont.

    Burlington Discover Jazz Festival (June 3 to 7)

    If you have never been to Burlington for the Discover Jazz Festival, put it on the list now. This is the 43rd year of the festival, and it has earned every bit of its reputation as one of the most beloved events in the state. The lineup spans free outdoor performances all over the city, from Church Street to the Waterfront Park, plus ticketed shows at The Flynn and other venues.

    What makes it special is how woven into the city it feels. You can be grabbing a coffee on Church Street and suddenly there is live jazz spilling out of a doorway. The performances happen at all hours and in all kinds of spaces, which means you end up discovering parts of Burlington you might not have found otherwise.

    This year’s festival is curated by Jason Moran, a MacArthur Fellow and pianist who has framed the whole thing around jazz as a living, evolving art form. That means the lineup leans adventurous, not just nostalgic. Plan to check the schedule ahead of time because the free shows go fast in terms of good spots, and the ticketed events can sell out well before the weekend.

    Burlington in early June is also just genuinely lovely. The lake is right there, the restaurants are fully back in season, and the evenings are long enough to walk the waterfront after a show and still catch the last of the light.

    sunset over a lake

    Vermont Days: Free Admission at State Parks and Historic Sites (June 10 and 11)

    Vermont Days is one of those events that locals sometimes take for granted but really should not. For two full days in mid-June, the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation opens state parks for free. That means day-use fees are waived at parks across the state, and many historic sites join in with free or discounted admission as well.

    If you have been meaning to finally visit Elmore State Park, Smugglers Notch State Park, or any of the other gems scattered across northern Vermont, this is the weekend to do it. The crowds are manageable compared to peak July and August, the greenery is at its absolute richest, and everything feels fresh in a way that mid-summer heat tends to flatten out.

    For families especially, Vermont Days is worth circling on the calendar. Packing a picnic, hiking a trail, and swimming in a lake without paying a park entry fee feels like a genuine gift from the state. It is also a good nudge for people who are new to Vermont or thinking about relocating here, to get out and actually see how much natural beauty is within an hour of almost anywhere in the state.

    Saint Johnsbury Pet Parade (June 6)

    I know this one sounds quirky, but bear with me. The Saint Johnsbury Pet Parade is in its 76th year in 2026, and it is exactly the kind of thing that makes you understand why people love small-town Vermont. This is a real community event, not a performative one. Registration opens at 8:30 in the morning at the Fairbanks Museum, the parade lines up at 9:30, and it steps off at 10 sharp.

    This year’s theme is celebrities, which means you will see dogs dressed as pop stars, cats in tiny suits, and probably a few animals the owners will describe as “inspired by” someone famous. It is the kind of event where the joy is completely unironic, and that is exactly why it works.

    Saint Johnsbury itself is worth the trip even if you time it wrong. The Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium is one of those places that stops you in your tracks, and the Athenaeum down the street has an art gallery that feels almost impossibly good for a town this size. If you are considering a move to the Northeast Kingdom, this is a solid introduction to what makes the area feel like home.

    Quechee Hot Air Balloon, Craft and Music Festival (June 19 to 21)

    The Quechee Balloon Festival is the longest-running hot air balloon festival in New England, and it earns that title every single year. Watching a dozen or more balloons rise over the Upper Valley on a clear June morning is one of those Vermont experiences that photographs cannot fully capture. The scale of it, the quiet inflation, the way they drift, it is genuinely something.

    Beyond the balloons, the festival includes tethered and untethered balloon rides, live music, and more than 50 craft and vendor booths. There is a kids zone, food vendors, and a beer and wine garden. It is the kind of full weekend event where you can arrive on Friday evening and still feel like you have not seen everything by Sunday afternoon.

    Quechee is in the Upper Valley, which puts it closer to the New Hampshire border than to Burlington, but it is an easy drive from most of central Vermont. The village itself is charming, and Quechee Gorge is right nearby if you want to tack on a short hike. June 19 to 21 is a solid weekend to build a trip around if you are coming from out of state, especially since the weather in late June tends to cooperate.

    hot air balloon over rolling hills

    Wellwood Orchards Strawberry Festival (June 20)

    There are few things more Vermont than a strawberry festival at a working orchard, and the Wellwood Orchards Strawberry Festival in Springfield delivers. This is a one-day event on June 20, and it is the kind of thing that sells out or fills up quickly, so plan accordingly.

    Wellwood is a real working orchard with a long history in the Springfield area. The strawberry festival celebrates the early summer harvest in a way that feels genuinely agricultural rather than just themed. Expect fresh strawberries, strawberry shortcake, and the kind of relaxed farm atmosphere that is hard to manufacture anywhere else.

    Springfield sits in the Okemo Valley region, which gives you good options for combining the festival with a longer trip. There are hiking trails, quiet roads for cycling, and enough small towns nearby to make a whole weekend out of it. If you are a fan of farm-to-table eating or you just want to taste something that was growing in Vermont soil two days ago, this one is worth the drive.

    Naulakha Estate Rhododendron Tour, Dummerston (June 5 to 7)

    This one is more niche, but it is genuinely special. The Naulakha Estate in Dummerston is the former home of Rudyard Kipling, who lived there in the 1890s and wrote The Jungle Books on the property. The estate is normally accessible only to overnight guests through Landmark Trust USA, but every June it opens to the public for the annual Rhododendron Tour.

    The main draw for garden lovers is the famous rhododendron tunnel, which runs the length of a football field and is at peak bloom in early June. The grounds include sweeping views of the Vermont countryside, and the house itself is a fascinating piece of literary history.

    On Friday June 5, there is an evening cocktail party with access to the estate, hors d’oeuvres, and live music. Saturday and Sunday are self-guided day tours from 10 AM to 4:30 PM. You can bring a picnic and spend the afternoon at your own pace. It is a rare chance to see a property that is usually very private, and the setting is as beautiful as the history is interesting.

    Community Concerts on the Green, Middlesex (Weekly Through September)

    This one is less of a single event and more of a reason to keep coming back. Community Concerts on the Green in Middlesex runs weekly from late May through early September, and the June dates are some of the best. The setting is exactly what it sounds like: a town green, folding chairs, people showing up with blankets and coolers, and live music that tends to skew local and genuinely good.

    These concerts are free, family-friendly, and low-key in the best way. There is no big production behind it. It is just community showing up for community, which is something Vermont does quietly but consistently well. If you are new to the area or visiting from somewhere more urban, it is a good way to feel what the social fabric here actually feels like on a Tuesday evening.

    vermont backroad in the summer

    Planning a June Trip to Vermont: A Few Practical Notes

    June in Vermont does fill up, especially around big events like the Jazz Festival and the Balloon Festival. If you are planning a trip around one of these events, book accommodations early. Small inns, bed and breakfasts, and vacation rentals in and around Burlington, Stowe, and the Upper Valley tend to go quickly once the summer season kicks in.

    The weather in early June can still be unpredictable. Pack a layer even if the forecast looks warm, because Vermont evenings have a way of cooling down fast, especially in the hills. By the last week of June, you are usually in true summer territory, but early June mornings can still surprise you.

    Gas up before you head into more rural areas. It sounds obvious until you are halfway to Saint Johnsbury on a Saturday morning and realize the next station is further than you planned for. Vermont’s beauty is closely tied to its spaciousness, and spaciousness means a little more planning goes a long way.

    If you are exploring Vermont with an eye toward relocating here, June is one of the best months to visit. The communities are alive, the landscape is at its greenest, and you get a real sense of how people actually live here rather than just what the postcards show.

    June Is When Vermont Earns It

    Every season here has its argument. Fall has the foliage. Winter has the skiing. But June has this particular quality of arrival, where the state feels like it has fully opened up after months of holding back. The farms are running, the trails are clear, the events are stacking up on the calendar, and the days are long enough to fit more into them than seems possible.

    Whether you are coming for a weekend, planning a longer trip, or just looking for an excuse to finally get to that part of Vermont you have been meaning to explore, June gives you plenty of reasons to go.

    Pick one event and build around it. You will likely find more to do than you expected.

    Shop Green Mountain Peaks on Etsy

    Bring a little piece of Vermont into your home with our curated collection of gifts, apparel, and seasonal favorites. From cozy hoodies and crewnecks to Vermont-themed gift boxes and cookbooks, each item is designed to celebrate the Green Mountain spirit.

    • Vermont-inspired designs and gift sets
    • Printed and packaged with care
    • Ships directly to your door
    Visit Our Etsy Shop

    Discover gifts, apparel, and Vermont treasures made to share and enjoy year-round.

  • Buying Rural Land in Vermont: Key Insights and Tips

    Buying Rural Land in Vermont: Key Insights and Tips

    vermont fall hill side

    There is something about a piece of Vermont land that gets into your head and stays there. Maybe it is the way a hillside meadow looks in early October, all golden and quiet. Maybe it is the idea of waking up to nothing but birdsong and the sound of a brook running somewhere below the tree line. Whatever draws you in, buying land or a rural property in Vermont is one of the most rewarding things you can do here, and also one of the most complicated.

    I have talked with enough buyers over the years to know that most people arrive in Vermont with a romantic picture in mind and leave the closing table with a much more grounded one. That is not a bad thing. Vermont has a way of teaching you exactly what you need to know, usually before you make a mistake that costs you real money. This post is meant to help you get ahead of that learning curve.

    Why People Buy Rural Land in Vermont

    Vermont draws people who want something real. A lot of buyers come from southern New England or the mid-Atlantic and they are looking for space, quiet, and a slower pace. Some want a place to build a home on their own terms. Others are chasing a dream of a small farm or a sugar bush or a few acres where they can hunt and hike without running into anyone.

    Vermont delivers on all of that, genuinely. But the state also has layers of regulation, rural infrastructure challenges, and soil and water quirks that can turn a promising parcel into a much bigger project than you planned. Going in with realistic expectations is not pessimism. It is just smart.

    Act 250: Vermont’s Land Use Law

    If you are going to buy land in Vermont, you need to understand Act 250. It is the state’s major land use and development control law, passed in 1970, and it affects a significant portion of development projects across the state. Depending on where the land is located and what you want to do with it, your project may require an Act 250 permit before you can build.

    Act 250 reviews projects based on ten criteria covering things like water supply, erosion, traffic impact, educational services, wildlife habitat, and more. For many buyers purchasing land to build a primary residence, it may not apply. But if you are thinking about subdividing, developing ten or more housing units, or building above 2,500 feet in elevation, the rules change quickly.

    It is also worth knowing that Act 250 is currently in a period of active reform. Act 181, passed by the Vermont Legislature in 2024, created a new tiered jurisdiction system and introduced temporary housing exemptions that run through 2027. As of early 2026, the full tier system is still being finalized by the Land Use Review Board. That means the landscape of what triggers Act 250 review is actively shifting right now, and what applied to a neighboring parcel a couple of years ago may not apply to yours today.

    The best thing you can do before making an offer on raw land is sit down with a local Vermont real estate attorney and ask whether Act 250 is likely to be triggered for your intended use. This is not a step to skip. A parcel that looks perfect on paper can become a multi-year permitting project depending on the scope of what you want to do with it.

    Understanding Land Access and Right-of-Way

    Vermont has a lot of rural land accessed by shared driveways, class four town roads, and private easements. This is just part of the landscape here, and it is nothing to be afraid of, but it is something you need to understand before you sign anything.

    A class four road in Vermont is technically a public road, but the town has no legal obligation to maintain it. That means in mud season or after a heavy snowstorm, you may be on your own. Some buyers love the privacy that comes with a class four road. Others find out the hard way that their new property is unreachable for two weeks every March.

    Essential Tips for Home Buyers in Northern Vermont: Buying Rural Land in Vermont: Key Insights and Tips
    muddy dirt road in vermont

    If your land is accessed by an easement over a neighbor’s parcel, make sure that easement is clearly recorded and that it covers the uses you actually intend. An easement for agricultural use might not legally allow you to drive heavy construction equipment over it. These details matter enormously, and a title attorney who knows Vermont rural real estate will save you a lot of headaches.

    Soil, Water, and the All-Important Perc Test

    If there is no municipal water or sewer available (and there usually is not, outside of town centers), your land needs to support a drilled well and a septic system. That depends entirely on the soil.

    A percolation test (perc test) measures how quickly soil absorbs water and determines whether a conventional septic system can be installed. If the soil fails a perc test, you are looking at an engineered system, which works fine but adds significant cost. Some parcels simply cannot support any septic system at a practical price point, and those are the ones that tend to sit on the market for a long time.

    Always make your offer contingent on a satisfactory perc test and an independent well yield test if there is an existing well on the property. Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources oversees septic system design and permitting through the Department of Environmental Conservation. Your real estate agent should be able to walk you through what approvals already exist on the property and what still needs to be obtained.

    What to Ask About Existing Permits

    • Is there an existing wastewater permit on file with the state?
    • Has a site visit been completed by a licensed site technician?
    • If a well exists, when was it last tested and what was the yield?
    • Does the permit allow for the number of bedrooms you are planning?

    These are not abstract concerns. They are the difference between a smooth build and a project that stalls before it starts.

    Property Taxes and Current Use

    Vermont’s property taxes can feel steep at first glance, but the state has a program called Current Use (also known as the Use Value Appraisal Program) that significantly reduces property taxes on enrolled forestland and agricultural land. If you are purchasing land with substantial acreage, enrolling in Current Use could cut your annual tax bill considerably. More than 15,000 Vermont landowners are currently enrolled, preserving over two million acres of working land across the state.

    The trade-off is that if you later develop or withdraw enrolled land, you will owe a Land Use Change Tax equal to 10% of the assessed fair market value of the land being changed. It is not a penalty so much as a deferred cost, but it is worth understanding before you buy. Talk to a Vermont tax professional or ask your attorney to explain the implications based on your specific situation and long-term plans.

    cleared plot of land for house building

    What It Actually Costs to Build on Raw Land

    A lot of buyers fall in love with a parcel priced at $80,000 or $100,000 and assume the hard part is done once the deed is theirs. The reality is that developing raw land in Vermont, especially in rural or mountainous areas, involves costs that can surprise you if you have not done this before.

    Here is a rough picture of what you might be looking at beyond the land purchase price itself:

    • Driveway and site clearing: Depending on the terrain and distance from the road, this can run anywhere from $15,000 to $60,000 or more in Vermont.
    • Well drilling: Vermont wells average around 275 feet deep given the state’s rocky bedrock geology. Budget roughly $12,000 to $25,000 or more for a complete drilled well system including casing, pump, pressure tank, and electrical.
    • Septic system: A conventional in-ground system typically runs $12,000 to $20,000. An engineered mound system, required when groundwater is shallow or soil conditions are poor, routinely runs $30,000 to $50,000 or more depending on site conditions.
    • Utility connection: Running power to a remote parcel can involve significant line extension costs. Some buyers go off-grid intentionally, which carries its own upfront investment.
    • Permitting and engineering: Between Act 250 (if applicable), state wastewater permits, and local zoning, budgeting $5,000 to $15,000 for professional fees is not unreasonable.

    None of this should scare you off. People build beautiful homes and working homesteads on Vermont land every year. But going in with a realistic total cost picture is what separates a good investment from an overwhelming one.

    Zoning: It Varies More Than You Would Expect

    Vermont has 247 municipalities, and zoning rules vary significantly from one to the next. Some Vermont towns have no zoning at all, which gives you more freedom but also means your future neighbors have that same freedom. Other towns have detailed zoning bylaws that govern setbacks, lot coverage, use types, and more.

    Before you make an offer on land, pull the zoning bylaws for that town and read them. Most Vermont towns post them online through their own websites or through the Vermont League of Cities and Towns. If you are not sure what you are reading, ask your agent or an attorney to walk through it with you. Understanding what you can and cannot build on a parcel is foundational, not optional.

    Working with a Vermont REALTOR Who Knows Rural Property

    Buying rural land in Vermont is not the same as buying a condo in Burlington. You want someone on your side who has walked land in mud season, who understands what a class four road means in practice, who knows which towns have reliable broadband and which ones still have spotty coverage, and who can connect you with the right engineers, attorneys, and inspectors.

    The details that matter most on a rural Vermont property deal are almost never the ones listed on the MLS sheet. They are the things you learn by asking the right questions, doing a proper site visit, and working with professionals who have done this before in this specific landscape.

    house with barn in back yard vermont

    Final Thoughts

    Vermont land is unlike land almost anywhere else. It is beautiful in a way that does not photograph completely and does not fully translate until you are standing on a hillside watching the fog lift off the valley in the morning. That feeling is real, and for the right buyer, it is worth every bit of due diligence it takes to get there.

    Do your homework, work with people who know this landscape, and do not let the romance of the view outpace the reality of the process. Vermont rewards people who take it seriously, and a piece of this land, done right, can be one of the best decisions you ever make.

    Shop Green Mountain Peaks on Etsy

    Bring a little piece of Vermont into your home with our curated collection of gifts, apparel, and seasonal favorites. From cozy hoodies and crewnecks to Vermont-themed gift boxes and cookbooks, each item is designed to celebrate the Green Mountain spirit.

    • Vermont-inspired designs and gift sets
    • Printed and packaged with care
    • Ships directly to your door
    Visit Our Etsy Shop

    Discover gifts, apparel, and Vermont treasures made to share and enjoy year-round.

  • Spring Kayaking Guide: Explore Vermont’s Scenic Waterways

    Spring Kayaking Guide: Explore Vermont’s Scenic Waterways

    kayak on river bank in vermont

    There is something about paddling in Vermont in the spring that feels almost stolen. The water is still cold enough to keep most people home, the trees are just starting to wake up, and the rivers are full and fast from snowmelt. If you time it right, you can spend an entire morning on the water without seeing another soul.

    I have been paddling Vermont’s rivers and lakes for years now, and spring is genuinely my favorite season to do it. Not because it is the easiest (it is not), but because everything feels alive in a way it simply does not in July. The birdsong is relentless. The water is crystal clear. And the Adirondacks and Green Mountains framing the horizon are still capped with snow while you are drifting through a valley turning green.

    Whether you are a seasoned kayaker looking for moving water, a casual paddler hoping for a calm lake morning, or someone brand new to the sport visiting Vermont for the first time, there is a perfect spot here for you. This is my honest rundown of the best rivers and lakes for spring paddling in Vermont, built from real time on the water and conversations with people who know these places well.

    Why Spring Is Such a Good Time to Paddle in Vermont

    The obvious reason is water levels. Vermont rivers are at their most dramatic in April and early May, fed by snowmelt from the mountains and the wet shoulder-season weather. Rivers that feel lazy and shallow by August are powerful and exciting in the spring.

    But the less obvious reason is the scenery. Spring in Vermont happens fast. One week the hillsides are bare gray and brown, and the next they are covered in the most electric shade of green you have ever seen. Paddling through that transition, especially in early May, is genuinely one of the most beautiful things you can do in this state.

    One thing to keep in mind: spring paddling requires a little more preparation than summer paddling. Water temperatures are cold, often in the 40s and low 50s. If you are paddling moving water, you should wear a wetsuit or drysuit, bring a partner, and check water levels before you go. The USGS Water Resources website and American Whitewater both have real-time gauge data for Vermont rivers. Check them before every trip.

    The Best Rivers for Spring Paddling in Vermont

    The Lamoille River

    The Lamoille is close to home for me, and it is honestly one of the most underrated paddling rivers in the state. It runs from Greensboro all the way to Lake Champlain, and different sections offer completely different experiences depending on what you are looking for.

    For beginners or anyone wanting a relaxed float, the stretch between Johnson and Morrisville is gentle and scenic. You pass through farmland and forest, and the views back toward Sterling and Elmore are stunning in the spring. Experienced paddlers tend to head farther upstream for more technical water, but I would not overlook the lower sections just because they are calm.

    The Lamoille corridor is also one of the best places in the state for spring bird watching from the water. I have spotted great blue herons, ospreys, and mergansers on a single morning trip through there in May. Bring waterproof binoculars if you have them.

    canoe floating in Vermont river

    The Mad River

    The Mad River runs through the Mad River Valley, which is already one of Vermont’s most beloved pockets. In the spring, the river earns its name. Water levels are high, the current is strong, and several stretches offer genuine whitewater for intermediate and advanced paddlers.

    The section near Waitsfield is a local favorite. It is accessible, has good put-in and take-out points, and gives you enough of a challenge to feel it in your shoulders by the time you are done. The valley walls are steep and forested, so even on a gray spring day it feels dramatic.

    If you are newer to rivers, I would recommend waiting until mid-May when levels drop a bit, or sticking to the calmer lower stretch near the confluence with the Winooski. The Mad in April is not a beginner river.

    The Winooski River

    The Winooski is one of Vermont’s great rivers, and it cuts a beautiful path from the Northeast Kingdom through the heart of the state before emptying into Lake Champlain near Burlington. There are dozens of possible put-in points depending on what kind of paddling you want.

    The stretch between Montpelier and Waterbury is particularly good in the spring. You get a mix of flatwater and mild riffles, farmland and wooded gorges, and easy access in and out. It is a great full-day trip for intermediate paddlers who want to cover some distance without any gnarly whitewater.

    Closer to Burlington, the river flattens out and widens as it approaches the delta. Paddling the lower Winooski in May, watching the river grass fill in and the red-winged blackbirds stake out territory in the cattails, is one of those Vermont experiences that quietly becomes a favorite memory.

    The West River

    If you are willing to drive south, the West River in Windham County is one of the great spring whitewater destinations in New England. The Ball Mountain Dam release schedule, managed by the Army Corps of Engineers, creates some of the best predictable whitewater conditions in Vermont.

    The section between Jamaica State Park and Townshend is the classic run. Class II and III rapids, big scenery, and the kind of organized paddling energy you get when a spot has a real local community around it. Jamaica State Park also has camping, which makes a weekend trip easy to plan.

    Check release schedules before you go. Paddling the West without a release is a very different experience than paddling it during one.

    The Best Lakes for Spring Paddling in Vermont

    Lake Champlain

    Lake Champlain is an obvious answer, but it deserves the mention because it is genuinely one of the most spectacular paddling environments in the entire northeastern United States. The lake stretches 120 miles, borders Vermont and New York, and dips into Quebec. There is a lifetime of paddling here.

    In the spring, the lake can be moody and dramatic in the best possible way. The winds are unpredictable, so paddling close to shore and in the protected bays is the smart move, especially in April. The Inland Sea, the shallow northern section between Grand Isle and the mainland, is perfect for spring paddling. It warms up faster than the main lake, the bays offer wind protection, and the views toward the Green Mountains to the east are flat-out beautiful.

    Sand Bar State Park in Milton has one of the best put-in spots on the lake, and the paddle across to Sand Bar Wildlife Area and back is a lovely morning trip. Watch for loons on the water in May. They come back to Lake Champlain to nest every spring and their calls across the water are something you will not forget.

    kayak with snow capped mountains

    Waterbury Reservoir

    Waterbury Reservoir sits between Waterbury and Stowe, surrounded by state forest. It is calm water, reliably pretty, and because it is off the main tourist circuit, you often have it mostly to yourself in the early season.

    The reservoir is long and narrow, which makes it ideal for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. You can launch from the public access area at the north end and paddle south into the quiet coves and forested shoreline. On a clear May morning with Camel’s Hump visible above the treeline, it is genuinely hard to believe you are only ten minutes off the highway.

    Water temperatures are cold through most of May, so dress accordingly. But the flat water and the protected setting make this one of the more forgiving spring paddles in the state for newer paddlers who are not ready for rivers yet.

    Lake Elmore

    Lake Elmore in Lamoille County is one of my personal favorites for a spring morning. It is small and manageable, easy to circumnavigate in a couple of hours, and the state park has a good public launch. Mount Elmore rises straight up from the southeastern shore, and the reflections on still water in the early morning are the kind of thing that makes people reach for their cameras.

    Because it is smaller and relatively shallow, Lake Elmore warms up faster than the bigger bodies of water, which means paddling conditions are comfortable a little earlier in the season. It is a great place to take someone who has never been on the water before. Accessible, peaceful, and quietly stunning.

    Groton State Forest Ponds

    Groton State Forest in Caledonia County is one of Vermont’s least visited gems, and the collection of ponds inside the forest (Ricker Pond, Lake Groton, Noyes Pond, and others) are perfect for spring flatwater paddling. Loons nest here. The forest is dense and the shorelines are largely undeveloped. It feels remote in a way that very few places within two hours of Burlington actually feel.

    Lake Groton is the largest of the group and has a public boat launch. Ricker Pond State Park has camping. If you are looking for a spring paddling trip that doubles as a quiet overnight getaway, this is one of the best options in the state.</p

    yellow kayak with water splashing over it

    A Few Practical Things Worth Knowing

    Where to Rent Gear in Vermont

    If you do not own a kayak or canoe, there are good rental options around the state. Umiak Outdoor Outfitters in Stowe has been outfitting Vermont paddlers for decades and they know the local water as well as anyone. Several state park campgrounds also offer canoe and kayak rentals, including those at Groton State Forest and Burton Island State Park on Lake Champlain.

    Stand-up paddleboards have become popular at a lot of Vermont lakes, and you can find SUP rentals near most of the major lakes during the warmer parts of spring.

    Checking Conditions Before You Go

    For rivers, always check current gauge levels at waterdata.usgs.gov before you paddle. American Whitewater (americanwhitewater.org) has Vermont-specific river guides with recommended gauge levels for each run. For lakes, local wind and weather forecasts matter a lot, especially on Lake Champlain where conditions can change quickly.

    Water temperatures on Vermont lakes and rivers in April and early May are typically in the 40 to 52 degree range. Cold water immersion is genuinely dangerous. Wear a wetsuit or drysuit on moving water, always wear a PFD, and paddle with a buddy until conditions warm up in late May and June.

    Leave the Place Better Than You Found It

    Vermont paddlers tend to have a strong ethic around the water. Pack out everything you bring in, stay off sensitive shoreline vegetation, and give nesting birds a wide berth in the spring, especially loons and herons. These places feel wild and clean because people treat them that way.

    Getting Out There

    Spring paddling in Vermont is one of those experiences that stays with you long after the season is over. The cold air, the high water, the way the whole landscape feels like it is just waking up. There is nothing quite like it, and you do not need to be an expert paddler to enjoy it.

    Pick one of the calmer lakes for your first spring outing. Get comfortable with the gear and the conditions. Then work your way toward the rivers when you are ready. Vermont has more good water than most people realize, and most of it is right there waiting.

    Spring does not last long here. It is worth getting out while you can.

    Shop Green Mountain Peaks on Etsy

    Bring a little piece of Vermont into your home with our curated collection of gifts, apparel, and seasonal favorites. From cozy hoodies and crewnecks to Vermont-themed gift boxes and cookbooks, each item is designed to celebrate the Green Mountain spirit.

    • Vermont-inspired designs and gift sets
    • Printed and packaged with care
    • Ships directly to your door
    Visit Our Etsy Shop

    Discover gifts, apparel, and Vermont treasures made to share and enjoy year-round.

  • The Magic of Vermont’s Spring Fire Pit Evenings

    The Magic of Vermont’s Spring Fire Pit Evenings

    There is a moment every spring in Vermont when you know the season has actually turned. It is not the calendar date, and it is not the first warm afternoon. It is the evening you finally drag the chairs back out to the fire pit, stack some wood, and light it without feeling like you are rushing the season.

    That moment usually comes somewhere in May, after mud season has done its worst and the ground has firmed up enough to stand on without losing a boot. The air still has a bite to it after the sun goes down. The peepers are going full volume in whatever wet patch is nearest to your yard. And the fire feels like exactly the right response to all of it.

    This is one of my favorite Vermont rituals, and it does not get talked about nearly as much as foliage or maple season. But if you live here, or if you have spent a real stretch of time here in the warmer months, you know exactly what I mean.

    When the Fire Pit Comes Back Out

    Mud season in Vermont is real and it is humbling. From late March through most of April, the ground is saturated, the dirt roads are soft, and everything feels a little suspended. You are not quite in winter anymore but you are not in spring either. You are just waiting.

    When it finally breaks, it breaks fast. The grass starts to green up almost overnight. People are outside again. And the first fire of the season feels less like a choice and more like a necessity, a way of marking the shift and celebrating the fact that the long part is over.

    There is something about that first fire in May that tastes better than any fire in July. Maybe it is the relief. Maybe it is the contrast with what just came before. Either way, it sets the tone for the whole season ahead.

    The People Who Appear

    Fire pits have a gravity to them that I cannot fully explain. Light one in your backyard and people materialize. Not because you planned anything or sent a message, just because there is a fire and that is enough of a reason.

    Neighbors you have waved to all winter end up pulling up a chair. Someone brings something to drink. Someone else shows up with food. By the time it is fully dark you are deep into a conversation that started nowhere in particular and went somewhere good, and nobody is checking their phone because there is no reason to.

    Vermont evenings in late May and June have a particular quality that I think people who visit in the summer sometimes miss because they are here for the daytime version of the state. The evenings are long and cool and quiet in a way that feels specific to this place. There is still a chill after the sun drops, just enough that the fire stops being decorative and starts being genuinely useful.

    That balance, warm enough to be outside, cool enough to want the fire, is the sweet spot. It usually lasts through June and into early July before the actual summer heat settles in.

    What We Cook Over It

    I am going to be honest: once you get comfortable cooking over a real fire, the gas grill starts to feel like a shortcut. Food cooked over open flame is different. There is smoke involved, and patience, and a kind of attention that does not feel like work because you are already sitting outside with a drink and good company.

    I have been cooking over the fire at home using the open fire grill from OakStoke Steelworks. It stakes into the ground, swings over the fire, and handles actual flame without any issues. For anyone who takes the cooking side of this seriously, it is worth looking into. But a simple grate works fine if you are just getting started.

    The ingredients matter more than the equipment anyway. Vermont in spring and early summer has good things to cook. Local farms are starting to have product again. The farmstand down the road is open. You do not need to plan much.

    A Few Things Worth Cooking Over a Real Fire This Time of Year

    • Asparagus in a cast iron skillet with butter and a little salt. Vermont asparagus season is short and it is worth doing this at least once while it lasts.
    • Sausage from a local farm cooked low and slow over the coals. The difference between this and a grocery store product is significant and worth paying for.
    • Foil packet potatoes with onion, olive oil, and whatever herbs you have. Bury them near the coals for forty minutes and let them do their thing.
    • Early corn in the husk laid directly on the grate. It steams in its own leaves and comes off the fire tasting like summer.

    None of this is complicated. The fire does most of the work. You just have to be willing to slow down enough to let it.

    Vermont Evenings in May and June Are Their Own Thing

    Peak foliage gets all the attention when people talk about Vermont seasons, and fair enough. But I would put a clear June evening up against any foliage weekend for the quality of being here. The light lasts until almost nine. The hillsides are that particular shade of green that only shows up for a few weeks before it deepens and settles into summer. The air smells like it just rained even when it did not.

    Early summer in Vermont also comes with sound. Peepers in May give way to the full chorus of June nights, birds going until dark, the occasional distant loon if you are near water. Sitting outside with a fire going while all of that is happening around you is an experience that I think people who only visit Vermont in fall or ski season are genuinely missing.

    There is also something to be said for how uncrowded it is. June in Vermont, outside of graduation weekends and holiday weekends, is quiet. The tourist wave has not really arrived yet. The roads are open. The restaurants have tables. It is the locals’ season, and the fire pit is very much part of it.

    You Do Not Need Much to Make This a Habit

    The tendency to over-engineer the fire pit is real and worth resisting. You do not need a purpose-built outdoor living space or matching furniture or any of the things that get marketed alongside this lifestyle. You need wood, something to contain the fire, a few chairs that are already outside, and enough time to let it burn for a couple of hours.

    In Vermont you can usually find good hardwood within ten minutes of wherever you are. Birch and maple are both common, both burn well, and both smell like exactly what a Vermont fire should smell like. The rest of it is just showing up and letting the evening do what evenings here do.

    Once you do it a few times it becomes a weekly thing without really deciding to make it one. Someone texts to ask if you are having a fire and you realize you were already planning on it. That is when it stops being an activity and starts being just how you live.

    This Is the Part of Vermont Living That Is Hard to Explain

    Vermont has a reputation for being slow and a little resistant to urgency, and I think that reputation is accurate and worth protecting. This is a state that still runs on town meetings and dirt roads and people who grow things and fix things and know their neighbors by name. The backyard fire fits right into that world.

    It is slow. It cannot be rushed without ruining it. It asks you to sit still and stay a while and not have a plan beyond the fire burning down. That is either frustrating or exactly what you needed, and most people who end up loving Vermont eventually figure out that it was the latter.

    If you are visiting Vermont this spring or summer, try to build a fire pit evening into your trip somewhere. If you are thinking about moving here, know that this is part of what the life actually looks like on an ordinary Tuesday in June. It is not dramatic or photogenic in an obvious way. It is just really, really good.

    The chairs are already out. The wood is stacked. Tonight seems like the right night.

  • Navigating the Vermont Real Estate Market: A First-Time Buyer’s Guide

    Navigating the Vermont Real Estate Market: A First-Time Buyer’s Guide

    Buying your first home anywhere is a big deal. Buying your first home in Vermont comes with its own particular set of things to understand, most of which nobody outside the state will tell you about. The market moves fast in the places people most want to live, the housing stock is old and quirky in the best and occasionally costly ways, and the things that make Vermont homes special are sometimes the same things that make them complicated.

    This guide is for people who are serious about buying in Vermont and want a realistic picture of what that process actually looks like, not a checklist built for a generic suburban market. Whether you are already living here or making plans to move, here is what you need to know.

    Get Pre-Approved Before You Do Anything Else

    This is not just standard advice. In Vermont’s lower-inventory markets, particularly in Chittenden County and the towns surrounding Stowe, Morrisville, and Burlington, well-priced homes in good condition regularly receive multiple offers within days of listing. Showing up without a pre-approval letter means you are not a real buyer yet, and sellers know it.

    Pre-approval is different from pre-qualification. Pre-qualification is a quick estimate based on self-reported information. Pre-approval involves a lender actually verifying your income, assets, credit, and employment, and it carries real weight when you make an offer. Get the pre-approval before you fall in love with a house.

    Consider a Local Vermont Lender

    National lenders can work, but local Vermont lenders often have advantages that matter during the buying process. They know the market, they understand Vermont property types including rural parcels with wells and septic systems, and they can sometimes move faster at critical moments. A listing agent who has worked with a particular local lender before will have more confidence in your offer as a result.

    The Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) is worth knowing about if you are a first-time buyer or have not owned a home in the past three years. VHFA offers the Move program, which provides below-market mortgage rates to qualifying buyers, and the Move MCC, a mortgage credit certificate that lets you claim a portion of your annual mortgage interest as a federal tax credit. Income and purchase price limits apply, but many first-time buyers in Vermont fall within them. A VHFA-participating lender can walk you through eligibility in about fifteen minutes.

    Understanding the Vermont Housing Market

    The defining feature of most Vermont real estate markets right now is inventory. There are simply not many homes for sale relative to the number of buyers looking, and that dynamic has held for several years. In practical terms, it means that when a good home hits the market at a fair price, it tends to move quickly.

    Price ranges vary a lot by region. Chittenden County, which includes Burlington, South Burlington, and Williston, is the most expensive market in the state. Lamoille County towns like Morrisville, Hyde Park, and Johnson tend to offer more accessible price points with shorter commutes to Stowe and Burlington than people assume. The Northeast Kingdom, covering Orleans, Essex, and Caledonia counties, has the most affordable prices but also the fewest amenities and the longest distances from employment centers.

    What First-Time Buyers Often Get Wrong About Vermont Home Prices

    The sticker price is only part of the picture. A Vermont home listed at $275,000 might look like a deal, and it might be. But the cost of heating an old farmhouse through a Vermont winter, replacing a failing well pump, or connecting to high-speed internet in a rural town can change the math significantly.

    Heating costs deserve particular attention. Vermont winters are real, and homes heated with oil or propane can cost $3,000 to $5,000 or more per season depending on the size of the house and how well insulated it is. Heat pumps have become a much more common and cost-effective option in recent years, but not every home is set up for them. Understanding the heating situation before you make an offer is important.

    Property taxes also vary by town. Vermont’s education funding system means that property tax rates are not uniform across the state, and the tax bill on a comparable property can differ noticeably from one town to the next. Ask your agent about current rates in any town you are seriously considering.

    The Vermont Home Inspection Is Not Optional

    I know buyers in competitive markets sometimes feel pressure to waive inspection contingencies to make their offer more attractive. In Vermont, that is a risky move worth thinking very carefully about. The housing stock here is old. Many homes were built well before modern building codes, and even a well-maintained older Vermont farmhouse can have things that a thorough inspection will surface.

    A standard home inspection in Vermont should include the structure, roof, foundation, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC. But for most Vermont properties, you also want:

    • A well flow test and water quality test. You want to know the well produces adequate water and that the water is safe to drink. Coliform bacteria and arsenic are the most common concerns in Vermont well water. These tests are relatively inexpensive and worth every penny.
    • A septic system inspection. Many Vermont homes have older septic systems, and a failing system can be a very expensive fix. Ask when the system was last pumped and inspected, and hire someone to evaluate it properly before closing.
    • A review of the heating system. Old oil boilers and furnaces can be functional but nearing the end of their lifespan. Know what you are working with before you commit.

    A good inspector in Vermont will be familiar with the quirks of older New England construction. Ask for recommendations from your agent or people who have recently bought in the area you are targeting.

    Vermont-Specific Things Every First-Time Buyer Should Know

    Vermont has a few property-related considerations that do not come up in most first-time buyer guides written for other markets.

    • Broadband access. Rural Vermont still has significant gaps in high-speed internet coverage. If you work remotely or plan to, verify actual broadband availability at a specific address before you make an offer. “Available in the area” is not the same as “available at this house.”
    • Private road maintenance agreements. Many Vermont properties are accessed by private roads shared with neighbors. Make sure there is a written maintenance agreement in place and understand what you are responsible for. Plowing, grading, and gravel replacement add up.
    • Act 250. Vermont’s land use and development control law applies to certain types of development and land subdivision. It does not affect most standard home purchases, but if you are buying a property with development potential or a larger land parcel, it is worth understanding what Act 250 review would involve.
    • Current use enrollment. Properties with significant acreage may be enrolled in Vermont’s Use Value Appraisal program (commonly called current use), which reduces the assessed value of farm and forest land for tax purposes. Enrollment has conditions attached, so understand what you are taking on if the property is enrolled.

    Vermont Programs That Can Help First-Time Buyers

    Beyond the VHFA programs already mentioned, there are a few other resources worth knowing about.

    USDA Rural Development loans offer zero-down-payment financing for eligible buyers in qualifying rural areas. A surprising number of Vermont properties and towns fall within USDA eligible zones, including many in Lamoille, Orleans, and Essex counties. Income limits apply, but for first-time buyers, this is a program worth checking.

    If you are relocating from out of state and working remotely, Vermont’s Worker Relocation Incentive Program through ThinkVermont.com offers up to $7,500 to eligible remote workers who move to Vermont. It is not a mortgage program, but $7,500 toward moving costs or closing costs is real money at a stressful time.

    A good Vermont lender will know how to layer these programs together and tell you honestly which ones you qualify for. Ask directly and ask early in the process.

    Working With a Vermont Real Estate Agent

    Vermont’s towns and markets are genuinely different from each other in ways that do not show up in a Zillow search. A buyer’s agent who knows the difference between the Morrisville and Hyde Park markets, understands which roads flood in mud season, and has relationships with local inspectors and lenders will help you avoid costly mistakes and move confidently when the right home comes up.

    One important change to understand before you start: as of August 2024, buyer’s agent compensation is no longer automatically offered by sellers through the MLS. Before you tour any homes, you will sign a written buyer representation agreement with your agent that clearly states how their compensation works and what the rate is. In some transactions, sellers still offer to cover the buyer’s agent fee as part of negotiations, but it is not guaranteed. Talk through the compensation structure openly with any agent you are considering before you commit.

    I work with buyers in Lamoille County and surrounding areas including Stowe, Morrisville, Hyde Park, Johnson, Cambridge, and Burlington. If you are looking in northern Vermont and want to talk through what the buying process looks like right now, I am happy to help.

    What Happens After You Find a Home You Love

    The offer process in Vermont follows a fairly standard New England purchase and sale agreement format. Earnest money deposits are typically one to three percent of the purchase price. Your agent will help you determine what offer price and terms make sense given current market conditions and the specific property.

    From accepted offer to closing typically runs four to six weeks in Vermont, though it can be faster with a motivated seller and an efficient lender. That window covers inspections, financing finalization, title search, and any negotiations that come up after inspection.

    Budget for closing costs in the range of two to four percent of the purchase price. This covers lender fees, title insurance, transfer taxes, recording fees, and prepaid items like homeowners insurance and property tax escrow. Your lender is required to give you a Loan Estimate early in the process, which will lay out the expected costs clearly.

    Vermont’s property transfer tax is paid by the buyer at closing. For a primary residence, the rate is 0.5% on the first $200,000 of the purchase price, and 1.47% (which includes the Clean Water Surcharge) on any value above that. On a $350,000 primary residence, that works out to roughly $3,245 at closing. Your Loan Estimate will reflect the exact figure for the home you are purchasing.

    Buying your first home in Vermont is genuinely worth doing right. The state rewards the people who put down roots here, and a home in northern Vermont is not just an asset. It is a front-row seat to one of the most quietly extraordinary places in New England.

    Shop Green Mountain Peaks on Etsy

    Bring a little piece of Vermont into your home with our curated collection of gifts, apparel, and seasonal favorites. From cozy hoodies and crewnecks to Vermont-themed gift boxes and cookbooks, each item is designed to celebrate the Green Mountain spirit.

    • Vermont-inspired designs and gift sets
    • Printed and packaged with care
    • Ships directly to your door
    Visit Our Etsy Shop

    Discover gifts, apparel, and Vermont treasures made to share and enjoy year-round.

  • Spring Wildlife Watching in Northern Vermont

    Spring Wildlife Watching in Northern Vermont

    There is a specific kind of morning in late May in northern Vermont where the light is still low, the fields are wet with dew, and something is standing at the edge of the tree line that was not there a second ago. A white-tailed deer, a wild turkey, sometimes a fox trotting along the fence row with somewhere important to be. If you have never driven a back road in Vermont during spring, this is the version of the state that people who live here know best.

    Spring is not a subtle season here. After a long winter and the slog of mud season, the green-up happens fast and the wildlife moves with it. From late April through early June, the roadsides and fields of northern Vermont turn into some of the most consistently rewarding places in New England to see wild animals going about their lives.

    You do not need a guided tour or a spotting scope. You mostly just need to slow down and pay attention.

    Why Spring Is the Best Season for Vermont Wildlife Watching

    The short answer is that everything is moving at once. Animals that spent the winter deep in the woods or hunkered in low spots are coming out to feed on new growth, find mates, and raise young. The vegetation has not fully leafed out yet, which means sightlines are longer than they will be in July. And the light in May, especially in the early morning and the hour before sunset, is extraordinary.

    This is different from fall foliage season, which draws people to Vermont for the color. Spring wildlife watching is quieter, less crowded, and in some ways more rewarding because you are watching the state wake up rather than wind down. The roadsides that will be packed with leaf-peepers in October are yours in May, and the animals have not yet retreated into the full cover of summer.

    Plan your drives for dawn and dusk if you can. That is when deer, turkeys, foxes, and black bears are most likely to be visible in open areas. Overcast days in May are often surprisingly active, especially around wetlands where herons and shorebirds are feeding in the shallow margins.

    What You Are Likely to See on a Drive Through Northern Vermont

    The honest answer is that it depends on where you go and how slowly you drive, but here is what shows up consistently.

    White-Tailed Deer

    Deer are the most reliable spring sighting in Vermont. They move out of winter cover as the grass comes in, and you will see them in fields and meadows in the early morning and evening hours. A doe with a fawn is possible by late May. Drive any stretch of Route 15 between Morrisville and Johnson at dusk and you are very likely to see deer in the fields along the Lamoille River.

    Wild Turkeys

    Turkeys are having a moment in Vermont. The population has grown considerably over the past two decades and you will see them year-round, but spring is when they are most visible and most interesting. Toms strut and fan their tails in open meadows during mating season, and flocks of hens move through agricultural fields and roadsides with a kind of unhurried confidence. If you have never seen a full-display tom turkey up close, it is genuinely impressive.

    Black Bears

    Bears emerge from their dens in spring hungry and looking for food. They are most often spotted in the early morning near berry-producing shrubs, agricultural areas, and forest edges. Sightings are not rare in northern Vermont, but they require some patience. The Northeast Kingdom and the hill towns east of Morrisville are productive areas. A bear sighting is one of those Vermont experiences that feels significant the first time it happens, especially if you are used to wildlife meaning squirrels and pigeons.

    Red Foxes

    Fox pups are born in late winter, and by May the adults are very active hunting rodents in fields and meadows to feed them. You will sometimes see a fox trotting a fence line or sitting in tall grass watching for movement. Old farm properties with a mix of open field and brushy edge habitat are reliable fox territory throughout northern Vermont.

    The Best Routes for Wildlife Watching in Northern Vermont

    You do not have to go far from the main roads to find good wildlife habitat, but the back roads are where the real encounters happen. Here are the stretches worth building a slow drive around.

    • Route 15 through the Lamoille Valley (Morrisville to Hyde Park to Johnson). This corridor follows the Lamoille River through wide agricultural bottomland. Deer, turkeys, and herons are common. Drive it at dusk with your windows down.
    • Route 100 north from Stowe toward Lowell and Jay. This is one of the most scenic spring drives in the state. The road passes through remote hill country with beaver ponds, wetland edges, and stretches where you might not see another car for twenty minutes. Bear sightings happen here.
    • The roads around Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge near Swanton. This is one of the best birding spots in Vermont and a reliable area for waterfowl, osprey, and great blue herons during spring migration and nesting season.
    • Route 108 through Smugglers’ Notch (once it reopens, typically in late May). The notch itself is dramatic, but the farmland on the Jeffersonville side in the morning is reliably good for deer and turkeys.
    • Back roads around Lake Carmi State Park in Franklin. Less visited than many Vermont destinations, this is excellent habitat for wading birds and waterfowl, and the surrounding farmland is good for mammals at dawn.

    Birds Worth Watching For (Even If You Are Not a Birder)

    You do not have to be a birder to appreciate what is happening in Vermont’s fields and wetlands in May. A few species are distinctive enough that they tend to catch people off guard, in the best way.

    The bobolink is worth mentioning first because its call is unlike anything else. It sounds mechanical and bubbly at the same time, like something a science fiction prop designer would invent. Bobolinks nest in Vermont hayfields and you will hear them before you see them, hovering and singing over tall grass from late May onward. They are grassland birds that have declined in many places as land use has changed, which makes hearing them in a Vermont field feel genuinely lucky.

    Great blue herons are reliable near any slow-moving water. They stand completely still in the shallows and then move with a speed that seems impossible for a bird that large. Osprey have returned to Vermont in strong numbers and you will often see them hovering over rivers and ponds before diving for fish. The Lamoille River corridor and Lake Carmi are both good spots.

    Red-winged blackbirds are worth mentioning not because they are rare but because their call is the sound of a Vermont spring. The moment the males start singing from cattails and fence posts, you know the season has turned for real.

    The Moose Question

    Everyone asks about moose, and the honest answer is: they are real, they are worth looking for, and they are not guaranteed even in the best habitat. Vermont’s moose population has faced pressure from a warming climate and the winter tick, which has reduced numbers in some areas. But moose are still present, especially in the Northeast Kingdom and in the remote hill country of northern Lamoille County.

    Spring is actually a genuinely good window for moose sightings for one specific reason: they are drawn to roadsides to lick mineral salts that accumulate from road treatment during winter. Wetland edges, willow thickets, and shallow pond margins near the Canadian border region are your best options. Dawn is the most reliable time.

    If you do see a moose near a road, stay in your vehicle. They are enormous (a cow moose can weigh 700 pounds), and they are not as predictable as deer. Give them time and space and they will usually move on their own.

    How to Watch Without Getting in the Way

    The best wildlife watching in Vermont happens when you are quiet and still. Pulling slowly to the side of a back road and turning off your engine will get you farther than driving up a farm lane or stepping out into a field. Animals key on movement and noise, and a parked car is far less threatening to them than a person standing in the open.

    Resist the instinct to get closer. A good photo from a respectful distance is better than a stressed animal that has to flee. This is especially true for bears with cubs and birds on nests, both of which are common in late spring.

    Five minutes of patience in the right spot will often produce more than an hour of driving. Find a wetland edge, a field margin, or a stretch of river valley, stop, and just watch what is already there.

    What This Has to Do With Living Here

    One of the things people who move to northern Vermont mention most often is that the wildlife stops being scenery and starts being neighbors. A fox den under the shed. Turkeys crossing the driveway in November. A bear in the compost pile. A moose standing in the back field at six in the morning.

    This is part of what rural Vermont actually means. The wildlife corridors and the habitat that supports these animals are the same landscape that shapes where towns are, where farms sit, and where people build houses. It is not separate from Vermont life. It is threaded through it.

    If you are thinking about what it would be like to live here year-round, a slow spring drive north is one of the better ways to start understanding what that actually looks like on an ordinary morning.

    You do not need a destination. Just a full tank, a slow pace, and your windows down.

    Shop Green Mountain Peaks on Etsy

    Bring a little piece of Vermont into your home with our curated collection of gifts, apparel, and seasonal favorites. From cozy hoodies and crewnecks to Vermont-themed gift boxes and cookbooks, each item is designed to celebrate the Green Mountain spirit.

    • Vermont-inspired designs and gift sets
    • Printed and packaged with care
    • Ships directly to your door
    Visit Our Etsy Shop

    Discover gifts, apparel, and Vermont treasures made to share and enjoy year-round.

  • Navigating Vermont’s Housing Market: Insights for Buyers and Sellers

    Navigating Vermont’s Housing Market: Insights for Buyers and Sellers

    Vermont’s housing market has never been easy to predict, but it has always rewarded people who take the time to actually understand it. If you’re buying, selling, or just keeping an eye on things, 2026 is shaping up to be another year where local knowledge matters more than national headlines.

    Here’s what’s actually going on in Vermont real estate right now, based on what I’m seeing on the ground.

    The Vermont Market Heading Into 2026

    The last few years rewired a lot of what people assumed about Vermont real estate. Remote work brought a wave of buyers from Boston, New York, and New Jersey who discovered they could live somewhere genuinely beautiful without being tethered to a city. That demand hit a market that was already tight on inventory, and prices moved up fast.

    Heading into 2026, some of that urgency has cooled. But “cooled” is relative. Vermont isn’t experiencing the kind of price corrections you might see in overbuilt Sun Belt markets. What’s happening here is more of a recalibration, a market catching its breath after a sprint.

    The big distinction worth understanding is that Vermont isn’t one market. Chittenden County (Burlington and its suburbs) behaves differently from Lamoille County. The Northeast Kingdom operates differently from the Mad River Valley. Treating Vermont real estate as a single thing is the first mistake a lot of buyers make.

    What Home Prices Look Like Right Now

    The statewide median home price in Vermont has held up well. Buyers shopping in the $350,000 to $450,000 range are finding that they’re competitive in many areas outside of the most sought-after resort corridors, but they’re not getting deals handed to them.

    In Lamoille County, the Stowe effect is real. Proximity to one of the most recognized ski destinations in the East pushes values up significantly, and even towns like Morrisville and Hyde Park have seen meaningful appreciation as buyers look for relative value near the mountain. Further out in Washington and Orleans counties, the price-per-square-foot numbers look very different, and the land-to-home ratios start to favor buyers with more patience than urgency.

    If you’re curious about what $400,000 actually gets you in Northern Vermont, the answer is: it depends heavily on the town, the condition of the house, the well and septic situation, and how recently the heating system was updated. Vermont homes come with context that matters.

    Northern Vermont vs. Southern Vermont: A Tale of Two Markets

    Northern Vermont, especially the Lamoille and Chittenden county corridors, continues to attract buyers who want proximity to skiing, the Burlington metro, and a growing remote-work-friendly infrastructure. Southern Vermont towns like Brattleboro and Bellows Falls have their own appeal, particularly for buyers drawn to arts communities and Connecticut River valley character.

    The Northeast Kingdom remains the most affordable corner of the state, and it’s genuinely stunning country. But buyers need to go in with clear eyes about services, broadband access in rural areas, and the realities of a longer winter. For the right buyer, it’s an incredible opportunity. For someone expecting Burlington amenities at Kingdom prices, it’s a mismatch.

    The Inventory Problem (And Why It’s Not Going Away Soon)

    Vermont has a housing inventory problem, and it predates the pandemic. The state’s housing stock skews older, renovation costs are high, and new construction faces real headwinds: permitting timelines, Act 250 environmental review, a shortage of skilled tradespeople, and land costs in desirable areas that make penciling out new builds difficult.

    What this means for buyers is that you should not expect to browse a wide menu of options in most Vermont towns. In a market like Morrisville or Johnson, a well-priced home in decent condition may have multiple offers within days of hitting the MLS. In quieter corners of the Northeast Kingdom, homes might sit longer, but they may also need more work.

    Sellers benefit from this tight inventory, but it’s not a blank check. Vermont buyers have gotten more discerning. Homes that are overpriced, poorly maintained, or have significant deferred issues tend to linger even in a low-inventory environment.

    What Vermont Buyers Need to Know in 2026

    Interest rates have not returned to the lows of 2020 and 2021, and most forecasters don’t expect them to. Buyers are adapting by being more strategic: negotiating rate buydowns, exploring adjustable-rate products for shorter holding periods, and in some cases, getting creative with seller concessions.

    The most important thing any buyer can do before starting their Vermont home search is get pre-approved, not pre-qualified, actually pre-approved, by a lender. In a market where desirable homes move fast, showing up without financing in order is a serious disadvantage.

    If you’re working with a buyer’s agent, make sure they have real knowledge of the micro-markets you’re targeting. Vermont towns are different from each other in ways that don’t show up in a Zillow search. A good local agent knows which roads flood in mud season, which neighborhoods have broadband issues, and which listings have been sitting for a reason.

    The Relocator Playbook

    Out-of-state buyers make a handful of predictable mistakes in Vermont. The most common is underestimating the cost and complexity of heating. Oil, propane, wood pellets, and heat pumps all have different economics in Vermont, and an old boiler or an undersized heating system can turn an affordable-looking home into an expensive one quickly.

    Well and septic are also areas where Vermont properties diverge from what buyers coming from city or suburban markets are used to. Inspections matter enormously here. Skipping or rushing an inspection to win a bidding war is a gamble that sometimes doesn’t pay off.

    On the positive side, Vermont has real programs to help buyers. The Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) offers loan programs for first-time buyers and moderate-income households that can make a meaningful difference in what’s accessible. It’s worth a conversation with a lender who knows these programs well.

    What Vermont Sellers Should Expect in 2026

    If you’re selling in 2026, the news is generally good, with some important caveats. Well-priced homes in good condition are still moving. The Vermont market hasn’t cratered. But sellers who got used to the frenzied conditions of 2021 and 2022 may find that today’s buyers are more deliberate and more willing to walk away from something that doesn’t feel right.

    Condition matters more now. Buyers who are stretching to afford Vermont prices are thinking carefully about what they’re taking on. Deferred maintenance, dated systems, and cosmetic issues that were overlooked at the peak of the frenzy are getting more scrutiny today.

    Pricing is the biggest lever sellers have. Overpricing a Vermont home in 2026 is a real risk. A home that sits develops a stigma that’s hard to shake, and in a small-town market, people notice. A trusted local agent who pulls honest comps and gives you a realistic picture of value is worth more than one who tells you what you want to hear.

    Spring remains the strongest listing season in Vermont, but don’t overlook fall. The foliage season brings serious lookers to the state, and a well-presented home hitting the market in September can attract buyers who fall in love with Vermont in a very literal sense.

    The Communities Worth Watching

    A few Vermont towns are worth keeping an eye on if you’re a buyer looking for relative value with real upside. Morrisville and Hyde Park in Lamoille County continue to attract buyers who want proximity to Stowe without Stowe prices. Johnson, with its art college presence and genuine small-town feel, is another one that gets overlooked.

    Hardwick has been on a quiet revival for years, with a local food economy that’s gotten national attention and a community that punches above its weight. Barton and Newport in the Northeast Kingdom offer lake access and mountain views at prices that feel like a different era.

    What drives value in these smaller Vermont towns tends to be a combination of things: broadband access (which has improved significantly with state investment), proximity to employment or remote-work infrastructure, and the intangible quality of community that Vermont does better than almost anywhere.

    Looking Ahead: Vermont Real Estate in the Second Half of 2026

    The honest answer is that Vermont’s housing supply is not going to dramatically loosen in the back half of 2026. The structural constraints are real, and they don’t resolve quickly. What could shift is demand-side dynamics if interest rates stabilize or tick down, which would bring more buyers off the sidelines and likely absorb whatever new inventory does come on.

    Vermont’s long-term fundamentals are strong. The state has invested in broadband infrastructure, kept its quality of life high, and continues to attract people who want to live somewhere with real character. That’s not a trend that reverses easily.

    Whether you’re buying, selling, or just watching the market from the porch, Vermont real estate in 2026 rewards patience, local knowledge, and a clear-eyed view of what you actually want from life here. That’s been true for a long time, and it’s still true now.

    Vermont has a way of finding the right people. If this is your year to make a move, there’s no better time to start understanding the lay of the land.

    Shop Green Mountain Peaks on Etsy

    Bring a little piece of Vermont into your home with our curated collection of gifts, apparel, and seasonal favorites. From cozy hoodies and crewnecks to Vermont-themed gift boxes and cookbooks, each item is designed to celebrate the Green Mountain spirit.

    • Vermont-inspired designs and gift sets
    • Printed and packaged with care
    • Ships directly to your door
    Visit Our Etsy Shop

    Discover gifts, apparel, and Vermont treasures made to share and enjoy year-round.