We did a quick 15-min hike to the falls and got a somewhat-slippery though gorgeous view of the…read morepowerful falls and all the ways the water has shaped and smoothed the rocks. Loved the up-close view of it all and the shade of the forest. 5 stars!!!!

So glad we did the short but somewhat challenging hike to see these during our visit to Stowe -…read moretotally worth it. We parked at the trailhead (plenty of space on a weekday afternoon). Had to be careful on the rocks but on the whole doable. Wasn't brave enough to jump into the waters but you could. No restrooms that we saw so plan accordingly.

This is a great little hike to the top of Vermont…read more We choose the steepest and shortest trail: Hellbrook. The trail is steep but well maintained with frequent "blazes". As someone that has never hiked in the east...I was shocked with how easy it is to stay on trails here. Just follow the blue or white paint marks! There are some "slimey slabs" on the way up. Unbroken surfaces of rock that can get slippery if it has recently rained. There might be a few sections where using your hands would be helpful. This meets all the other trails at the summit. The summit area is beautiful...save for all the random ski resort hardware. There were friendly trail guides on the summit making sure people don't stomp on the tundra. One of them even took a picture of my climbing partner and I. Took us about 1.5 hrs up, a little less down. (we are pretty quick though)

What an adventure. This was my 17th high point (the Millennial Chum's first and possibly only) and…read moreprobably the worst weather conditions I've experienced at any of them - literally 98% humidity, though it was pretty dry precipitation-wise. But this hike has so much going for it. Unlike a lot of scampers up a tall mountain, the majority of this trek is past tree line so when the cloud covering is minimal you have an amazing view. In hindsight I'd probably do this one during peak fall foliage but it was still quite a day. The drive to the trailhead was memorable. We started out just north of Stowe on 108 and went past Smugglers' Notch Resort before veering off onto Stebbins and a bunch of unpaved roads. I was a little nervous about that (though I had my magnificent Charcuterie, a very tough Toyota Prius Prime up for the challenge) but the conditions of those roads were actually really good. No nasty potholes, etc. It was very easy to find the parking area once we got into Underhill - you literally aren't permitted to drive past it, and there's signage instructing you to pay there ($5 per person). The fellow in the small building taking payments was super helpful about current weather/trail conditions, and agreed with my pre-hiking assessment of going up and down the Sunset Ridge Trail. The trailhead itself is about a 15- to 20-minute walk on mostly gravel roads that I assume are used exclusively by park vehicles; it was easy to spot, and we were on our way once we signed the trail logbook (also a new phenomenon for the Millennial Chum, who seemed mildly alarmed once she realized why we were doing it). The hike itself is pretty straightforward. From the Sunset Ridge trailhead, you go all the way to the top of the mountain, essentially, before turning left onto the Long Trail for maybe 10 minutes to the official summit. The blazes for this weren't amazing (a lot of them were faded and could use some TLC), but it's so obvious where you're going that they're not as necessary as they might be on other hikes - there's basically one trail here and one trail only and all trail intersections were clearly marked with actual signs. The first part of the journey up the mountain (prior to tree line) was definitely tough - the humidity played a huge factor and even before we were really going up any inclines, sweat was POURING off of our faces. If you don't have a decent supply of water with you, this probably isn't going to work out very well (I had my trusty BFF giant bottle of Evian, which was just enough). There were a handful of cool little wooden bridges toward the beginning, and lots of mossy tree goodness as well. It was significantly damper on the way down because we literally climbed above a raincloud - a first for me. Once we got to tree line, visibility the rest of the way was a giant question mark. As you can see from the attached, it was super misty out there and felt very spooky. It cleared up a bit as we worked our way to the summit but it never totally gave us the view we were hoping for, which was a shame. But you could see the potential - even at 30%, it was a nice sight to take in. The bathroom situation was pretty decent, given how isolated this area is. Especially this time of year in a land of empty ski resorts, I wasn't even expecting a port-a-potty. They had a few though, as well as an actual bathroom in a building. I only used one of the port-a-potties before we got underway, which was clean enough; we sweat so much on this hike that it wasn't an issue. It's hard to gauge difficulty level because I'm used to these types of hikes. I didn't do any official training for this other than watching my beverage/food intake in the prior weeks, which was enough. My calves and thighs were sore for two days, but it could have been worse. It helps that the mileage here was low comparatively speaking - it took us five hours in total, about three up and two down, and it was probably six miles or so. In wetter conditions there may have been some issues with footing, but overall it wasn't INSANELY steep where you were doing rock scrambling or anything. The biggest selling point by far is how much time you're above tree line - earning the view early on I think is a great motivator to get all the way up if you're starting to struggle a bit. Maybe hold off though if you take one step outside and your hair instantly poofs out. Being able to comfortably breathe is kind of a prerequisite.

Beautiful part of Vermont for a short, scenic hike and dog friendly. If you are in the area most…read moredefinitely stop by and see this wonder! In the summer it's crawling with swimmers and the fall is just hiking but bring water proof boots. Pictures don't do it justice!

Came here on a morning before the crowds came and, being midweek and at the end of summer, there…read morestill were not a lot of people as the morning wore on. There are arrows on the path pointing you in the direction(s) you want to go. Boulders are pretty slippery, so watch your step. The river water, almost turquoise in color, was. as expected, very cold but super refreshing, Waterfalls were mesmerizing. Lots of places on the riverbank & even the riverbed to hang out in the sun, or, of course, dive into the deeper swimming holes. There is a small parking lot, dogs have to be leashed, and carry out what you bring in.

A 15-minute walk that's partially uphill toward the end once you reach the falls. Such crisp, cool,…read morewet air as you approach the falls and a gorgeous view of how powerful they are. Quick, easy, and rewarding hike for any age. 5 stars!!!

Very short and enjoyable easy hike. It is boarded half way…read morethen up some steps to see this heavily flow waterfall. You can also go down to the lower fall with a bit of rock scramble. We did the hike in first week of June and it is very nice and easy. Our first attempt was back in mid April. The trail was still covered with snow. This time going back, the trail looks totally different and more enjoyable. My recommendation go in the month of June and till there is snow in Vermont.

Nobody said getting back in shape was easy--but if you're going to suffer, you might as well do it…read moresomewhere beautiful. I picked a hiking trail in Vermont after getting lured in by some stunning photos online. Inspired (and slightly delusional), I stopped and picked up a pair of Oboz hiking shoes and some solid hiking socks--thankfully, one of my better decisions. Let me be clear: this trail was no joke. It twisted, turned, and climbed in ways that made my heart rate spike enough to question my life choices. At one point, I genuinely thought I heard Bigfoot breathing down my neck--turns out it was just me gasping for air. Here are the stats: 4,083 ft summit 7.4 miles round trip 2,645 ft vertical rise 6 hours of hiking The mountain is known as Tawabodi-e-wadso, which means "The Saddle Mountain" in the Waubawakee Native American language. Yes, I did my research--mainly because I felt like I needed to know the name of the place that almost killed me. (Kidding... kind of.) But here's the real truth: it was absolutely worth it. The trail winds through beautiful groves of maple and oak, with peaceful river streams breaking up the climb. It was majestic, serene, and a perfect reminder of why nature is one of the best places to push your limits. And yes, the shoes held up like champs. Bottom line: A tough but rewarding hike--equal parts humbling and awe-inspiring. If you're looking to reconnect with nature and your cardiovascular system, this one's for you.

We started the hike via the Huntington parking lot and hikes the Burrow trail…read more Do not underestimate this hike. It is all incline up and lots of rock scrambling. We are not experienced hikes and took us 5 hrs to finish. It is true that it is shaded the whole time, but no one mentioned about the amount of bugs on the whole trail. After asking a local, we find out that they are called "black flies". They are small and annoying little bugs that cling on to your skin and bite you. We put bugs spray but did not keep them away from us. Apparently they come in season that received alot of rain. (first week of June) And it just happens to hatch new eggs as the weather gets hot and wet. So if you plan to hike this with there is alot of rain, I suggest wearing a netted hat. Because these flies are soon annoying and just takes out the fun of the hike. Although it was not an easy hike with annoying bugs biting our skin, the summit was one of 360 view of the landscape. It is beautiful and view are breathtaking!!!!

Such an amazing hike! Me and my family do it every time we visit VT. It's moderate to challenging…read moredepending on your physical fitness and athletic capabilities. Takes around 2 hours. Great length. Definitely uphill most of the way to the top but SO worth it for the view. Incredible summit. It's also easy to navigate because it's an out and back and the trail is very well marked. There's also a second parking lot a bit higher up if you want to do a shorter version of this hike.

Stowe Pinnacle Trail is a quick hike but strenuous in some parts. Towards the top there is a…read moreserious incline which can be tricky if it rained/snowed recently. Took us around 2hrs round trip and the steep incline really got the blood pumping. If you reach the top you are rewarded with a 360 degree view of the surrounding area. I highly recommend!

No accessible features. Park is primarily focused on a hiking trail with natural history…read moreinterpretation. Misrepresented in several online descriptions...

A easy and fun hike with a good reward at the end. A beautiful view of Lake Champlain from a…read moredistance! It's a 1.3 mile long trail, 2.6 miles total. It's not a really flat walk, but nothing too steep or difficult. Just enough to break a sweat! The parking area we were at had enough parking for maybe 4 cars. The road is a well maintained dirt road, not too pothole ridden but there were a few here and there. The road is also a beautiful walk, I would love to walk on it everyday if I lived here! I really like the forest itself, interesting but also calm and peaceful. Saw some squirrels and a few little frogs. A interesting flower, I'm not sure what type or if it was just dying? I took a picture of it! Come check it out and enjoy the woods for a little while!

So beautiful and serene. I was surrounded by green glades and towering trees. There were trails and…read morea lot of accessible water. The park staff went out of their way to be kind and generous. You can tell how much they love nature. I felt safe at night from animals and people. The bathroom fadcilities were very clean and I never had a problem using them.

This park was voted as one of the top five parks in the views category in Vermont and they knew…read morewhat they are talking about. This park offers so much from a nice campground (and horse campground) to magical forest hikes and the cherry on the top amazing views down to the valley and "pond" from the top of the owl trail. We visited the area with small kids (3-4 years old, that love hikes) and they walked the trails and said, and I quote, "It was fun". This is Vermont a wonderful state, colored in vivid green during the summer and the entrance to the parks cost only 4$. If you are a nature loving people looking for a long or short hike, come here.

Beautiful views! I'm 55 and in fair shape, so the hike got a little daunting towards the top (got…read morea little steep), but the views at the top make it well worth the sweat and panting! A huge plus is that you are protected from the sun by the shade of beautiful trees the entire hike!

The 2-hour hike and 3-hour drive was worth the view we were able to see at the top! The only…read moredownfall to this hike was that it was SUPER muddy but we still continued to hike. The weather was also nice as it peaked in the high 60's.

Smuggler's Notch State Park provides hiking, camping, nature programs, and mountain biking…read more Smuggler's Notch Park got its name because In 1807, President Thomas Jefferson passed an embargo act forbidding American trade with Great Britain and Canada. This was a severe hardship for northern Vermonters, since Montreal was closer than other markets in the US. Many local people continued illegal trade with Canada, herding cattle and carrying other goods through the Notch. Later, fugitive slaves used the Notch as an escape route to Canada. During the Prohibition years, liquor was smuggled from Canada over the improved road built in 1922. My mother and I just rode through and it was miles of the park with different areas to explore. The we're many hikers and explorers out. All I can say is the mountains are beautiful and the atmosphere is amazing. I would definitely want to come back in fall to see the trees change colors.

I love this twisty road! The spring is a must stop for a drink of water literally flowing out of…read morethe mountain. It's usually gorgeous in the fall but we missed the leaves this year. There are plenty of places to stop and hike along the notch. It's really a beautiful place.