Stowe: what to see, where to stay and how to get around

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Mount Mansfield, the highest mountain in Vermont, rises right behind Stowe, and Route 108 climbs past it through Smugglers' Notch, a narrow pass between cliffs. The long ridge of the mountain looks like a face lying on its back, and its parts are named Forehead, Nose and Chin. This day drives up the mountain, through the notch, and stops at its waterfalls and a high pond. The toll road and the notch road close in winter; in fall go on a weekday if you can.

A short history of Stowe

Stowe received its charter in 1763, but the first settlers arrived only in the 1790s, and for more than a century it was a farming village living from milk and timber. Above it rises Mount Mansfield, the highest mountain in Vermont, at 1,339 metres. In the 1930s workers from the federal employment programme cut the first ski trails on the mountain, and in 1940 one of the first chairlifts in the United States was installed there. In 1942 the von Trapp family, who had fled Austria and whose story became the basis for "The Sound of Music", bought a farm in Stowe, and their lodge stands on the site today.

The ten best sights in Stowe

1
Trapp Family Lodge
Open to non-guests for the bakery, the beer hall and the trails; the family cemetery is a short walk up the hill
2
Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum
Small museum in the old town hall on Main Street; half an hour is enough
3
Stowe Community Church
The white steeple is the classic Stowe photo; the best angle is from the Rec Path bridge behind it
4
Ben & Jerry's Factory
The factory tour is short and ends with a free taste; go in the morning to avoid the queues
5
Emily's Bridge
A one-lane covered bridge on a back road with a ghost story; drive through slowly, cars still use it
6
Smugglers' Notch
Route 108 through the notch is closed in winter and too tight for trailers and big campers in summer
7
Mount Mansfield Auto Toll Road
Gravel road to just below the ridge; open from late spring to mid October
8
Stowe Mountain Resort
In summer and fall the gondola still runs to the upper slopes; check the days, it is not daily outside winter
9
Stowe Recreation Path
Paved, flat, along the river from the village towards the mountain; rent bikes in the village
10
Moss Glen Falls
Ten minutes' walk from a small car park north of the village; the upper view is reached on a steep path

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What is an audio walk?

Tours in Stowe →

A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Stowe:

Free walking tours in Stowe

Mount Mansfield and the notch

Stowe Mountain Resort · In the 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps crews cut some of the first ski trails on Mount Mansfield, among them the Nose Dive. Stowe went on to call itself the ski capital of the East.
Mount Mansfield Auto Toll Road · The road ends below the Nose, and from there the Long Trail runs along the ridge to the Chin, the summit at 1,339 metres. Built from 1910, the Long Trail is the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the United States.
Bingham Falls · The West Branch of the Little River drops here into a deep, narrow gorge of mossy rock just a few minutes from the road. The land was given to the Stowe Land Trust so that it would stay open to everyone.
Smugglers' Notch · The pass got its name when Vermonters smuggled goods to and from Canada after President Jefferson's Embargo Act of 1807 banned trade with Britain. It was used again by bootleggers during Prohibition.
Elephant's Head · The cliff on the east side of the notch looks like an elephant's head and trunk when seen from the road. Peregrine falcons nest on these cliffs, and some trails close each spring until the chicks have flown.
Sterling Pond · At about 920 metres it is one of the highest ponds in Vermont, reached by a steep trail of under 2 km from the top of the notch. The Long Trail runs along its shore, so you meet through-hikers here in summer and fall.

Stowe village and the von Trapps

Stowe is a 19th-century farm village that became a ski town, and it still has its white church, general store and old town hall. In 1942 the Austrian von Trapp family, whose escape from the Nazis became 'The Sound of Music', bought a farm on the hill above it. This route walks and drives through the village and up to their lodge, with a stop at a covered bridge on the way. Easy half day; the Rec Path makes it nicer by bike.

Stowe Community Church · The white church on Main Street was built in 1863, and its tall steeple is the picture on half the postcards of Vermont. Since 1920 it has been the home of a single community church formed by joining several of the village's congregations.
Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum · The museum is in Stowe's old town hall, built in 1818 and moved to this spot later. Inside is the story of the 10th Mountain Division, the American ski troops of the Second World War, many of whom came back to build ski resorts.
Helen Day Art Center · The village's art centre runs 'Exposed', an outdoor sculpture show that every summer places works by artists along the streets and the Rec Path. The galleries inside show contemporary art all year.
Stowe Recreation Path · The paved path, about 8.5 km long, opened in 1989 and runs through land given by dozens of private owners. It crosses the West Branch River on a series of small wooden bridges.
Emily's Bridge · The Gold Brook covered bridge was built in 1844. Local legend says a young woman named Emily died here, and drivers still report scratches on their cars and strange noises on the bridge at night.
Trapp Family Lodge · Maria von Trapp and the family settled here in 1942 because the hills reminded them of Austria, and opened a lodge for guests in 1950. After it burned down in 1980 it was rebuilt; Maria is buried in the family cemetery on the grounds.

Waterbury: ice cream, cider and cheese

Route 100 runs south from Stowe to Waterbury through the most food-filled 15 km in Vermont. Ben & Jerry's, a cider mill and a cheese shop sit almost side by side, with tastings at each. South of them, the reservoir and a state park hold the remains of hill farms abandoned a century ago. Plan a half day, eat lightly before, and go in the morning: by afternoon in fall the car parks are full.

Cold Hollow Cider Mill · The mill presses apples on an old-style rack-and-cloth press that visitors can watch through a window. The cider then goes into the doughnuts made a few metres away.
Cabot Farmers' Annex · Cabot cheese is made by a farmer-owned cooperative founded in 1919 by 94 Vermont dairy farmers. The shop lays out most of its cheddars for tasting, from mild to aged for years.
Ben & Jerry's Factory · Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, two Jewish childhood friends from Long Island, opened their first shop in 1978 in an old gas station in Burlington, after a $5 correspondence course in ice cream making. Behind the factory, the 'Flavor Graveyard' has headstones for discontinued flavours.
Waterbury Station · The brick and stone depot was built in 1875 for the Central Vermont Railway. It is still a working Amtrak stop on the Vermonter line.
Waterbury Reservoir · The reservoir was created by a dam built after the great Vermont flood of 1927, much of it by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Its aim was to keep the Winooski valley from flooding again.
Little River State Park · Above the reservoir, the Ricker Basin was a community of hill farms in the 1800s. The families left as the soil wore out and after the floods, and a history trail leads past their cellar holes and stone walls in the forest.

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Getting to Stowe and getting around

Burlington International Airport · The nearest airport, about 45 minutes away, with flights to New York and other East Coast cities
Waterbury Station · Amtrak's Vermonter stops once a day each way, to New York and Washington; a taxi is needed for the last 15 km

Cheap eats in Stowe

Vermont eats from its own farms: cheddar, maple syrup, apples and cider, and dairy that goes into some of America's best-known ice cream. Stowe itself is a resort, so prices are higher than in the towns around it. For a cheap lunch, a deli sandwich and a cider doughnut do the job; save the money for a good dinner.

Stowe Bee Bakery · Breakfast sandwiches and pastries, about $5-12
Green Goddess Cafe · Breakfast and lunch café, about $10-18
Black Cap Coffee · Coffee and pastries on Main Street, about $4-10
Piecasso · Pizza and subs, about $12-25
Cold Hollow Cider Mill · Cider doughnuts and hot cider, about $2-8
Ben & Jerry's Factory · Scoops at the source, about $5-8
Doc Ponds · Burgers and Vermont beer, about $15-22

Museums in Stowe

Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum · Ski history and the 10th Mountain Division
Trapp Family Lodge · Family history talks and the von Trapp grave
Helen Day Art Center · Contemporary art in a historic building in the village
Cabot Farmers' Annex · Cheddar tastings from a farmer co-op

Nature and day trips near Stowe

Stowe Recreation Path · Flat paved path by the river
Moss Glen Falls · Short walk to a tall waterfall in a gorge
Stowe Pinnacle · Steep hour up for a view of Mansfield
Sterling Pond · Steep hike from the notch to a high pond
Smugglers' Notch · Boulders and caves along the pass road

Things to do in Stowe with kids

Ben & Jerry's Factory · Factory tour and the Flavor Graveyard
Stowe Recreation Path · Bike ride with river stops
Stowe Mountain Resort · Gondola ride and summer activities at Spruce Peak
Little River State Park · Beach, canoes and a campground on the reservoir
Cold Hollow Cider Mill · Watch the press and the doughnut machine

Where to eat in Stowe

The Alchemist · Brewery of the famous Heady Topper IPA; tastings and cans
Hen of the Wood · Farm-to-table dinner in an old Waterbury mill
Idletyme Brewing · Brewpub on the Mountain Road
Plate · Small restaurant in the village with local produce

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Frequently asked questions about Stowe

What is there to see in Stowe?

The top sights in Stowe are Trapp Family Lodge, Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum and Stowe Community Church. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.

How many days do you need in Stowe?

Three to four days are enough to see the best of Stowe without rushing, including at least one walking tour.

Is there a free walking tour in Stowe?

Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Stowe, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Mount Mansfield and the notch.

How do you get to Stowe and get around?

The main ways are Burlington International Airport and Waterbury Station. Full details are in the transport section on this page.

Where to stay in Stowe, and for how much?

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