Northeast Kingdom in the Spring
Top Picks in the Northeast Kingdom
In the spring, Vermont’s landscapes wake up from their long winter’s slumber into the riot and color of renewal. Maple sap flows in forests, warm days make for sunny spring skiing, and trees and flowers begin to bud. Hand-picked by the editors of Yankee Magazine, these 5 highlights are just some of what the Northeast Kingdom offers as the Green Mountains come alive.
Canaan, Vermont
April’s Maple
The motto at April’s Maple is “Deep roots make fine syrup.” That’s something that founder April Lemay has kept front of mind since leaving a career in finance to return to the Vermont town where her grandparents first settled. After buying 800 acres of family land that included a large sugarbush, she opened April’s Maple in 2013 and hasn’t looked back. Visitors are welcome year-round at her farm, which not only turns out award-winning syrup but also has a retail shop and an excellent farm-to-table café serving things like maple-barbecue pulled pork and maple bread pudding.
Derby Line, Vermont
Haskell Library and Opera House
A stout brick-and-granite structure with an eye-catching octagonal tower is home to the only U.S. library in the that keeps its book collection in another country, and the only U.S. theater with a foreign stage. Built in 1904 and deliberately located to straddle the U.S.-Canada border, the Haskell Library and Opera House attracts patrons from both sides. Although everyone uses the American entrance, the library’s 20,000 French and English books are north of the border line painted on the floor. So is the opera house stage, where movies, theater, and live music play to an audience whose members are seated in one country or the other.
St. Johnsbury, Vermont
Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild
Opened in 1997, the NEK Artisans Guild is one of just five galleries to be designated as official Vermont State Craft Centers. This means it symbolizes the best of craft in Vermont while also offering a vivid snapshot of its own unique creative community—in this case, the always-eclectic Northeast Kingdom. Stop into this homegrown gallery, and you can expect to be greeted and assisted by one of the friendly artists who help run it. Wood, fiber, glass, iron, pottery, jewelry, fine art, paper, and photography are all here, and all are made by local creatives. A dedicated space called the Backroom Gallery hosts special exhibits that change every six weeks; a recent highlight was “Quantum Celestial,” a group show tied to the 2024 total eclipse that passed right through town.
BEEBE SPUR RAIL TRAIL
Vermont’s northernmost rail trail traces the edges of Lake Memphremagog, which lies within both the U.S. and Canada. Within less than a mile of Newport, the trail opens up into sweeping lake views. Ideal for cycling, walking, horseback riding, snowshoeing, or snowmobiling, the trail is a short and sweet four miles. Crushed stone at a wheelchair-accessible grade means those with varying needs can use most of the trail. The Beebe Spur Rail Trail is part of a network that includes the Newport Bike Path and the Memphremagog Trails. At its northern end in Derby, a 1.5-mile detour offers access to the Canadian border (have your passport with you to cross.)
CLYDE RIVER RECREATION
– West Charleston, Vermont
From its start at Spectacle Pond to its finish more than 25 miles later at Lake Memphremagog, the Clyde River passes mainly through a secluded and lovely stretch of the Northeast Kingdom. Part of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, it’s not a river for whitewater thrills, but rather for peaceful paddling by all skills and ages. One of the best introductions to this waterway is with Clyde River Recreation, a local business that’s been helping visitors get out on the water for more than 15 years. Starting in May, rent a canoe or kayak for a self-guided paddle trip on the Clyde ranging from 5½ miles to 16 miles; shuttle service and expert advice included.
More to See and Do
Places to Visit In the Spring
Yankee Magazine’s editors hand-picked 5 places to visit in each Vermont region. Explore things to do in spring statewide.
