Upper Green Mountains in the Summer
Top Picks in the Upper Green Mountains
Summer is your gateway to the sense of wonder and well-being that comes with slowing down and taking in your surroundings in Vermont. Plunge into a swimming hole, stroll a local festival, or simply find togetherness on the lakeshore or around the campfire. Hand-picked by the editors of Yankee Magazine, these 5 highlights are just some of what the Upper Green Mountains offers in the summer.
Stowe, Vermont
Mount Mansfield
In warmer months, visitors to the well-known ski town of Stowe make the most of its mountain terrain by tackling one of the hiking trails up Vermont’s highest peak. Known to the indigenous Abenaki as Mozdebiwajo, or Moosehead, Mount Mansfield has easy, moderate, and difficult paths to the top. The Long Trail—the nation’s oldest long-distance footpath, which runs the full length of Vermont—is part of a challenging six-mile round-trip option that leads hikers over steep and rocky terrain. The payoff is spectacular views of Lake Champlain and the White Mountains from both the peak and from plenty of airy overlooks along the way. Alternatively, people can drive the Auto Toll Road to the Mount Mansfield Visitors Center and hike about 1.3 miles to access the same views (and photo ops) from the Mansfield ridgeline.
Waterbury, Vermont
The Phoenix
Described by co-founder and head curator Joseph Pensak as “a general store for the arts,” this community space is lot of things all at once: gallery and music venue, soda shop and candy store, yoga studio and table tennis club. Opened in 2023 and named for the stunning phoenix mural on its historic brick building, the 1,700-square-foot space is dedicated to breathing new life into Waterbury’s art and downtown scenes. Stop in and you might catch a stand-up comedy night, a vibrant group art show, or a performance by TURNmusic, a contemporary classical chamber ensemble based here.
Waterbury, Vermont
Waterbury Reservoir
Sprawling more than six miles long and surrounded almost completely by state forest land, the Waterbury Reservoir was created over three-quarters of a century ago as a flood control project. Today it’s home to two state parks that help visitors access and enjoy the reservoir’s recreational activities, from swimming and paddling to fishing and camping. Central Vermont’s largest campground awaits at Little River State Park, with 81 tent/RV sites, 20 lean-tos, and five cabins. On the opposite shore, Waterbury Center State Park has amenities including universal-access fishing platforms and kayak/canoe/SUP/tube rentals by Umiak Outdoor Outfitters. Plus, there are more than two dozen remote campsites, accessible only by boat, for those seeking a true get-away-from-it-all experience.
Fayston, Vermont
Knoll Farm
Environmental and social connections are deeply entwined at Knoll Farm. It was one of the first properties in Vermont to be protected through conservation easement; it also served as a refuge for asylum seekers escaping civil war in Nicaragua. New owners who bought Knoll Farm from the Vermont Land Trust in 2000 now operate it as both a family farm and a place of “radical hospitality” that often hosts groups dedicated to improving our shared future. It welcomes the public, who can visit the 160-acre property to pick blueberries and hike the scenic trails. There are picnic baskets featuring local cheese and bread for sale in the farm store, as well as Knoll’s own produce, meat, and yarn spun from its Icelandic sheep.
Jeffersonville, Vermont
ArborTrek Canopy Adventures
You might have driven through Smugglers’ Notch, hiked its trails or blasted down its ski trail in winter—but how about soaring above it all? ArborTrek’s 4,500 feet of ziplines lace the treetops at heights of more than 70 feet, offering a falcon’s-eye view of the notch’s rugged and beautiful terrain. Choose the “Wild Ride” for up to three hours of guided ziplining, including two sky bridges and some rappelling, led by instructors who share history and ecology tidbits along the way. There’s also a Treetop Obstacle Course and Climbing Adventure that challenges would-be Indiana Joneses to navigate things like swinging logs, wobbly bridges, and cargo nets.
More to See and Do
Places to Visit In the Summer
Yankee Magazine’s editors hand-picked 5 places to visit in each Vermont region. Explore things to do in summer statewide.
