Green Mountains, Vermont
Stowe
A classic Vermont village below Mount Mansfield, with a riverside recreation path, waterfalls, Smugglers' Notch and the famous fall colours.
Photo: Fall colour below Mount Mansfield, Stowe, Niranjan Arminius, CC BY-SA 4.0
Stowe's white church steeple and Main Street sit in a valley below Mount Mansfield, Vermont's highest mountain. It's postcard Vermont.
Route 108 climbs through Smugglers' Notch, a narrow pass squeezed between towering cliffs and boulders. The road is closed in winter.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Smugglers' Notch
A narrow mountain pass of cliffs and boulders on Route 108. Closed in winter.
Moss Glen Falls
A tall waterfall a short walk from a parking area north of the village.
Mount Mansfield
Vermont's highest peak, reach the ridge by the Gondola SkyRide or the Auto Toll Road.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum
Ski history in an old town meeting hall.
Trapp Family Lodge
The Austrian-style lodge of the von Trapp family, with trails and a brewery.
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Cold Hollow Cider Mill
Cider and cider doughnuts on the road to Waterbury.
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Gondola SkyRide
Gondola up Mount Mansfield.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Mount Mansfield Auto Toll Road
Drive toward the summit ridge.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Also bookable, listed above
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
- Trapp Family Lodge Experience
Part of our Vermont guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- The gondola, the notch and the waterfalls fill two days.
- Fall foliage weekends are worth an overnight.
- Cider, cheese and maple stops line the road to Waterbury.
Nearby and worth the drive
Lake Champlain and Church Street.
Cider mill and the ice cream factory.
Ready-made trips with Stowe
Good to know
- Tourism: gostowe.com.
- Smugglers' Notch: Route 108 through the notch is closed in winter and not suitable for large vehicles.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: Fall colour below Mount Mansfield, Stowe, Niranjan Arminius, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Smugglers' Notch in fall, Niranjan Arminius, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Moss Glen Falls, Stowe, Dougtone, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Bingham Falls, Outdoor Craziness, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Stowe Community Church in autumn, Shiva Shenoy, CC BY 2.0