A road through the boulders
Route 108 climbs from Stowe into Smugglers' Notch, squeezing through a gap between Mount Mansfield and Sterling Peak so narrow it threads past house-size fallen boulders beneath 1,000-foot cliffs. The name recalls 19th-century smuggling to and from Canada through this hidden pass.
Drive it (in season)
The notch road is a spectacular summer and fall drive — tight hairpins, cool springs and shady ferns — but it is not for RVs or trailers, and it closes to vehicles every winter, when it becomes a backcountry ski and snowshoe route.
Smugglers' Notch Resort
On the Cambridge side, Smugglers' Notch Resort — 'Smuggs' — spreads across three linked mountains and is consistently rated among the best family ski resorts in the East, with classic double chairs, ski school and the region’s only triple-black-diamond run.
Hiking the notch
Trailheads in the pass climb to Sterling Pond — a high tarn with swimming and the Long Trail — and to Mansfield’s ridge. It is one of the most scenic, accessible mountain environments in Vermont.
Good to know
Is the Smugglers' Notch road open year-round?+
No — Route 108 through the notch closes to cars each winter and reopens in spring; it is also off-limits to RVs and trailers.
What is Smuggs known for?+
Being one of the East’s top family ski resorts, on the Cambridge (north) side of the notch.
Can you hike there?+
Yes — trails from the pass reach Sterling Pond and connect to the Long Trail along Mansfield’s ridge.