← Parks & nature
Stowe Mountain Resort
Vermont's flagship ski destination and summer trail hub on the shoulder of Mount Mansfield, the state's highest peak.
Ticket
$189 adult day ticket (window)
Free hours
Not free (lift ticket required in winter; hiking access on the Long Trail from Route 108 is free)
Stowe sits at the base of 4,395-foot Mount Mansfield and pairs 116 trails across two connected mountains (Mansfield and Spruce Peak) with a walkable alpine village. In summer the same lifts open to hikers and mountain bikers, feeding into the 30-mile Cady Hill and Trapp Family Lodge trail networks and the paved 5.5-mile Stowe Recreation Path. It is the most complete four-season base in the Green Mountains for eco-minded travelers who want lift-served terrain plus long-distance hiking.
For the best day, arrive at Mansfield base by 8:15am to grab the FourRunner Quad before school groups, ski the front four (National, Liftline, Goat, Starr) while the light is on them, then move to Spruce Peak after lunch for gentler cruisers and sun. In green season, take the Gondola Skyride to the Cliff House and hike the Cliff Trail to the Chin — Vermont's true summit — before descending back to Spruce for craft beer at The Bench.
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Stowe Mountain Resort: what to expect
Stowe sits at the base of 4,395-foot Mount Mansfield and pairs 116 trails across two connected mountains (Mansfield and Spruce Peak) with a walkable alpine village. In summer the same lifts open to hikers and mountain bikers, feeding into the 30-mile Cady Hill and Trapp Family Lodge trail networks and the paved 5.5-mile Stowe Recreation Path. It is the most complete four-season base in the Green Mountains for eco-minded travelers who want lift-served terrain plus long-distance hiking.
For the best day, arrive at Mansfield base by 8:15am to grab the FourRunner Quad before school groups, ski the front four (National, Liftline, Goat, Starr) while the light is on them, then move to Spruce Peak after lunch for gentler cruisers and sun. In green season, take the Gondola Skyride to the Cliff House and hike the Cliff Trail to the Chin — Vermont's true summit — before descending back to Spruce for craft beer at The Bench.
Tickets & free entry
Entry costs $189 adult day ticket (window). Free entry: Not free (lift ticket required in winter; hiking access on the Long Trail from Route 108 is free). Opening hours: Winter: Daily 8:00-16:00 (lifts) · Summer gondola: Fri-Sun 10:00-17:00 · Base lodges open year-round.
What it costs: real price bands by area and season
In Burlington, expect $130-180 USD midweek in summer at hotels like the Courtyard on Cherry Street, dropping to $95-130 in April and November. Stowe runs $180-260 in summer and shoulder, $300-500 during peak ski weekends at Trapp Family Lodge and Topnotch, and cheaper $140-190 slots in late May and June. Woodstock inns like the Woodstocker sit at $200-280 in summer and easily $400+ during the first week of October.
The Northeast Kingdom stays saner year-round: Inn at Mountain View Farm and the Wildflower Inn area run $150-220 in summer biking season, $180-260 during Jay Peak ski weeks. Manchester falls between Burlington and Stowe, with motels on 7A from $110 off-peak and the Equinox Resort from $280. Foliage the first two weeks of October adds 60 to 150 percent statewide, and Christmas week at any ski town is the second peak.
Getting around and when to go
A car is effectively required outside downtown Burlington. Rentals from Burlington International (BTV) start around $55 a day off-peak. The Amtrak Vermonter runs NYC to St. Albans once daily, stopping at Brattleboro, White River Junction, Montpelier and Burlington-Essex Junction; it is scenic and cheap ($75-95 one way from NYC) but slow. Route 100 down the spine of the Greens is the classic drive and takes about 4.5 hours end to end without stops. Winter driving means snow tires and headlamps by 4pm in December.
The rhythm of the year matters more here than in most states. Late May through June is trail season with cheap rooms. July and August are the family and hiking window. Late September to Columbus Day is foliage and the price peak. November is hunting season and quiet. December through March is ski country, with Stowe, Sugarbush, Killington and Jay Peak driving demand. April is mud season, when many country inns close entirely and the ones open sell rooms for half price.