What sets Vermont apart from many other places are the outdoors and locals’ passion and enthusiasm to get out and enjoy it, no matter the season.
From rigorous to leisurely, from skill-intensive to beginner-friendly, outdoor enthusiasts in Vermont find boundless opportunities for enjoying its natural scenery.
Perhaps most notably, Vermont is home to the most famous ski resorts in the northeast. From the modern amenities at Jay Peak to the old-school charm of Mad River Glen, hitting the slopes in the Green Mountain State is always an adventure!
While chairlifts and chalets hold a special appeal, many Vermonters prefer to enjoy the snow right in their own backyard on local snowshoe and cross-country trails, sledding hills, snowmobile trails, or ice skating ponds and rinks.
The Green Mountains change color in the summer and activities shift to hiking and biking on Vermont’s world-class trails. Resorts offer a variety of activities like ziplines, adventure parks, lift-served mountain biking, and alpine slides. Swimming holes and waterfalls dot Vermont’s rivers and streams and boating of all kinds ramps up on our abundant lakes and ponds.
When the colors change again during fall foliage, hunting and fishing offer opportunities to follow tracks through the woods while the state’s lakes, rivers, and streams are well-stocked with trout, bass, and perch.
OUTDOOR RECREATION — OUR RAISON D’ÊTRE
The number of opportunities available to get outdoors and explore the Vermont landscape are too great to number.
Choose an adventure below to learn more about the many recreational opportunities offered year round in Vermont.
GOLF THE GREEN MOUNTAIN STATE
Improve your game on some of the most scenic, challenging, well-designed golf courses in the world. Often lined with Vermont’s amazing natural landscapes, golf in Vermont is an unforgettable experience.
FISHING
Whether you fly fish Vermont’s creeks and streams, cast from a boat on Lake Champlain, or fish from shore, fishing in Vermont is always a memorable experience.
HIKING
The Long Trail is the oldest long distance hiking trail in the nation and covers the entire length of Vermont. Explore Vermont from another perspective, from one of its many summits.
ROAD CYCLING & MOUNTAIN BIKING
Vermont’s extensive network of lightly-trafficked local roads, rail trails, and single track provide an ample supply of bicycle routes and tours and some of the best mountain biking in the region.
SKI & RIDE
Steeped in snowsports history, Vermont is home to America’s first alpine ski tow, its first chairlift, first Nordic ski center, and the first ski academy. Not to mention, Vermont is headquarters to the groundbreaking Burton Snowboards. See what makes Vermont the number one ski and snowboard state in the East.
SNOWMOBILING
Experience the magic of Vermont’s winter highways. With well-marked trails and easy to access fuel, food, and accommodations the snowmobiling in Vermont is some of the best in the world.
TEAM & SPECTATOR SPORTS
Though Vermont doesn’t host any major league sports franchises, there are still plenty of high-level athletics to enjoy as a spectator.
The University of Vermont competes in NCAA Division I and boasts successful hockey and basketball teams.
The Vermont Lake Monsters, an Oakland Athletics affiliate, plays Single-A level Minor League Baseball at Centennial Field in Burlington. During June and July, the Vermont Mountaineers (Montpelier) and Upper Valley Nighthawks (Hartford) compete in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, a summer showcase for talented college players. Thunder Road in Barre features professional and amateur stock-car racing in the summer months.
There are several rec leagues throughout the state for both adults and children. From the Vermont Senior Baseball League to the Northern Vermont Youth Lacrosse League, there is a plethora of opportunities for Vermonters to take their own skills to the field, court, and course.