Expansive. Uncrowded. Affordable…read more Being on IndyPass (and its local predecessors far before) I've rediscovered the joy of skiing Bolton Valley dozens of times over the past several years. It's a family-run, independently-owned mountain atop what feels like a winding, never-ending mountain traverse to a snow castle of three distinct peaks, each with its own personality and profile. A magical place so often ignored and eclipsed by the shadows of Vermont's trifecta of trees and trail count mega-resorts: Stowe, Smugglers, and Jay. But what Bolton lacks in quantitative vertical, it more than makes up for in qualitatively experience: endless untouched glades, sprawling peaks, and unrivaled affordability. It's a unicorn of beginner, intermediate and expert terrain that rivals the best glades of Jay or the sprawling multi-peak vistas of Stowe. Saturday 2/21/26's skiing with completely full parking lots and shuttle busses of visitors was still impossibly pristine and uncrowded on slope. Stunning glades filled with the hoots and hollers of fellow powder hounds tearing up pristine powder and poaching untapped stashes all through the day. An amazing apres ski waitstaff that ensure no one waited longer than a few minutes for service, and an unattended, self-service lodge food service setup that looked like something out of Star Trek. Let me illustrate further the superiority of Bolton Valley with a simple comparison: one day at a local independent mountain (Bolton Valley) vs one day at a corporate machine (Sugarbush). SATURDAY AT BOLTON VALLEY: riding up 10m lifts with zero lift lines, skiing uncrowded glades/trails laden with soft, natural powder atop zero ice - a natural consequence of force-limiting ticket sales with smaller parking lots, less traffic, and a family-friendly, independent focus. Window pricing $49 - $109/day, but equally skiable for an entire weekend on a modest $300 season pass (Indy). SUNDAY AT SUGARBUSH: riding up high-speed 5m lifts with few lines, but dumped into crowded trails laden with bumpy pockets of snow atop any icy, unpredictable base - a natural consequence of pushing hordes of skiers faster and faster up a mountain without any ticket limits that might ensure a better skiing experience. This is the fundamental choice we all make as skiers and riders: choosing to support independently-owned resorts who prioritize experience over exploitation, independence over incorporation, and presence over pace OR the continued corporate consolidation that threatens to make skiing an elitist, pay-to-play hobby of the one percent. As with all things consumer, we all have a choice of where to spend our dollars. Having spent decades skiing the mega-mountains, traveling across the world skiing mega-resorts across like Vail, Mammoth, Tahoe, and Park City I can legitimately say the experience is always the same: over-crowded, icy weekend skiing corporate Frankenstiens trying to solve an unsolvable problem of over-sold slopes with fake snow and higher pricing vs the still-here, uncrowded independents like Bolton Valley continue to over-index on reliability, affordability, and uniqueness. There's value in slowing things down, taking in stunning vistas, and paying a lot less to experience a lot more. See beyond trail counts and lift speed and you'll find an entire world of better skiing by generations of family-owned resorts beholden to a different master: your enjoyment, not corporate's bottom line.

I very much enjoyed Bolton valley. The slopes are very beginner friendly and the staff is very…read morehelpful and friendly. Night skiing was fun except for when I fell pretty hard and ended up with a swollen knee but other than that, I highly recommend. They have multiple lifts for different parts of the mountain and various levels. This is my go-to place for snowboarding in VT.

Nobody said getting back in shape was easy--but if you're going to suffer, you might as well do it…read moresomewhere beautiful. I picked a hiking trail in Vermont after getting lured in by some stunning photos online. Inspired (and slightly delusional), I stopped and picked up a pair of Oboz hiking shoes and some solid hiking socks--thankfully, one of my better decisions. Let me be clear: this trail was no joke. It twisted, turned, and climbed in ways that made my heart rate spike enough to question my life choices. At one point, I genuinely thought I heard Bigfoot breathing down my neck--turns out it was just me gasping for air. Here are the stats: 4,083 ft summit 7.4 miles round trip 2,645 ft vertical rise 6 hours of hiking The mountain is known as Tawabodi-e-wadso, which means "The Saddle Mountain" in the Waubawakee Native American language. Yes, I did my research--mainly because I felt like I needed to know the name of the place that almost killed me. (Kidding... kind of.) But here's the real truth: it was absolutely worth it. The trail winds through beautiful groves of maple and oak, with peaceful river streams breaking up the climb. It was majestic, serene, and a perfect reminder of why nature is one of the best places to push your limits. And yes, the shoes held up like champs. Bottom line: A tough but rewarding hike--equal parts humbling and awe-inspiring. If you're looking to reconnect with nature and your cardiovascular system, this one's for you.

We started the hike via the Huntington parking lot and hikes the Burrow trail…read more Do not underestimate this hike. It is all incline up and lots of rock scrambling. We are not experienced hikes and took us 5 hrs to finish. It is true that it is shaded the whole time, but no one mentioned about the amount of bugs on the whole trail. After asking a local, we find out that they are called "black flies". They are small and annoying little bugs that cling on to your skin and bite you. We put bugs spray but did not keep them away from us. Apparently they come in season that received alot of rain. (first week of June) And it just happens to hatch new eggs as the weather gets hot and wet. So if you plan to hike this with there is alot of rain, I suggest wearing a netted hat. Because these flies are soon annoying and just takes out the fun of the hike. Although it was not an easy hike with annoying bugs biting our skin, the summit was one of 360 view of the landscape. It is beautiful and view are breathtaking!!!!

We were lucky to have a beautiful day... but it was a fantastic day... not too many people. Views…read moreare amazing! Then up at the top there is a restaurant- best to reserve ahead so you won't be disappointed-The Cliff House.

Wife and I took a trip to Stowe and jumped on Gondola ride to check out the views. Unfortunate…read moreclouds blocked our view at the top but still enjoyed the experience and ride. Somewhat pricey for bad weather day. Wish they could offer discount for customers on those occasions. Would recommend if you are in Stowe/ Burlington area..

We had an absolute blast ziplining! Mike and Lacey were the perfect team--they balanced each other…read moreout so well. Lacey was constantly keeping Mike in check (and calling him out ), which made the whole experience even more entertaining.

Had a wonderful experience with my child 10yrs old!! Great trust and balance builder make sure you…read morecan keep up with them.

We had an absolutely magical sleigh ride on Saturday through the gorgeous Vermont countryside and…read morearound the pond. I highly recommend this place! We had a storybook setting and such a happy memory of a sleigh ride during our Christmas honeymoon at the Rabbit Hill Inn in Vermont.

Couldn't even make it there three miles of the worst washboard pothole road I have ever been on,…read morehad to turn around. Assholes & idiots, very disappointed in Vermont.

Amazing campground that has everything you could ever want in a campground…read more Swimming, boat rentals, boat dock and launch (for smaller boats at least), a huge lake to explore, hiking trails that go through an abandoned village, brand new bathrooms and showers, and lots of education programming for kids. Tons of families here when I went and I can see why. And many of the sights have incredible views of the lake and the mountains. Side A camping sites were a bit better than side B.

A 15-minute walk that's partially uphill toward the end once you reach the falls. Such crisp, cool,…read morewet air as you approach the falls and a gorgeous view of how powerful they are. Quick, easy, and rewarding hike for any age. 5 stars!!!

Very short and enjoyable easy hike. It is boarded half way…read morethen up some steps to see this heavily flow waterfall. You can also go down to the lower fall with a bit of rock scramble. We did the hike in first week of June and it is very nice and easy. Our first attempt was back in mid April. The trail was still covered with snow. This time going back, the trail looks totally different and more enjoyable. My recommendation go in the month of June and till there is snow in Vermont.

Although the trip to get to this cabin in a tough three mile uphill trek, it was definitely worth…read moreit! We skied up with skins on our skis but took them off to ski down. Phil was working the day we made it there and he was a gracious host. He had made three different soups that day, and all from scratch! I couldn't decide on which one, so I tried a little of all three - Vegetarian Split Pea, Chicken Noodle, and a Potato & Leak with Summer Sausage! They were all so good and the homemade rye with them made it even better. The cabin was very warm with a beautiful fireplace. The little kitchen is just big enough for the chef to do his work and there's a loft he uses for sleeping since he's there 5-6 days a week! Great views, great service, delicious food and a workout to get there!

We rented snowshoes and a day pass to hike to the cabin. I would do this again and again! Such a…read morefun experience. A good hike on the snowshoes but not as challenging as what XC skis would be. The cabin is exactly what I pictured "Little House on the Prairie" cabin to be complete with a roaring fire and three delicious soups to choose from. Such a warm welcome.