Vermont’s Rugged and Remote Recreation Region  

With its cultural heritage rooted in forestry and agriculture, and dramatic scenery including the sheer glacially-carved cliffs surrounding crystal clear Lake Willoughby, the Northeast Kingdom holds a hiking identity all its own. Explore the interconnected Kingdom Heritage Trails system, brought to life by the Green Mountain Club in the 2010s, or rent one of GMC’s rustic cabins on the shores of Wheeler Pond. Many of the trails below are managed in partnership with the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, the Northwoods Stewardship Center, and volunteers with GMC’s Northeast Kingdom Section. 

Countless ways to explore the Green Mountain State

There are hundreds of trails in Vermont, criss-crossing the Green Mountains, the Worcester Range, the Northeast Kingdom, and beyond. The Green Mountain Club publishes hiking guidebooks and detailed maps to help you explore some of our favorite trails. Explore our favorite hiking regions and curated list of day hikes below. 

Spruce Fir Forest, Alpine Peaks, 360-degree Views

Camel’s Hump is an iconic silhouette visible from many parts of north-central Vermont. Camel’s Hump is one of just three summits in Vermont home to fragile arctic-alpine vegetation, so your care is needed to stay on designated trails and protect these rare plants from damage from human footsteps.

Explore multiple ways to summit the 4,000-footer, or venture slightly south to the beautiful Monroe Skyline, home to the summits of Mt. Abraham and Mt. Ellen.

Explore Vermont’s Recreation Nexus

Killington Mountain is one of Vermont’s five 4,000-foot peaks, and the only one the Long Trail does not directly summit — it is reached by a short, steep spur trail. It’s also the highest point on the Vermont Appalachian Trail, before the AT branches east through gentler terrain.

The Killington Area is home to many beloved hikes for all ages and abilities, including an accessible boardwalk to Thundering Falls.  

To Vermont’s Highest Point and Largest Alpine Zone

Mount Mansfield, also known as Mozôdebiwajok, is an iconic ridgeline that is home to both Vermont’s highest point (the Chin, 4,395’) and its largest alpine ecological community, with approximately 100 acres of rare and vulnerable alpine plants remaining. Your care and cooperation is needed to protect these rare species from damage from human footsteps.

Mount Mansfield is home to a complex network of summit trails that wind through caves, over cliffs, and into legendary backcountry terrain. We strongly recommend purchasing a paper Mansfield Area Map to familiarize yourself with these trails and our favorite Mansfield hikes.