Vermont's Northeast Kingdom (Winter)

In the northeast corner of Vermont, the Northeast Kingdom offers two ski mountains, the tallest of which is Jay Peak, at the far western edge and close to the Canadian border. Skiers there may mistake its location for Quebec, only five miles away, because more French is spoken there than English. Its 50 miles of trails cover 385 acres and are reached by seven lifts, including the Aerial Tramway. Burke Mountain, on the eastern side near the New Hampshire border, is a family-friendly mountain for skiers of all levels. Beginning skiers rejoice at the rare novice trail from the top of the mountain; others choose it for the splendid views it ...

In the northeast corner of Vermont, the Northeast Kingdom offers two ski mountains, the tallest of which is Jay Peak, at the far western edge and close to the Canadian border. Skiers there may mistake its location for Quebec, only five miles away, because more French is spoken there than English. Its 50 miles of trails cover 385 acres and are reached by seven lifts, including the Aerial Tramway. Burke Mountain, on the eastern side near the New Hampshire border, is a family-friendly mountain for skiers of all levels. Beginning skiers rejoice at the rare novice trail from the top of the mountain; others choose it for the splendid views it offers. The area is part of Kingdom Trails, a consortium of land owners that have 100 miles of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding in summer and for cross-country and snowshoeing in winter. The cross country ski touring center at Hazen's Notch offers Nordic skiers 40 miles of groomed and marked trails through 2,500 acres of mixed forest, rolling meadows, low hills and a 2,800-foot mountain with views of mountains in all directions. These are among the most scenic cross-country trails in New England. The vast forests and frozen lakes of Brighton State Park, Maidstone State Park and Groton State Forest are favorites for snowmobilers. The art of snowflake photography began in this snowy region, and visitors can admire the original snowflake photographs of “Snowflake Bentley” at the Fairbanks Museum in the region’s only city, St. Johnsbury.

About the Expert

Lura Seavey is the author of Fun with the Family in Vermont and New Hampshire and she has contributed to several Thomas Cook guidebooks, including Drive Around Catalonia, Travellers Mallorca, and Travellers Barcelona.