Vermont Travel Regions

Central Vermont is known as the home to the capitol city of Montpelier, the granite quarries of Barre and the forested acres of Green Mountain National Forest.

Northern Vermont is historically characterized by its agriculture production of beef cattle, dairy cattle and potatoes. Today, the region enjoys a thriving tourist industry in bustling resorts towns such as Stowe and throughout the islands and along the mainland of Lake Champlain.

Attractions - Vermont's travel regions include Southern, Central and Northern Vermont. Each offers plentiful outdoor recreation centered around the Green Mountain National Forest, National Historic Sites, numerous State Parks and State Forests as well as the State Historic Sites and the National Wildlife Refuges. There are hundreds of miles of streams and rivers in addition to thousands of acres of lakes including the nation's sixth largest lake, Lake Champlain.

Recreation - With thousands of acres and hundreds of miles of trails within Southern Vermont, the Green Mountain National Forest offers endless opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy year-round outdoor recreation. There are rugged mountaintops to secluded streams for enjoying bird-watching, berry picking, paddleboating, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and more. In addition, over 200 years of history offer accessibility to buildings, battlefields and museums throughout southern Vermont.

Nearly 40 covered bridges, many on the National Register of Historic Places, may be enjoyed along the country roads and pastoral highways of Central Vermont. Seventeen state and twenty-nine private campgrounds offer overnight facilities for outdoor enthusiasts. In addition to the state-owned public facilities, Green Mountain National Forest offers hiking, picnicking, swimming, bird-watching, paddleboating, winter sports and more.

Northern Vermont is known for the beautiful natural features of Lake Champlain, Cold Hollow and Lowell Mountains where people enjoy year-round recreation including hiking, mountain biking, scenic driving, viewing wildlife, whitewater boating, downhill and cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, hunting and fishing.

Climate - Vermont's climate varies somewhat depending on region. Generally, the state experiences mild summers with temperatures rarely reaching 90 degrees F. Often summer lows will dip to 50 degrees and by late August temperatures begin to cool. Signs of spring are evident in the Champlain Valley by late March, although the high country begins mud season at this time and doesn't get a full thaw until late April. The mountainous regions of the state have seen snow fall in every month, so be prepared for cooler temperatures if staying in those areas.

Winters can be harsh and long in this northern state. Snow is likely to fall anytime between September and April. Humidity makes winter weather seem bitter and usually a few weeks during the winter see night time temperature below zero. The average winter temperature is 20 degrees F with highs reaching into the forties on warm days.

Location - Southern Vermont is located in the lower third of Vermont bordering the states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York and the Vermont counties of Rutland and Windsor. Central Vermont falls within the central area stretching between the states of New York and New Hampshire. The northern border is a zig-zag across the state running below the city of Burlington, above the state capitol of Montpelier and dropping below the city of St. Johnsbury. The southern boundary is a fairly straight horizontal line running from North Rupert to Weston, slightly dropping to Londonderry and ending at Charlestown.

The southern border for Northern Vermont is a zig-zag across the state running below the city of Burlington, above the state capitol of Montpelier and dropping below the city of St. Johnsbury. The western boundary is Lake Champlain, the northern boundary is Quebec and the eastern boundary is New Hampshire.