Most people find Stowe in winter. They come for the skiing — Stowe Mountain Resort is Vermont’s most famous mountain, and Mount Mansfield is the state’s highest peak — and they leave when the lifts stop running. This is a reasonable choice that misses roughly half of what Stowe actually is.
In summer, Stowe is a different kind of exceptional. The alpine meadows above treeline on Mansfield are accessible by gondola or trail. The Stowe Recreation Path, a paved trail following the West Branch River, connects the village to the resort through five and a half miles of farmland and forest. The restaurants are as good as they are in February. And the event calendar — concerts, food festivals, farmers markets, outdoor cinema — runs through June, July, and August without slowing down.
It’s a 2-hour drive from Woodstock and Quechee, which puts it comfortably in day-trip range. As an overnight destination from an Upper Valley base, it’s a natural extension of a Vermont stay.
The Stowe Summer Concert Series
Stowe hosts an outdoor concert series through the summer months, typically held at the resort grounds or on the village green. The programming leans toward classic rock, folk, Americana, and the kind of acts that play well outdoors to mixed-age crowds. Bring a blanket, arrive early for good placement, and plan around the weather — Vermont outdoor concerts in August are excellent when the weather cooperates and complicated when it doesn’t.
Check stoweperformingarts.com and the Stowe Mountain Resort events calendar for the 2025 schedule. The programming is confirmed in spring and popular shows sell out.
Gondola Skyride
The Stowe Mountain Resort gondola operates through the summer, carrying passengers to the summit of Spruce Peak (a subsidiary summit, not Mansfield’s true summit, but the views are comparable). The ride takes about eight minutes each way and delivers you to an elevation of 3,640 feet — above the treeline, looking across the Lamoille Valley toward New Hampshire, with Mansfield’s ridge above you.
The gondola is worth it purely for the ride and the summit views. At the top, a short walk along the ridge extends the perspective. Bring a layer regardless of valley temperature — summit conditions are typically 10–15 degrees cooler with wind.
Hours: Typically 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Labor Day; check stowe.com for current operating hours and pricing.
Hiking Mount Mansfield
For the serious mountain experience, the Long Trail traverses Mansfield’s summit ridge — the “Chin” at 4,393 feet is Vermont’s highest point. Several trailheads access the summit:
Sunset Ridge Trail (from Underhill State Park, western approach): 3.6 miles to the summit, 2,700 feet of elevation gain. The ridge walk above treeline offers the most dramatic exposed terrain in Vermont.
Hell Brook Trail (from the resort side): Steep, direct, and unrelenting — 2,100 feet in 1.9 miles. One of Vermont’s most demanding ascents. Not recommended for casual hikers.
Long Trail from the Nose: A more moderate approach from Smugglers’ Notch, connecting to the ridge below the Chin.
Allow a full day for any Mansfield summit attempt. Weather on Vermont peaks changes rapidly; check the summit forecast from the Mt. Washington Observatory (which also tracks Vermont peaks) before departing.
The Stowe Farmers Market
The Stowe Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings through the summer season in a field just off Route 108, near the elementary school. This is a well-established market — over 60 vendors — with serious produce, Vermont cheese, maple products, artisan bread, fresh flowers, and prepared food. The Vermont standard for farmers markets is high, and Stowe’s reflects the town’s overall food culture.
Plan for an hour and arrive by 9 a.m. for the best selection. The maple products and artisan cheese vendors tend to run through their supply by late morning.
The Stowe Recreation Path
The 5.5-mile paved path from the village to the resort base follows the West Branch River through farmland and forest, with mountain views in both directions on clear days. It’s flat enough to be accessible to all ages and abilities, busy enough to feel lively without being crowded, and the surroundings — genuine working Vermont farmland interspersed with forest — are what you came to Vermont for.
Bike rentals are available in the village and at the resort. A one-way ride takes about 30 minutes; most people do the full out-and-back and stop somewhere in the middle for views.
Where to Eat
Stowe’s food scene is more developed than its size suggests — the town has attracted serious restaurant talent over the decades.
Hen of the Wood (Stowe location): The Waterbury original is a Vermont institution; the Stowe version delivers the same locally-sourced quality in a converted barn setting. Reserve well in advance.
The Bench: Wood-fired pizza and a thoughtful Vermont beer list. More casual, no reservations, reliably good.
Harrison’s Restaurant & Bar: Classic Stowe, been there for decades, solid food in a comfortable setting. Good for groups.
Cold Hollow Cider Mill (Waterbury Center, just south of Stowe): Not a restaurant, but a required stop — fresh-pressed cider, cider donuts, Vermont specialty foods. One of the most genuinely local food experiences in the state.
Planning Your Visit
- Drive from Woodstock: ~2 hours via I-89 North and Route 100 North
- Concert series: stoweperformingarts.com; check for 2025 schedule in spring
- Gondola: stowe.com; typically 10 a.m.–5 p.m., weather permitting
- Farmers Market: Saturday mornings, June through October
- Recreation Path: Free; bike rentals available in the village
- Best time to visit: July and August for warm temperatures and full event calendar; avoid major holiday weekends if crowds are a concern
Stowe in summer is a different Vermont than the Upper Valley towns most Stay Vermont guests experience. It’s worth the drive for a day or a night — and if you go once in August, you’ll understand why people who discovered it for skiing keep coming back in every season.