Smugglers Notch State Park Reviews

Smugglers Notch, which separates Mount Mansfield—the highest peak of the Green Mountains—from Spruce Peak is a great place for hiking and rock climbing for all members of the family big or small. There are bathrooms available which is great if you have young children with you which we did. We had a great time with our children and grandchild.

I love coming into this wild notch and ascending the Sterling Pond Trail from the height of land to its namesake at 3,200’ in a beautiful alpine setting. The trail is wild and steep in places but in a little over a mile, you enter another world with spruce, fir, and water. Well worth a visit in any season!

Very pleasant & beautiful park, lots of scenic areas, very clean and well maintained. Totally enjoyed just walking around with the family

My husband and I did the drive through Smugglers Notch. Crazy, windy drive. We noticed quite a few hikers during our drive. We were there a few weeks before the leaves started changing, but it was still a beautiful drive. Worth doing, even if you don't plan on hiking.

Most of the people who visit Vermont never make it to the bottom of the pass road.

Half of those who do unhappily discover that their truck, camper, or RV simply cannot make the turns and switchbacks.

If you have small enough vehicle, and have the hutzpach, driving to the top is really cool, especially when the summit is still snow-covered.

Smugglers Notch State Park is really cool, and as the weather is will determine how long you spend up on top.

Going down the other side to Jeffersonville is a nice ride, and the ride around to Stowe can be very enjoyable as well.

If only to see just how cool it is. It is a place of hiking and our first visit we weren't prepared for hiking. This was because we came across the place while out driving around.

It looks like a nice place to hike and spend a few hours outdoors enjoying the clean, fresh air, all while seeing a part of VT not seen by many folks as it is a bit off the beaten path

It was not much of an experience. Maybe I'm jaded by too much time in the Canadian Rockies. It was worth the trip...sort of.

My husband and I went here for the first time and were so impressed. We stayed in a lean to and it was perfect! It rained so we had great shelter. The site was secluded but still very close to the incredibly clean bathrooms. Every time we went to the restrooms they had just been cleaned. The sites offered privacy, a picnic table, fire pit, the lean to and plenty of space. The campsite was raked when we arrived. Firewood was available for purchase. The Rangers were very nice and informative. There were so many trails and beautiful sites to see at the park as well as locally. We loved the waterfalls and the scenic routes! We were so pleased with our experience and plan on coming back as soon as we can. I wish all campsites were like this.

Driving on Route 108 between the Smugglers Notch Resort and the approach to the town of Stowe is a gift you don't want to miss. There is a two lane natural mountain pass surrounded by serenity. We were there at the end of the Autumn leaves. The tree limbs create a canopy on the side of the road. Dotting the roadside are huge gray two story boulders. Probably breaking off of the mountain side & cliffs. There are water steams flowing down and then along the gullies.There are designated parking lookouts & a small parking lot created by the Park's Dept. At the parking lot is a natural cave to explore and trails to climb. In late October the pass will close whenever there is a threat of snow. We were lucky to travel this pass three times with little traffic. There is a peace & beauty from the outside world. The practical reason for this route is a shortcut between the towns of Stowe and Jeffersonville. I highly recommend visiting both the pass and the charming town of Stowe.

This is a beautiful drive in the Fall. We took type mountain road from Stowe up to the parking lot at the top wher we turned around. The Fall foliage colours are stunning with the trees over the road like a tunnel. The road narrows to a single carriageway towards the top and there were a lot of other sightseers so you had to be careful. However there are several stopping places to get out and walk

We drove past here on the road during Memorial Day weekend. Place was still heavy with snow/ice melt. Weren't dressed properly but we did some shallow exploring and would see this road being a disaster in the winter, lots of sharp, blind hairpin turns around large boulders, people parking wherever they find a spot, very messy. But very cool. the weather dropped 10 degrees from the bottom, and the mountain was flowing and chilly.

PRIVACY VIOLATED - At all parks, we have seen cleaning staff near the women's bathrooms waiting to clean, but they've always been waiting AWAY from the ladies room and being careful to approach and making certain there was no one in the women's room before entering to attend to for cleaning purposes, along with putting up a sign or mop bucket in the entrance to the ladies room signaling there are attendants cleaning. At this park, between 9:00 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. the man who checked us in at the office the night before came right into the women's room while there were women in the bathroom stalls, in the shower, and while I was at the sink brushing my teeth. I have never seen anything like this. This was very INAPPROPRIATE. He had a long stick with a brush at the end of it and swiped some of the windows above the sink and then entered a stall with his stick that was not occupied. This man came in the ladies room in and out more than once and also had with him two teenage boys. I alerted the woman who came out of the shower while I was waiting to use the shower inside that there was a man that came in. When I finished my shower and was stepping out of the shower fully naked another woman who was in the women's bathhouse called out to me, Excuse me lady in the shower there is a man in the women's room and it is very inappropriate. When I dressed and went over to the sink the guy was just outside the ladies room in clear view of me talking with his friends or colleagues two teenage boys. I felt very uncomfortable that the man who worked there with the yellow rain slicker on could watch me groom my hair in the mirror and apply my toiletries. I looked at him and said, I am sorry, does the bathroom close at a certain time? He responded, no. He stayed right outside the door with the two boys for at least another 10 mins. after I asked him, then all of a sudden disappeared. ATTN: ...seriously, this is not a park /camping area for solo women campers. You just will not feel comfortable. I am hoping that this park ranger gets spoken to. I have never felt the sanctity of using the women's room as violated at this ever in my life. This ranger or attendant should not be working at Smuggler's Notch State Park.

If you are in VT to see the beauty of the trees and hillsides, whether it be summer or fall, this steep, twisty drive is unlike any other we saw while we were in VT. We were in VT for 3 days to see the fall colors and heard about this section of road and made a point of going there and it was gorgeous. You have to drive slowly because in some spots it is only wide enough for one car so you take turns passing but it is steep (not sure how a regular car would do in winter or maybe they close the road off) and it has many many turns which sort of reminded me of that twisty road in San Francisco you see in photos. This section of beautiful road will be the image I remember from my visit to Vermont.

This is a beautiful area to drive through and see the lovely views so it is worth planning a road trip to include this area. Very narrow pass and a small amount of parking so that you can pull over near the visitor's centre to take pictures and explore the area briefly.

We had some cablin Fever on the Monday we were visiting, and even with the snow it was a great place to visit. We snowshoes around and plopped ourselves down for some Nosh. Plenty of great dogs around to ogle or play with if they so please :)

We hiked to Bingham Falls and then drove through the notch! The hike was an easy, short hike to the falls. You do have to go down and then back up quite a few stone steps. I climbed down to the river and there were two guys fly fishing. After our hike to the falls, we drove through Smuggler's Notch- gorgeous!!! This was the best look at the colorful changing leaves we saw during our week in Vermont during this year's peak of color (Oct 8-15). I loved it so much, I wanted to go back!!!

The drive was wonderful as it got narrower and steeper but that is why you drive these loops! Highly recommend!

Just a really unusual dramatic park and road. Really cool for East coast. Doesn't take too long to drive through worth stopping at hiking trails etc.

The main gate was closed due to snow but as we go back to stowe we saw direction to falls. Everything around was snow or ice but it was still amazing adventure. just be careful not to slip, especially if you are going down to the falls.

Visited this park during a recent visit to Vermont. The road is unique and the views are outstanding. A wonderful experience for everyone

Hiking to the lake on top of the mountains is an incredible experience. This is a must do adventure if you are able. The entire Smugler's Notch road up to the park is amazing as well. Beautiful in both winter and summer...however the road is closed during the hard winter months.

We had a difficult time finding hiking trails as the signs were terrible. We went to one large cave, but then had difficulty finding other hiking trails.

Bingham Falls is beautiful and a very reasonable hike. Sterling pond is a steady, vertical hike that leads to really nice views, the notch is a beautiful drive, especially in Fall. Definitely a place worth spending some time at.

We came for the week after Christmas and the mountain became too busy for the resort to manage. Over multiple nights we were unable to obtain takeout from any restaurant besides the pizza place (and the pizza is gross) because the restaurants were too busy to accommodate takeout orders. We have 3 young kids and after a full day of ski school wanted to eat at home and moreover even if we wanted to go physically to the restaurant the waits were untenable. One restaurant is only open Wednesday-Sunday, so on Tuesday the only open restaurant could not handle the volume. Then Wednesday that place (Morse mountain grill) was closed so we tried Brewsters off property and Hearth and Candle on property, and both refused takeout.

As for the skiing all lift chairs are ancient doubles and one day the only chair on the main mountain was inoperable and the only place to ski was the beginner mountain where the lines were endless. Even when it was running the percentage of time spent in line for and on the lift was shocking. Additionally someone met us here for the day but couldn’t get a lift ticket for the big mountain because it was full. The lifts need to be updated so they can accommodate more people up and down the mountain more efficiently.

I came to this resort because of its reputation for being family friendly but would never come back even if it was free. They need more restaurants, and during busy weeks they should have both on property restaurants open extra days.

We took a small hike in the end of April "Mud Season". The paths were clearly defined and even thought the trees and flowers were still dormant, the waterfall was amazing. There may have been an easier way to get to it, but we seemed to follow the "Easy" path and had a nice steep hike up a cliff to get good views. Maybe in the summer you can wade near the water as an easier option??

Nice drive on a rainy day, we wished we had time to go back in better weather to explore the trails.

We walked to Bingham Falls with our kids. Its it heavily travelled but beautiful. The kids jumped off a ledge about 8 feet above the quarry and had a great time. Unfortunately, there were a lot of people and some older kids/adults jumping off a ledge about 30 feet above the quarry.

Traveled to Vermont in June for a Wedding and the bachelor party I was in all decided to head to the park and climb one of the trails to the top. The trail we decided to take took about an hour and a half to get to the top. Some parts were quite grueling nad if you are not in decent shape could become quite exhausting, But if you are willing to put in the effort the views once you get there are magnificent. Anyone in Stowe with some extra time or plan to do some hiking should strongly consider the Smugglers Notch State Park to explore. You will not be disappointed

Managed to catch the last of the fall foliage on a lovely scenic drive thru smugglers notch. Beautiful drive with lots of places to pull over to do a hike to a waterfall or just take pictures.

The most enchanted forest with a beautyfull sinous road and bolders.
Just like in the faery books
It's a must see

A very nice park with lots of hiking trails, many of these trails have a elevation change involved so many of the trails are somewhat difficult be sure to review the trails before setting out. Some more signage on the trail heads would be appreciated.

The ride up the mountain is very scenic. Road is curvy and narrow but well worth it! See the cave where they kept their stash.

I cannot find the right words to describe the beauty of Smugglers Notch... Breathtaking nature... Green mountains, tranquil lakes, sparkling waterfalls, mighty Mount Mansfield - everything was stunning on a sunny and warm day in June. If you are in Vermont, drive right away to this magnificent park... you will not regret. There are things to do for all ages and fitness levels: rigorous Long Trail is for experienced and fit hikers, but parts of this trail are very manageable and not hard.

We started with the Barnes Loop going clockwise (easier to do it counterclockwise). Right from the start, walking on the wooden path, you can enjoy wonderful views of Smugglers Notch and lovely lake. After that, this pretty steep trail runs in the woods and could be slippery, so be careful. You might need to take your shoes off to cross a couple of streams but it so refreshing!

After the Barnes Loop, we drove all the way along the narrow road to admire the beauty of the mountains from different angles (there are several designated parking areas at the viewpoints).

Morse Mountain Grill was a very nice place for a lunch break.

After lunch, we drove back to the visitor center (very helpful staff there and good hiking maps) and decided to go on one more hike: Bingham Falls. Not a difficult hike but you should be very, very alert going down to the waterfalls: the drop off is short but steep and rocky, with plenty of roots on the wet and slippery path. Bingham Falls is a great place for kids to cool off: they can dive right into the stream under the waterfalls and have fun.

We had a such fabulous day out and will definitely return in October. I can only imagine how breathtaking the fall colors of Smugglers Notch Park are...

We took the hike across the road from the parking area at the top of Smugglers Notch pass. It's rocky but so well maintained and at the top you can go left to Sterling Lake or right to a beautifull view along part of the Long Trail. Great hiking.

We were driving along 108 when we came across the state park. We decided to pull in and check it out. It's not a very long hike and good for most physical conditions. It's about a 1\2 mile hike to the waterfall (just under 1 mile round-trip). There is a place to hang out while you're there. The hike is pretty good and the scenery is worth it. If you have time to see a beautiful waterfall, I strongly recommend going to Smugglers Notch State Park.

We had a great hike to Sterling Pond! Steep but worth it. The park is clean, well marked and quite enjoyable. We highly recommend!!

We loved the ease of accessibility and immediate beauty that this park affords. Park on the side of the road and start hiking UP. A walking stick would be helpful. Sterling Lake is a gem and the whole area, being a ski resort, has lots of trails to hike.

This park has expanded in the last few years but we come back for the Luge ride. What we dislike is that there are many activites for younger kids and very limited to teenagers and the prices are getting too expensive. Will think about it twice next year.

We did this hike with our dog and it was amazing! We came across two other people that was it! It was just great, a gorgeous day and nothing could’ve been more perfect. I would recommend bringing comfortable walking shoes, water, and a camera! Have a blast and enjoy Mother Nature!

My boyfriend and I hiked up to Sterling Pond and it was absolutely gorgeous! The hike was a great workout, the trail was beautiful, and the lake was amazing. We hiked up the steps next to the lake and found ourselves at the top of the mountain. The view was unforgettable! This is definitely worth your time.

What a beautiful ride thru the notch, I can see why it is closed in the winter, there's no place to put the snow. Hard to imagine? Just take a ride and you'll see.

Our family just stayed two nights at this campground and it was wonderful. The lots are large and surrounded by trees. It was very peaceful and quiet (except our kids). There was a very clean restroom with a shower available within a short walk of the campsite. Dogs are allowed as well.

Hikers who crave views should visit this park. I grew up 2 miles down the road but I never got tired of hiking both Mount Mansfield and Sterling Mountain simply because they're beautiful! Go in the fall!

I made a short morning visit to Smugglers Notch while visiting Stowe. The drive up the mountain is beautiful but twisty, narrow and slow going. There are several places to stop along the road and hike or just enjoy the views. But the only stop I made was at the visitor center. Several hikes start from here including the short Cave trail. The entire smugglers notch has breathtaking views. This is a highly recommended scenic spot in Vermont.

We spent a couple nights here on a roadtrip through the Northeast. The campground was well maintained, restroom facilities were nice and our walk in tent site was very private. All of the other sites sites also appeared to be spread out nicely. Stowe is a short drive away and the campground was also close to a lot of nice hiking trails.

Drive the Notch road from Stowe to Smugglers Notch, but only with a car, nothing big and be careful to drive slow!

We recently enjoyed a few days camping in Smuggler's Notch State Park. From the time we checked in and were greeting by name by the ranger to the time we left, we were impressed with our stay. The staff were very nice and helpful. The campground was immaculate! Our campsite was well maintained and very meticulously raked with a cleaned out fireplace. The site was a good size and fairly private. There are sites for trailers, tents, as well as a number of lean-tos. The restrooms were very clean and fairly new. I was amazed at how many times a day they were checking the restrooms. The only thing i would have like to see in the restrooms would be soap. As a matter of fact, that is my only complaint about the place! There is ice and firewood for sale at the office for a very reasonable price. I cannot say enough good things about this park and plan on returning in the future. I might also add that the area is beautiful with some amazing views!

Just an incredible experience. the road snakes its way up into the notch and at the very top narrows so much that the lane markers are gone and through the very top it just weaves through the bolders.
I have now climbed it in a car
on a bicycle both in a race and just by myself
and now running
and I highly reccommend you try as many ways as you can!!!

This isn't a place to visit, it is a place to camp overnight. I came to the area for the road bicycling. An excellent place from which to travel up to the historically significant notch for hiking or biking, or down to Stowe and Waterbury for eating and sightseeing. Although small as campgrounds go, the bathroom is campground top of the line, clean, completely tiled, ventilated, with hanging plants, and a little electric serenity waterfall. When there was a problem, the staff was on it immediately. The ranger knew the answer to every question we asked, and apparently wrote most of the materials you can find for information about the notch. The hiking and the biking, by the way, were strenuous, but not impossible. The restaurants in town were all fairly priced for a tourist area, and the Ben and Jerry's tour was inexpensive, fun and included a free sample. I wouldn't recommend this camp sight area for families because I'm a city guy and there are bears up there. Though I didn't see any, we saw the fresh poop along the hiking trail.

I would recommend this area to friends who love to hike! Places right off the road were quite amazing to view. The drive is a 'bit' 'fun' but if you take your time it's fine, though some people park where it makes the drive a bit 'tough'! Scenery is beautiful!!

Hiked the Sterling Pond trail from Smuggers Notch. Perfect half day hike although be sure to take a map as there are multiple intersecting trails and it is easy to get lost! Trails are well kept. Lake is beautiful.

We were here in the winter and it was just stunning. The Notch road from Stowe village is closed in the winter so you will have to go around. Worth the drive!

It'll be lovely here in winter, but now it looks a bit bleak. Limited places to park to admire the views.

Always worth a visit when travelling through Stowe. The ride to and through the park is stunning. In the Fall its glorious and should not be missed but drive carefully!

My whole family loved this park. We had my parents, who are about 60, four of us in our late 20's, a toddler, and a baby. Everybody had a blast! The drive through the notch is beautiful and doesn't take long. I suggest taking the time to stop near the ranger station/parking area to check out the cave! We had so much fun climbing around in the cave and observing how the trees grow out of the rocks. It's really something to see.

Narrow winding road through the pass. Scenery absolutely beautiful. Great place for hiking in the mountains.

What a fascinating and unique place! We had a person with mobility issues, so couldn't venture far. Nonetheless we were amazed by the natural wonder of this place. Huge boulders, tumbled down from the mountains, have formed caves and crevices over the decades. On top of these, incongruous, intrepid trees grow with their roots almost fully exposed in wonderful, gnarled patterns. Plus, people practicing rock climbing, a drone pilot, etc. I would love to hike up higher to some of the caves! The state road leading up to the notch (closed in winter) is a beautiful ride in itself, with many switchbacks through lovely woodland.

Enjoyed this hike up to Sterling Pond, especially because we had hiking poles. The views at Sterling Pond and from the top of the ski runs and from the Long Trail made the uphill all worth it.

I have heard many mountain passes called "notches" but this one takes the cake. Literally, you will squeeze between gigantic granite rocks that the road barely passes through. It is a beautiful drive between Stowe and Smuggler's Notch. You can stop and explore many beautiful trails and rolling creeks along the drive. At fall peak, this road offers some of the most stunning color in the Green Mountains. Beautiful!

The road to snuggler's notch is closed in the winter so taking this hair pin drive up to the top of the mt. is a great treat.

It doesn't take long to drive through this park, but it is quite spectacular! A great alternative route to Burlington from Stowe over this pass in the summer months (the pass is unfortunately closed in the winter). Hopefully on one of our next trips we can do a hike or some climbing here - it will definitely be on the short list!

Wow! great hike and beautiful surrounding. We went up to Sterling Pond (fairly difficult, ranger stated it was a difficult moderate, or easy difficult level hike), but wow, so worth the effort. Walking up the numerous waterfalls on the way up was an experience my wife and I had never experienced, and was so much fun. This was our favorite hike of entire 10 day trip we had...don't miss this!

It was great fun driving my sports car through the notch. It's a beautiful spot. Closed a good part of the year so check before you go.

We pulled off the road to see the amazing waterfall. No hiking needed for this one! Beautiful sight with amazing colorful trees!

I was there in spring, but it must be awesome in the fall! Great narrow winding (but not scary) mountain drive. Once you get out of the car, it's so peaceful. It's a must see.

Exceptional scenery and wonderful environment. Good for couples or families. It makes a nice vacation

My visit during fall was amazing. The fall colors are so beautiful. The drive down there is so wonderful experience. I had been down there twice during fall season and both trips are so unforgettable. I’ll love to visit it again.

I didn't get to the park perse but I did go to Smuggles Notch on a fact finding mission for a future trip.

The view was breath taking! Absolutely amazing! I've never seen anything like it in my life! We were driving around bolders that were in the road. There were tight turns; at times I wasn't sure if there was enough room to make it through. I have been in notches before, being from New Hampshire. We have our fair share there, but I have never seen anything like this in my life!

This is a nice small campground that offers several lean to sites. The park ranger was really helpful and the crew seemed to incessantly clean the bathroom. I have never stayed in such a clean campground and would definitely recommend it.

I'd been going to Stowe for a while before I discovered the notch, and it's awesome. Get out at a few of the parking spots and discover the nature. The caves in the notch were quite the surprise when we found them last year. Not sure exactly where they are on the notch, but I'm sure the tourist bureau can let you know.

The Notch was a great drive to do. Refreshing, cool air made you forget it was August! Plenty of places to pull over and take pictures, eat a picnic, or a quick bathroom break. Again, the Notch has an interesting story to justify its name.

We hiked from the top to Sterling Pond. The hike was really pretty and Sterling Pond beautiful and peaceful. It had just rained so water ran everywhere! Hiking shoes were a huge plus due to water and some mud. Get there early to find parking and allow 2-3 hrs. The views were awesome-don't miss this one!

The notch road over the mountain is beautiful and scenic with many places to pull over and stop and look at and take pictures. We went in October and the colors were spectacular! The road has a canopy of trees that spreads across the whole road and it is very popular with photographers. This is a must see. We loved it. It's a great road trip for the family. Many places to pull off and have a picnic or take a hike.

When we had lunch at the top of Mt. Mansfield--we were encouraged to drive to this State Park. Absolutely, amazing in natural beauty and fragrance .

Amazing scenery, especially in the fall. The rocks and trails are stunning. The drive is a bit scary but worth it.

Very Nice forest. The kids and I went for a walk and swam in a natural basin. Very nice ride, also. Unfortunately some idiot in a tractor trailer tried to drive through the notch in spite of numerous signs prohibiting it. The truck got stuck being unable to negotiate one of the turns and the had to close the road in order to get the rocket scientist out of there.

One of our favorite areas while visiting Vermont during leaf peeping season. Just beautiful. We drove through the Mt. Mansfield area and Smugglers Notch, got out and did some light hiking, and really enjoyed the colors and bit of fog that was hovering over the trees that day. Definitely recommend you visit this area in the fall.

Awesome views, waterfalls, climbing, biking, and hiking trails. On perfect summer days like today, there is a car parked in every "nook and cranny". It's great to see so many people enjoying this park. This road is closed in the winter, and it makes a nice (but short) snowmobile ride, or a
place to use your snow shoes or cross country skis. Enjoy!

Visited in peak leaf season and the views were great and well worth the effort. We had a ;limited time but intend to go back and spend more time here.

Beautiful park and scenery. We did drive the smugglers notch road to Jeffersonville thru Rte 108 and while it is very interesting for sure, dont be intimidated as the literature and articles you may read make it far more "dangerous" and "treacherous" than it really is.

The park is abundant with jagged cliffs and huge boulders that attract recreational climbers. We briefly followed a marked "trail" which soon degenerated into a rock climber's paradise. So much for "trails."

Smuggler’s Notch State Park is a bit spread out. Follow Road 108 out of town toward Mount Mansfield until you reach the pass at the top. There are turnouts for parking so you can view the picturesque mixture of trees and boulders.

Near town, you can find the path off 108 for hiking back to Bingham Falls. A 10-15 minute downhill walk on a very well-maintained trail brings you to the top of the falls, which cannot be seen from this location. To view the falls, you need to turn right and go down 40-50 steps made out of rough stone. The steps are very irregular and some are slick from moisture and wear. Be careful! But, if you make the journey down, you are rewarded with a very pretty view of the falls and great photo ops.
If you turn to the left at the top, the path will cross a small bridge and bring you alongside the rapids that deliver the water to the falls. Again, very picturesque.

Perhaps just another waterfall for the well-traveled tourist, but not a bad way to spend 30-40 minutes nonetheless.

Once you drive through the Notch you will be hooked. Just the drive through is exciting. A little hiking and picture taking added in makes it unforgettable. Whenever we are visiting Stowe, we cannot wait for our first visit to the Notch.

Nice quiet small campground. Clean bathrooms with coin showers. One in the male and one in the female bathroom. Great location! Close to Stowe, hiking trails and waterfalls. The campsites were well maintained. We stayed at Site 1 a walk in site, downhill, so a little rough going up and down with supplies. It is very well shaded and private, couldn't see or hear any other campers. Short nature trail around the park. They sell firewood and ice on site.

There are plenty of trails to hike for all experience levels. My husband and I are slightly out of shape, and we still had fun exploring! It's a peace drive too if you are just passing through!

We traveled there in the fall and found it beautiful. We took the hike to Sterling Pond which is beautiful but a challenging 1 mile (1 hour) hike up a steep rocky trail. Worth the trip for those in better than average shape.

The drive is amazing but there are also many different areas to stop and hike that are perfect for the half day we did here. I wish we had longer to explore but the waterfalls and rocks we climbed were entirely memorable and amazing. We climbed the rocks like a jungle gym and for about an hour felt like kids exploring the cracks and crevices. It's hard to rate something like this that is just a natural wonder that you have to see for yourself. I hope I get to go back here again soon, I'd love to make it an overnight trip to hike all the trails this area has to offer.

This park has the most incredible views....for leaf peepers! Drive through SMUGGLERS NOTCH for the most glorious fall colors ever!

This is a magnificent place. Beautiful and full of hiking trails and very large boulders. No motorhomes or large trucks and you will see why, but the drive is majestic and the hikes are beautiful. On the weekend, get there early or parking will be a problem.

Beautiful scenic drive, and you can stop and go up and see trails between huge boulders and almost cave like pockets around huge rocks. Quite spectacular. Great place for photos and amazing colors.

A wonderful place to experience New England. The quaint Inns and restaurants will harken you back to the olden days while offering all the best amenities of the new. Absolutely take the road up to the top of Mt. Mansfield for a 360 degree view of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and upstate New York. This is not to be missed, but dress warm. It's chilly all the way up there. Enjoy!

It seems to always rain and the green is so deep and the moss so think. The little water falls and giant rocks create a magical
Place to wander. The park is free and parking is available. I like it best at the top of the Notch.

It is a beautiful place to camp, peaceful. No speed boats or water jet boats etc. Take your own boat.
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We were here for the fall colors and we were not disappointed. Traffic can get heavy and parking is very limited. We had great colors and even got a lite snow fall. Several trails in the area along with streams and the cave. The rocks and trees were nice for a different look. Would return.

Set out on my day off.....but it was foggy, drizzly and chilly! I made the best of it and took the Gondola up Mount Mansfield!!! Although the views were null and void being on top of the mountain in the fog was a great experience!

My family stayed at the Smugglers Notch Campground last week and could not have had a better experience (except the nonstop rain!). Sites are well spaced, wooded and have great privacy. The bathhouse was spotless - even with all the rain. The floors were clear, not muddy and sandy. Pay shower was perfect and provided a hot shower to get cleaned off. The bathrooms do not have soap or towels/hand driers, so bring your own. Rangers were very friendly and helpful, providing suggestions for alternative hikes with a 3 year old, due to change of plans with all the rain. We look forward to staying there again in a couple months.

do not miss ArborTrek if around the park - I took my 7 year old twins and we all had a complete blast.

I love all of the 4 Vermont state parks that we've stayed in but this was a first! My husband and I are always looking for the best campsite to stay, so we decided to check out the campsite next to us since it was empty. The state park employee must have seen us since the site is able to be viewed from the office area. He came up to the site not more then 5 minutes that we were there and told us that we weren't allowed to be there because that was like coming into someone's hotel room! We were just looking and on our way back up and not going to mess up the place where it was raked! My husband and I are both in our 50's and weren't going to do anything criminal! My family owns a small business and I just think ranger rick jr was being a little nit picky since we were on our way back out of the site!

Beautiful views and hikes. Very nice environmental picnic facilities. Nice road but would need more parking spaces

I found the scenery spectacular and at times breath-taking. being located just a short distance north of Stowe, off Highway 108, was a definite plus. Found the huge, fallen boulders beside Mountain Road, just south of the "Notch" amazing examples of natural wonder.

there was nothing that I disliked.

We were very pleased that this was part of a larger tour. It is best to leave the driving to someone with experience in the area.

We didn't go for a hike as we had our elderly parents with us, but we took a drive through Smuggler's Notch's winding road. The road can only take cars and pickup trucks, anything bigger would not fit around the boulders and twisting turns around said boulders. But our mouths hung open at the amazing scenery, waterfalls, ledges, and huge boulders lining the road.

Make sure you have your camera with you - a home movie will amaze your friends!

Start at Stowe Ski Resort or Smuggler's Notch Ski Area and drive to the other side. Hikes take longer.

The drive thru Smugglers Notch is amazing. Huge boulders appear to be in the middle of the road. Wonderful for camera enthusiasts.

This area is worth driving a few hours for. The drive through the notch is absolutely stunning during this time of year (fall). Go slow and enjoy the scenery. There are several pullouts where you can park and walk. The Stowe toll road is also a must do.

This is only for people who like to hike and walk outside quite a bit. The hikes were pretty good, may of which were strait up mountainsides. I really enjoyed it and found many hidden treasures, like mountain lakes and streams. I only got to scratch the surface, you could do this for days.

Me and 9 of my friends(couples included) went for a long weekend vacation to Lake Elmore, while the guys were snowboarding me and my friend decided to park in a turnaround and we stumbled upon Smugglers Notch state park while hiking! It was beautiful and an easy hike even in the snow!!!

We just loved here. It was just breathtaking. There is so much to do and enjoy. If you enjoy the outdoors please go you won't be disappointed. If you enjoy a scenic drive it is still enjoyable. Just such a pleasure!

We didn't have time to actually go hiking here, on the way back home we saw pictures online and decided to see the road ourselves. It's definitely worth spending more time here. picturesque road, fresh air and rejuvenation experience. We try to come back.

Visit here in the fall... From the drive to get here through the park itself, this is quintessential Vermont beauty. Although foliage is a bit unpredictable from year to year, aim for mid October for best viewing. Columbus Day is too crowded, but midweek is much more reasonable. Enjoy!

Why did I ever think that New England lacked beautiful scenery once you left Cape Cod and the rocky coast of Maine? Because I'd never been to the White Mountains in New Hampshire or the Green Mountains in Vermont. So here I am in Smugglers Notch State Park on Vermont Route 108 near Stowe, Vermont, whose history dates to Thomas Jefferson's 1807 Embargo Act that prohibited American trade with Great Britain and Canada, and I'm absolutely enthralled with a pristine and peaceful property that offers hiking, biking, fishing, swimming, camping, skiing, snowmobiling, picnicking, mountain climbing, spelunking, ice climbing, even cave exploring and bouldering. And the sight of all this beautiful greenery is breath-taking. The park, located at an elevation of 2,119 feet near Mount Mansfield, is named for Smugglers Notch, a narrow pass which separates Mount Mansfield, the highest peak of the Green Mountains, from Spruce Peak and the Sterling Range. Lined with 1,000-foot cliffs, the winding road is closed in winter. In the early days, only a footpath and trail for horses existed here. In 2003, the park was relocated to make way for a larger campground and modern facilities, such as flushing toilets and hot and cold running water. The park serves as a trailhead for several hiking trails that stretch into Mount Mansfield State Forest, including the Sterling Pond trail that rises 900 feet to Sterling Pond, which is open fishing and swimming.

Beautiful state park with tons of trails and things to do. Bring your hiking shoes. The trails are free. If you are a beginner hiker Sterling Pond and Bingham falls are good hikes.

Beautifully area to see, hike, and enjoy! Many different levels of hikes. Great way to burn off little ones energy - climbing on rocks and paths. Wish we had more time to enjoy some more of the hikes!

Enjoyed the scenic drive through the notch - very picturesque. The drive around the far side also provided some good views of the country side.

The Smugglers Notch road between Jeffersonville and Stowe is one of the must-ride roads for motorcyclists in the northeastern U.S. Plus, if you are going to Stowe from Ontario or Quebec, it cuts the journey by at least 20 minutes.

Not to be missed if you are in Vermont! The drive through the Notch alone is exciting and beautiful. Be sure to get out and explore the many trails and caves. Giant boulders are everywhere. Bring a camera, great photo opportunities!

The rock formations were impressive and we could park/get away from the road. It took me a bit to figure out the park was divided into pieces - the walks along the road, the falls trail, and the campground. Vt State Park websites are down more than they are accessible.

The road was narrow and a bit windy, but the big rocks and scenery were gorgeous were well worth driving up there for!

There are many options for hiking, but the sterling pond trail is a must. We hiked the sterling pond trail around 9:30 am on a weekday. We saw only 2 other hikers on our way to the pond. We went very late Oct, which unfortunately meant that nearly all the leaves had fallen. But the hike was still beautiful with some streams and small falls, and evergreens. The pond at the end is breath taking and it was wonderful to have it to ourselves. Due to rain and the leaves having fallen, it was very muddy and slippery. Waterproof hiking boots would make the hike a little bit easier, but aren’t necessary if you don’t mind wet feet. The state park has many trail options and we will be exploring more. But cannot recommend the trail enough.

Wow, just wow. I absolutely loved this walk. I has an amazing view. I went with my dog, and it was great. It was steep at one part. But the lake...wow. SO AWSOME!!!! If you go to Stowe, please, I'm begging you, go on this hike. Once again. Wow
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Gorgeous, short drive. We were just past peak foliage but it was still gorgeous. If you're a hiker there several trail heads on the skinny winding road. At the end in Jeffersonville, don't miss Smugglers Notch Distillers.Award-winning vodka and hopped gin, Bourbon & rum.

The clerk at the front desk suggested we cross country ski here for a change (and its free!) and we were so happy we did. Incredible views, nicely groomed and appropriate for snowshoeing or skiing, lots of dogs. It is a bit of an uphill and then a downhill, so not for those who only want a flat hike in the woods, but it was beautiful!

It rained most of the time we were in Stowe, and we couldn't do any of the hikes we planned. We drove the twisty road between the giant boulders, and were given a taste of the beautiful nature hidden here. Next time we are hoping to do some hiking!

Traveling between Smugglers Notch and Stowe one must cross through the Notch. A drive that is beautiful during the day and scary at night. At one point in the Notch there are S turns with rocks on both sides of the road and the roadway goes to one lane through some of these turns. Definitely an experience. Along side the road were it is wider they have small pull offs for hikers to park. On the North end there is a comfort station with a larger parking area for hikers and rock climbers. For the adventurous I would recommend a pass through the Notch. The Notch is closed in the winter.

We did the Pond trail up to the Long Trail. Beautiful experience, albeit a bit strenuous. The first mile seems to be almost straight up! Even though we were fortunate to have good weather, there are portions of the trail that are wet and slippery. Allow plenty of time unless you are an avid hiker.

A small camping park which offers some nice diversity of sites. Great views and hiking available with great swimming a short ride away.
One has the choice of some great eating establishments in Stowe. A must check out if you camp.

My husband and I were a little unsure about completing the hike up to Sterling Pond as the beginning was quite steep, but the climb is not that intense the entire time. We saw kids on the trail who were doing just fine - if you have kids just be aware there are really steep drop-offs and high rocks that they will need to scramble up. The pond was incredible - crystal clear water and beautiful views. Great place to take a break and have a snack or swim.

We skied Smugglers Notch three days during our trip and had a wonderful experience. I took group ski lessons, my younger son was with the kids camp and my older son and husband did private lessons. All of us had amazing instructors and really progressed with our skills. The resort has lots of family friendly runs and fun terrain for even novice skiers and snowboarders. My husband and older son enjoyed the more challenging blue runs on the other mountains. We would definitely return.

We visited Stowe Vermont and Qubec city, CA during our recent vacation early this month. We had a booked a home away rental at Plaatsburgh, NY which is just off of 87 and an hour away from Vermont and Montreal. It was a lakefront property ( Lake Champlain , Cumberland head bay was just off the property.)
Beautiful, peaceful and serene location. State beach and ferry were minutes away. Lots of options to dine. One of the days we took the ferry to Vermont and visited the Smugglers Notch State park and took the trek up to Sterling Pond. Well worth the effort of the hike. Visited the Ben and Jerrys factory with the kids. The ferry ride itself was gorgeous. Miles and miles of lake . We then took a day trip to old Qubec city and MontMorency falls. This place has a bridge above the falls which my kids went on. It was beautiful. There were cable cars available for older people. Also there was ziplining by the falls. The last day we just roamed around the city of Plattsburgh and enjoyed the state beach as it was to be q rain day. Very relaxing trip. Did not want to roam too much. The rental was beautiful and well stocked, convenient and felt like home. The owners were nice people and very helpful. Overall a beautiful experience. Thank you to all the fellow me,bets for helping me plan the trip.

Just up the road from Stowe and a really nice drive, the fall colours were great. Not a difficult drive and lots to see

Beautiful drive up the mountain to see this unique spot in the Fall- parking can be difficult but well worth the drive.

We really enjoyed our stay at Smugglers Notch State Park. It is a beautiful park with lots of flowers around. The campsites are all nestled in the trees. We are in a large camper van and our site was spacious and well maintained. The facilities were very clean and well maintained. They even added a beautiful hanging basket in the restroom for added appeal. The staff was in frequently throughout the day to clean and stock. The water at the campground had a great taste. The park staff was serious about quiet hours (10:00 pm to 7:00 am) on our arrival. No problem. If everyone is considerate, then it is a good experience for all. It really made for a wonderful camping experience.

It is a short walk from the campground to Bingham Falls, about 2 miles round trip from our campsite. Barnes Camp visitor center is just a few miles up the road where there is parking for access to the Long Trail as well as other trails. We hiked the Long Trail North and found it fairly moderate until about.75 miles from Elephants Head. Then it got a bit more strenuous. Another day we hiked the Long Trail south to the Chin of Mt Mansfield and down Haselton Trail. A lovely hike until the last .3 miles up to the chin of Mt Mansfield. Then it was more of a climb. With my short legs, I found it pretty challenging and was glad we weren’t returning down that piece of trail. We were told that section of the Long trail can be avoided by using the Profanity trail. Anyway, the campground was a great base for these hikes and visiting Smugglers Notch.

This was our 2nd Vermont State Park stay. Very happy and would love to come back again.

It was a beautiful and amazing drive up the mountain in the rain. Intimidating landscape and scenery to the notch. So hard to imagine the difficulty in making that trip, especially over the notch to the other side in earlier times or on foot. Worth seeing.

We quick stopped at the Smugglers caves after having breakfast at McCarthys's restaurant in Stowe, Caves are along the hwy (not sure what HWY that is we used google map) very easy to get in and out plus the drive is pretty.

Weather accommodating though its October month. Grand running around like there's no end to it. Happiness cant be bought in my view. Time spend with family is priceless.

The scenery if the best and there is lots of walking but very steep paths. Driving through the Notch is a must but it is very narrow. Great 1/2 day out from Stowe.

we just drove through. Scenic and we didn't see any wildlife. two lanes only, kind of scary for driving.

Wonderful area to hike, colors were almost peak when we were there. Even on a rainy day it was still beautiful.

The rock formations here are beautiful and there is tons to explore right off the road if you're not afraid of a little bit of scrambling. The drive is fun, too, if you're not made anxious by narrow roads, sharp turns, and steep climbs....

We skied and skied and skied. It was a safe and fun atmosphere for the whole family. Didn't get in the car once...a true vaca

Beautiful park. Route 108 is crazy and beautiful, definitely worth taking the scary ride to the top just to get out and explore and explore the boulder area.

Such a beautiful place with well marked trails. If you are staying on property - there are guided hikes year round.

We camped here for a week in early October and the campground was surprisingly full all week long, despite the colder-than-average temperatures. Pay showers $2 for 8 minutes, water came out hot but they prop the bathroom doors open so the air was FREEZING. Sites aren't too close together, so that's good, and the lean-to's are nice and don't add too much to the per-night price. One downside is firewood availability; you can't bring it with you from out-of-state bc of the danged bugs, and so you think you're just going to find oodles of people selling it on the roadside. THINK AGAIN! The state park charges $7/bundle of literally like 6-7 sticks of wood, and the only other place we found wood was a gas station on 108 for $6/bundle. So be prepared for that.
Overall, it's a nice enough park that consists of just the campground at the base of Mt Mansfield. No views, but it's nestled into the trees nicely and it's centrally located to tons of great hiking trails in the area. I'd camp here again.

We were flying by the seat of our pants and didn't know where we were going to camp for the night, so we decided to drive up the steep and scenic road to Smugglers Notch and check out their little campground. They had a few sires open. Some had lean-to's, for an extra $4, and since it was cloudy and looked like rain might fall we decided to give that a try. These structures were way better than any we had seen before in other parks. Sturdy, large, and very clean. We set up our pop up inside the lean-to, and it really turned out to be a fun night....almost like a cabin in the woods. The bathrooms were like those in a Hilton Hotel. Seriously, they even had baskets of hanging flowers! The staff at this park were amazingly attentive to everything, and they were always available if campers needed them for anything. This is a strictly tent camping location and I can honestly say that if we live Ed in the area we would be there all Summer long. The state should be very proud of this place and the folks they have running it. The fact that they genuinely care is glaringly evident.

The parking area was good, with decent restrooms. We chose the short hike to the cave and the huge rocks and lush vegetation was beautiful. There is a much more strenuous path originating from the same parking lot but we didn't try that one.

We drove the notch and the views and natural phenomena alone were worth the drive. You add the history of the area during prohibition and it's amazing. We will do this drive every time we are in the Stowe area. We also love stopping and exploring around the GIANT boulders and caves at the top of the notch.

The hike to Sterling Pond is a great workout directly within nature, with no views until reaching the summit — where there is the strikingly beautiful view of Sterling Pond. Then, with another 200-meters of hiking on the Long Trail, one arrives at a high point where Montréal can be clearly seen on a low-humidity day. I live here in Stowe, Vermont and have done this hike for over 27years (literally) scores of times during all seasons (except during 'Mud Season" when it's not environmentally-correct to hike at any of our trails here in Northern rural Vermont (please)). This is a fantastic hike for just about all ages. the only down-side is that it can often be too crowded for a local (me & my guests) on weekends. We locals have other hikes here in Stowe that tourists don't know about that we hike on w-e's. (sorry, tourists !! ) :) I've traveled all over the world hiking and can honestly say this is one of the best day-hikes anywhere in the world. No smoke. :)

We drove through Smugglers Notch State Park as we were driving to Stowe, and we really enjoyed the views, the stops, and the area! It is absolutely gorgeous, no matter where you look, and the colors changing to fall hues were just incredible! Such a beautiful area!

We biked up from Stowe. Hardest climb ever. 31% grade at its worst! Incredible vistas and the longest downhill after you make it.

We stopped at the visitors center in Montpellier and it was suggested to take the beautiful scenic route of route 100 to 108 to 15 from Waterbury to Stowe to Burlington. We really enjoyed going through Smugglers Notch Caverns and getting out to look at everything.

I had camped at Smuggler's Notch State Park 30 years ago and was looking forward to going back with my wife and sharing the park with her. While approaching from the north and negotiating all the other tourists and travelers near the Notch I was confused, wondering how I could have missed the entrance to the park. After driving up and down the road again we stopped at an information center and were informed the park was moved 12-13 years ago to make way for more ski "development". The new park is very nice, though we had to walk our gear 50 meters up a trail to our assigned campsite. Our site was clean and level and private enough to enjoy a couple of quiet evenings. Park staff also very helpful and the firewood they sold there was the best we had during our 3 weeks.

Beautiful beyond belief. I have experience many landscapes before but this one stands out. Huge boulders, waterfalls, scenic towering mountains. Forest, twisty road, just lovely

Beautiful place to spend your day at. Seriously take your time enjoying it all! You can hike around or just enjoy the drive through it. You won’t be able to put your camera down. 📸📸

We were up in October. We were past peak fall foliage, unfortunately. However, it did not detract from the beauty. Reminded my husband and I of Independence Pass in Colorado. Not quite the same, but a nice eastern version of it. It is curvy and narrow. If you are not comfortable driving in tight situations do not attempt this. At points you need to wait as two cars just can't pass at the same time. Is it worth it? Yes! Rocks, trees, other vegetation. Waterfalls, hiking trails, history. Try to avoid when it will be most busy, as you'll never find a place to park so you can get out and explore. We weren't able to explore the upper end (Smugglers cave), but we did get out and take photos near Big Spring's Bounty. Interesting story there.

Also farther down at the bottom, I believe it's in Stowe, there is a boardwalk area type thing (Long Trail) with some informative boards. We hiked from a parking area up a little ways from the area down to Barnes Camp, where the boardwalk is located, and back. Would have loved to spend more time here and wish we had been able to park up at the top portion (Smugglers Cave), as it looked like there was a lot to explore there.

I've attached some pictures. Very nice area and I highly recommend visiting.

Very nice park with free entry between Stowe and Jeffersonville VT. Friendly staff members. Park has a few hikes and a few nice views. Worth the visit!

The fall colors were beautiful this fall, making the drive through Smugglers Notch a real treat. We did the short (1/4 mile) walk to Bingham Falls which was worth the time to see!

We drive up the mountain road to,see the fall colors when we came upon a small parking area by a path. We are so happy that we took a walk on the raised bridge over the wetlands and then went further up the trail (part of the Applachian Trail). This part of the hike would be a little more challenging than the walkway, but the views were fantastic. So if you are looking for an easy short walk, or one that is a little more vigorous, be sure to visit Smuggler’s Notch State Park. There are several,areas to stop,and hike.

This beautiful park is full of vistas, trails and edifices. Walk or drive and you will enjoy. For most of the activities, you must be moderately fit and sure footed. I saw many a family with small children enjoying some of the simple climbs.

The main highlight I could see due to time constraint was Bingham falls, which was very nice. The hike down is a bit steep, but doable. The falls has three drops, with the last one being 25 feet into a teal tinted pool of water. The falls was named after a prominent lawyer who started to make Stowe into a tourist destination. The best part to me in this area is to go up to the top of the mountain via car. Great views!!

They have many trails which are well marked and for all skill levels. If you like hiking you will love their trails

We visited Stowe and smugglers notch during the Columbus day week end to see the fall foliage color. We drove from Edison NJ to Stowe and stayed at Village Victoria B&B which itself was a nice stay experience. Next day which was a Sunday as usual went to the Blessed Sacrament Church for the 8.30 mass. Then drove the stowe mountain auto toll road to mt mansfield. This is not at all comparable to the mt Washington auto road in NH. Next drove the Rt 108 through smugglers notch. Kids enjoyed climbing the big boulders on the way. Enjoyed the spectacular fall colors of stowe. By noon we started back to Edison via scenic rt 100. This drive was absolutely stunning with ever changing landscape.

Varied hiking trails of differing difficulties. Beautifully maintained. Easily accessible from Stowe.

We drove through Smugglers Notch State park in the peak of the fall colours. There were many hikes that you could take, but we were limited on time so we didn't explore any of them. Someone was selling maple syrup at one of the parking lots. Some very narrow roads with tight corners. Drive it slowly and enjoy the trip. We enjoyed it so much that we turned around and did the trip a second time.

The road is tricky for big vehicles but the rock formations are amazing . Just be sure you're not prone to motion sickness.

We drove Smugglers Notch and called off to hike up to Sterling Pond. This was a very enjoyable hike, quite steep in places but it involves scrambling on rocks which was fun. Keep going the prize at the top is well worth it.

Was a little nervous after asking some locals about the safety of driving this road.. it was so worth it!! Drive slowly and you’ll be fine! The road winds around boulders as progressing up into the mountain. There are places to stop off and take pictures and hike around.. excellent Mountain View’s!

The fall colors at Smugglers Notch are amazing! There are hundreds of excellent photo opportunities just along the road through the park. Hiking options also abound. What a great area to spend a day out in nature!

Its a beautiful place but NH trip for fall colors is better than VM .Its my personal opinion.If you don't have much time and you want to choose between VM & NH, then go For NH. And I found Rt 108 is more bful than Rt100.

Our campsite was flat, but getting there was totally uphill, so getting anywhere meant steep climbs. Since we were in an RV without a car, just getting to our hike was a mountainous hike! And to the bathroom! The bathroom was very clean, modern, pleasant. Bring coins for the shower! Very quiet campground - not a lot of sites. We were even there at the start of the 4th of July, and it was not crowded at all.

A great park with spectacular scenery. Highly worth visiting here. Bring good hiking shoes and enjoy your time spent here.

We spent two weeks in New England and we both felt this was our favorite place! It is beautiful, serene, and amazing scenery. The huge rocks with trees growing on top of them, the winding road (no stripe!) through those rocks, etc. were awesome. Only wish we had more time to explore it longer. Don't miss this gem!!! Best surprise of our trip!

We didn't know this was here.

You drive into the park and then keep driving till you hit the notch. You wonder why tractor-trailers aren't allowed.

Then you get there. The narrow point in the notch. The leaves are falling. The cliffs loom above. The boulders surround you.

It's gorgeous.

Go.

Right on upper Mountain Road...well worth a few hours to see ancient rock formations and great waterfalls/Grotto

Great view. Especially this time of the year, when the trees starting to change colours. The foliage is great. We saw 3 waterfalls, easy walks and good trails.

My wife and I walked up the side of a small mountain to get up to that lake, slippery rocks and mud for 2 Hours...3 hours DOWN. Brought my fishing rod and an assortment of flies to fish the Trout stocked lake. Got to the TOP and it was ALL FOGGED IN. Stood right on those rocks casting into the FOG.
Then someone to the left of me further out yells I GOT ONE...A NICE RAINBOW TROUT. ME nothing!!!! If we could make it up and back YOU can we are in our 60's and I did it with a backpack of food water, pack rod, flies first aid kit etc.

If you're in the area, don't miss the drive through Smuggler's Notch! It is incredibly beautiful, and some of the most beautiful scenery we saw on our trip. We stopped at the Basin area and walked the trail to the big waterfall. We were told the Flume was even more gorgeous, but this was a better choice for me as I have foot problems and can't walk that far or over difficult terrain. This path was a fairly easy walk and gorgeous as it followed the meandering stream downhill to the falls.

We hiked up to Sterling Pond and loved it. It is clearly an intermediate hike. Several people brought poles which would have helped as there is a fair amount of stepping down and up over rocks where it's not always easy to keep balance. The pond is great for swimming and we wish we'd worn water shorts or bathing suits. A great place to hang out after a good climb.

We only had an hour or so and drove up from Stowe. The drive to the top was spectacular. The notch itself and the information placards were fascinating. We regret not having more time to hike or canoe. This is a lovely setting.

The State Park is lovely and affords you opportunities not to be found elsewhere. The road is narrow with sharp turns, but we managed with a very large pickup truck, a car would have been very easy. If you are into nature then this is not to be missed. There are trails for those hikers, we did the drive with a roadside stop for photos and would most certainly do this trip again.

Curvy road! The history is very interesting and after a very short walk , you can see the cave that the smugglers used to stash the "goods". The cliff sides and boulders are very impressive.

Drove over VT108 into some of the most incredible views and foliage of our week-long Vermont trip. We stopped and explored the caves and short trails but I wish we'd planned more time to really hike or camp. Simply stunning and a must see.

The road to Smuggz Notch was still closed so we were able to walk up it in peace. This is a wonderful time of year to be here as it's not busy at all! We love Stowe and can't wait to return.

Came here and did the drive and hike to Sterling Pond. Ooh it was tough, all up and a little slippery with the damp leaves. Really pretty, just a shame that at the top you couldn't see the pond at all due to fog/low cloud ceiling. Oh well, it was worth the gorgeous journey. Drive was phenomenal if you're not a hiker. It was super busy as it was a holiday weekend, so parking was dicey but just patient and polite.

Fantastic area between Smuggs and Stowe and I can now understand why they close the road in the winter! Beautiful area with many hikes, camping, etc. for the family. Loved the drive so much, especially during fall foliage. Columbus weekend is the perfect time to visit.

Recently, my family of four drove the notch. We enjoyed the sights and took advantage of hiking opportunities along the way. At least one of the hiking spot offers the exploration of caves, once used to smuggle alcohol during prohibition.

We went late in the day. I wish we had gone earlier in the day. The scenery was beautiful, but we really didn't get to do that much because it started to get dark.

nice hike up Stowe Mountain with breath taking views at sterling pond. The complete hike about 2.5 hours.

We only used a few of the hiking trails off of 108 but really enjoyed the beauty of the park. Visited Dingham Falls, down a short 1/4 mile trail. Actually searched for and found several Geocaches which added to the fun. Great place.

It's been eight years since we drove through the notch. Still a thrill when on the motorcycle. The scenery is wonderful.

Beautiful fall foliage views. Nice hiking trails and bike paths. The road gets a little tight at some points.m

We drove around for several days, seeing Franconia, Crawford Notch, etc. and we're still most amazed by Smuggler's Notch.

We were staying in St. Albans and wanted to go for a hike, and Sterling Pond was recommended to us. It did not disappoint! I hiked it while wearing my 5-month-old, which definitely upped the challenge factor. But the entire hike is beautiful, and Sterling Pond itself was a beautiful spot for a picnic lunch. It was a bit windy and cool the whole hike; I would definitely recommend bringing a sweater if you plan to sit around at the top long.

Also to note, the parking lot can fill up quickly! There is parking off the side of the road, but it’s a little sketchy then walking up the road to the trailhead, as cars are driving pretty fast and there are a lot of blind curves. So, just get to the parking lot early and avoid all that!

Finally, I think the trailhead bathrooms are the nicest park bathrooms I’ve ever been in, no joke!

We stopped at Smugglers' Notch State Park to hike to a couple waterfalls with our dog while visiting Stowe. Hell Brook Cascades is along the Hell Brook Trail, the steepest route to Mount Mansfield. Fortunately, the waterfall is only a quarter-mile up the trail. The water level was a little low so not super exciting. We then stopped at Bingham Falls. This was an easy trail that led to a cool gorge at the top of the waterfall. The trail was a little step then getting down to the base. Bingham Falls is a really beautiful waterfall that falls into a gorgeous green pool. We had fun scrambling on the rocks in the creek and enjoying the falls. Definitely worth a stop if visiting Stowe.

A beautiful October day and the leaves did not disappoint. We had a beautiful drive through Smugglers Notch to Jeffersonville.

We were advised by our audio tour not to miss this park in Vermont. The cliffs and fall foliage were stunning. The history of the area very interesting as well.

It is a very enjoyable ride to the summit, especially as you near the top. It was fun climbing around at the summit. The drive down is beautiful, especially in the fall with the colorful folaige.

I did not stay here long. Did a short walk and drove around the circular one way road. We were there to see what the campsites look like. They look great and we plan to go camping in September. The rangers are friendly and they do keep an eye on things

Our snowmobile tour went through all the paths in this park and it was just beautiful. Covered in snow, plenty of paths and very safe. Loved it!

My husband and I didn’t have much time, but we were able to drive through and hike around a bit. It was very pretty in the fall and a little crowded! Worth it though!

We really enjoyed our hiking ride there. The lake at the top is very nice and the trails are great. We will go back for sure.

A historically scenic drive that has a great parking that can be used for pictures,exploring or beginning of a hike. I would encourage anyone to visit this area. Villages and farmland accents the mountainous roads.

Great for walking the dogs and having them swim in the lake along the way. Bring you bug spray! There are many people on the weekends during peak season, but midweek, it can be a ghost town.

This is a great destination for a scenic drive. Roads are narrow and winding. Many places to get off and explore and take beautiful pictures.

Lovely nature drive up the highway. Not a lot of views, but if you pull over at the pull-outs, you can walk amongst the trees and see the massive boulders, it's worth a stroll. Gave 4/5 stars because I was hoping for major views of the valley.

The Notch Road, closed during the Winter due to snow, is a great ride both day and night. Takes about ten minutes either way with lots of huge boulders and walking trails on the sides easy to negotiate. 50 mph in some place, and 5mph safely at the top due to boulder placement/deposit. We did it a half dozen times over a weekend and I could do it many more! The Park entrance is off of this road.

This review is just for drive thru and not including any hiking or camping. We had looked this up and read that the drive in the park is really nice and very scenic which is no doubt true but the fact that it ends before it starts kinda shocked us.

WE decided to take a drive in the rain on the day we arrived in Stowe. It was a nice drive but only did half way since we wanted to do the whole drive on a clear day so i can take pics.

Next day we did the drive and only within 4 miles you were from end to end of the park. I def did not like the drive by as it was too short , i am sure the hiking and camping would be nice but if you do a drive by it is not worth it. For that visit White mountains through the Kakamangus Highway

Absolutely stunning views, though we did struggle on the ice, as expected! A great place for waterfall addicts. The hike was very manageable even in the spring.

Somehow we thought this would be alot more exciting than it was. The history of it was more exciting! Very narrow driving; alot of cars were parked all over the sides of the road which was slightly anxiety-producing.

It covers quite a large area and comprises of several different walks. I don't think we did the main Notch walk, but one that was recommended by one of the walking guides on the site, to suit the time we wanted to spend. The Fall leaves were at their peak, so it was a colourful and enjoyable walk. Lots of facilities in the main area.

Avoid in May! We were met with waist-deep snow halfway up, and it made for a treacherous hike. It was certainly beautiful at the peak, however. We're typically well-suited for a "3 hour and difficult" hike (per the trail's description), but it took us a demanding 6 hours. Those embarking on this trail in early spring should be equipped with the right gear for an expert-level and long hike.

The Notch has some of the best accessible rock climbing and scrambles in the area. There are moderate to difficult hikes up the mountains with beautiful scenery, waterfalls, forests, alpine lakes, etc. It does get crowded on weekends and busy times, and parking can be difficult.

A beautiful park with varied spaces for out doors activity in the White mountains of Vermont. A nice place to camp out or relax during a holiday. There are zip ways and rope ways nearby provide a vantage view of the woods and the landscape. It is spectacular in this time of the year for the bright changing colors of the fall foliage.

We hike it every year and pack a lunch to enjoy Sterling Pond. A must for your visit to Stowe. Not difficult, but it's a decent ways to the top.

Beautiful and great glimpse into the past paths of prohibition smugglers. Amazing to imagine the cars/trucks of that era making the climb.

Just loved it! Go and see for yourself! We were treated to snow at the top and beautiful views at every turn, the boulders were great and it felt relaxing...good walks too.

We loved Smugglers Notch State Park. The view is phenomenal... I also recommend stopping and exploring the Smugglers Notch Caves.

The views here are absolutely breathtaking.. Didn't do a big hike due to wrong footwear, but was still able to explore and see the beauty of the notch!.. Hope to come back and do an actual trail..

Smugglers notch park is quite beautiful. Tons of beautiful hicking trails, and the Notch area is really something. The drive is spectacular, and the many trails in the area are good for a small or long hike.

We just stopped and climbed rocks for an hour or so in the rain and had a great time. I can only imagine what we would have done if it hadn't been raining-the rocks are very slippery when wet.

Loved wondering around aimlessly through the forest, finding everything from lazy rivers, to raging falls - beautiful place. Only let down was that everything was shut down for the season - i.e. no public washrooms, stores, etc…overall great value tho as it is free!

Notch State Park has many trails that are accessible to people in different categories. There are moderate and beginner level hikes that you can go on for a little immersion into nature. Also the views especially in the fall are great!

Amazing place to be one with nature. The road is very windy and beautiful areas to pull over for a nature walk or picture. Great sustainable bathroom and hiking trails with beautiful rocks to see!

A good 3km walk quite steep with some great views and rewards of a mountaintop lake - with fish. Many wildflowers great mature trees and waterfall and brooks. All in all a nice walk. Better to bring walking sticks and proper footware if a bit wet as can be slippery and muddy.

Totally breathtaking ,incredible, and beautifully surreal. A lovely waterfall was flowing down a mountainside, directly on RT 108, due to the heavy rainfall from tropical storm Nate. Totally stunning!!!!

There are many hikes possible throughout the park, at various location along road 108.

We went to the following places:
Bingham Falls
Smugglers Notch Cave

The road isnt too steep and although there are a few narrow turns, nothing is dangerous, no hairpin loop near a cliff for example.

lovely trails but be sure to check on-line or at the kiosk ahead of time to know the trail as the markings are limited. beautiful streams and woodland trails. We did not climb - simply staid along the lower trails and it was easy.

Gorgeous in the fall when the entire place is alive with fall colors: orange, gold, red, and all of the tones in between. Absolutely beautiful! Plan to arrive early in the day, though, if you want to get a place to park and do some hiking. It gets busy quickly and parking can be difficult.

Our boys, ages 8 and 12, couldn't get enough of exploring the caves and rockslides. It was stiflingly hot the week we spent in Stowe, so we didn't hike as much as we planned, but the caves were a nice, cool place to be active and enjoy the outdoors. Some still had ice inside, even though it was in the mid-90's!

There is no misunderstanding why the smugglers choose this pass as their route between Canada and Vermont for contraband. There is plenty of places to hide and hard to traverse. Great, free, scentic.

If you're fit and have a taste for adventure, you'll love this trail. It's very challenging with several full on scrambles and once you make it to the top, you'll feel a great sense of satisfaction. Awesome hike!

I've driven a lot of curvy, crazy roads being from the mountains in tn. This one is as crazy but this gorge is narrow with high awesome cliffs. The fallen rocks with the trees growing along the top of them with the roots twisting among them is fascinating. I enjoyed the time spent there.

Camped here for a couple of nights and loved it. Great hike up to Sterling Pond (though recent rain made the black flies come out in clouds). Good camp sites with some privacy, clean restrooms & super hot showers (like cook you like a lobster hot so stand back). Rangers were polite and helpful as well. So far the highlight of our trip!

Parking is very limited but the scenery is surreal. A majestic piece of Gods beautiful creation with history of smugglers.

NOTE:
- parking is very limited
- bring a rain coat and wear appropriate boots/shoes
- must be in very good athletic shape to crawl up those steep rocks, at several areas I had to use my hands and feet to go up. Though I think there is a trail that is moderate ….I couldn’t find it.

We thoroughly enjoyed this state park and area especially with the fall colours which are stunning. My advise would be to avoid weekends if possible as it is a narrow road through the notch and limited parking spots. It is also a big ski area with gondola rides to the top of Mount Mansfield.

This was an excellent hike. We used snowshoes when we went. Very beautiful scenery. No complaints. Very clean.

My favorite Vermont summer afternoon is parking up in the notch (only drawback is that parking gets super busy up there in the summer) and hiking Sterling Pond with my dog. The hike is pretty steep, but only takes about 40 minutes up. The real reward is getting up to Sterling Pond and letting the dog swim. Also- I love bringing a grinder from Jana's Cupboard in Jeffersonville to enjoy at the top. The views are great from the top and I love exploring the Smuggs' side of Mansfield from there.

Hiked to Sterling Pond. The trip was very long and arduous but the scene at the top was worth the effort.

The weather was dreadful and the mountain toll rod had closed because of the torrential rain so we drove through the notch instead. The middle bit is narrow windy and bounded by interesting rocks right up to the roadside, it takes a bit of concentration to go round the hairpins with no visibility of oncoming traffic.

A beautiful, rocky, rugged pass through the highest of Vermont’s Green Mountains. DO NOT MISS the new boardwalk that starts at the Barnes Camp Visitor Center! Great for all ages, it provides a level walkway through a marsh to a beaver pond. Scenic views of the mountains and Notch, framed by a lovely forest.

The rest of the trails are very steep, but roadside pull offs allow you to explore a bit even if you don’t want to hike. Note: after Barnes Camp Visitor Center, the largest pulloff (and it has a restroom) is north of the top of the Notch about 3/4 mile. Road closed in winter.

Need a place to eat without paying resort prices? Try Burger Barn in Jeffersonville VT a short drive north of Smugglers’ Notch - maybe 10 minutes or so.

Rt 108 through the Notch is an awesome drive, and the state park that's nestled at the top is really beautiful.

We walked up the steep trail to Sterling Pond. The trail is well maintained, but it's wet and can be slippery. And the start is genuinely steep.

The 1.5 mile walk up rewards you with Sterling Pond, a pretty little alpine pond. We went for a quick chilly swim, which felt great on a warm summer morning.

Rock climbing is doable on the other side of 108, but the rock doesn't look like it ever gets really dry. Winter ice climbing there is even better.

Wow…very clean, maintained, friendly. Bathrooms are super clean. Firewood and wood starters for sale.

Definitely worth the drive. Bring a picnic lunch and just breathe. I could have stayed for much longer taking pictures, but had a friend waiting on me. Strong, tall trees rooted in rocks, boulders lying atop one another as if arranged by an artist, caves, rocky hiking trails, beauty...sheer beauty.

They had just opened the pass after being closed all winter and it was busy! Windy roads, huge boulders, so much to see. Was beautiful and scary all at the same time.

While my stay at Stowe, I was recommended to stop by at the park, but getting there the doors were closed and there was a sign saying that it was open only for campers that needed to register at the ranger's office that was also closed. Very disappointed.

We were staying in Stowe and although it was a bit cloudy we drove up towards Mount Mansfield. Due to the weather we decided to not pay for the toll road but continued on to Smugglers Notch. What a beautiful area! Don't miss it if you are in the area!

We drove trough several times, stopped for photos and hiked down to Bingham Falls. The views are breathtaking but highway 108 through Smuggler's Notch is not for RVs. There are tight corners and small one-lane areas. Parking was at a premium on weekends but there was lots of room on weekdays.

This is a nice way to get away from the crowds that gather in Stowe. The drive to the park is very nice with lots of picture opportunities. This is a very peaceful, quiet park. Enjoy your time here.

Relative to many high-level parks and attractions, this area is really easy to get to from downtown Stowe and well worth the visit. Sterling Pond is a special gem.

The 'notch' actually exists as a bend on a narrow winding road. We had thought of stopping for a wander around, but be warned it looks like a location to which you need to arrive early on in order to get a parking space - either that or be prepared for a hike. We were unlucky!

Pity as we both thought that this would have been somewhere to experience unspoiled America. Still, the drive through and return back to Stowe was pretty enough.

Fun to drive the notch--don't be scared by the warnings of great danger, sharp corners and massive boulders. Its not so bad, very well maintained and doesn't take nearly so long. We had a blast!

We stumbled on smugglers notch and happy we did. Gorgeous water surrounded by fall colors. Wish we had a little more time to explore. We will be back.

My wife and I were here 4 years ago and it rained every day and we were too early for the colors. Today’s trip was unbelievable. The attached pictures help to describe but do not do justice to this amazing place. Take your time, walk around, relax and just enjoy the beauty of nature around you.

Gorgeous year-round. Good for anything from leisurely drive in summer months (closed to vehicles in winter) to hiking up the long trail, rock or ice climbing, etc. Hike up to Sterling Pond is great for families that are in fair to decent shape. Great place to hike, snowshoe or ski with a dog in Winter (PLEASE pick up after your pets!)

Travelling through Smuggler's Notch, the kids just had to go 'caving' at the notch apex.
In this area there have been numerous huge rock slides. The fallen enormous boulders have all collided together forming a great area for kids to burn off excess energy and to show off their rock climbing skills to grandpa! This is an awesome experience. There are trails galore but climbing around, over and within the boulders takes the prize.
Caution is required as are good quality running shoes as these boulders can be slippery even when they are dry.

This was a favourite 'stop of the day' for the whole family.

My husband and I enjoyed the picture-perfect foliage here this past October, and also enjoyed a short (but surprisingly strenuous!) hike on sterling pond trail, which was beautiful and a lot of fun. Parking was a bit of a mess though, so get here early if you want to park.

Stowe is a big Ski Resort & even in October, they had quite a bit of snow on the mountains & ski slopes. Unfortunately the road to Smuggler's notch was closed but I walked up as much I could & the foliage & views were simply stunning ! This is a MUST SEE ATTRACTION !

This is a hidden spot, has swimming and good kayaking. Is crowded on weekends, go during the week when school is in, and most are at thier jobs. Spent a day here in off season and loved it.

This is not a long hike but it has a nice vertical element that allows for a good bit of exercise for about 45 minutes. Once at the pond, the trail does go around the pond and links into the Long Trail. If the pond is the turning point, it is a lovely spot to stop, have a lunch or snack, and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Went with a group and we all throughly enjoyed ourselves. It was fun to swim outdoors in winter in the heated pool and not see the person next to you because of the steam coming off the water. Skiing was great! Lots of memories made.

A few years ago we decided to take a road trip from Burlington and ended up at Smugglers Notch State Park. I was living in Maryland at the time and designated a couple of weeks to drive around the area. Campsite 2 was our last stop before the 11 hour drive south. Everything here was perfect. We could hear the stream flowing from our campsite. The fire pit was clean and had equipment to make cooking less challenging and fun! The campsite was sloped just enough to make a hard rain not a big deal and the rangers made me feel safe and not at all intrusive. The facilities are right across the way and up the hill was a brand new shower area with sinks and dressing rooms (the freshwater stream is perfect for a bird bath, too!) this area is so beautiful and not far form the park is a charming little gourmet market that we made use of quite a bit. We were there in July which is typically the "off season" for this area. It was quiet and relaxing. We decided to stay 3 more days. ✌️👏🔥🍻

Amazing!! Driving through Smugglers Notch is breathtaking- bring your camera and be prepared to drive slow, winding roads, big boulders and waterfalls.

We stayed at the state park camp ground. The camp was very clean, bathroom facilities and cleanliness are excellent. Staffs are accommodating and have 24 hrs. Personnel on site The fall colors at the smugglers notch was very amazing.

Great campsite - private and wooded, fire pit, clean bathrooms. Hiking trails were beautiful. Peaceful and lovely experience in early June.

This is a gorgeous area with numerous trails for hiking. We just took the drive through and walked on the boardwalk at the entrance, but I would have loved to take the trails. Interesting background on the notch, itself!

The area is beautiful but this is NOT a walking trail. Its is a rock climbing trail. We made it up to Smugglers Notch cave but it was too challenging for us to continue on. It was still beautiful to look at and great for more experience climbers.

Had the good fortune to visit during peak fall colours. Absolutely jaw dropping beauty. Probably our favourite place in Vermont as a result! A word of warning - time your visit to avoid weekends. The crowds were intense.

We were here for the Foliage Season from Australia. Incredible foliage and views, the like of which we never see in Oz.

Not sure what's so fantastic about this place. We did sterling pond and top of the notch boulder. Didn't think much of it. There are better hikes and areas in the area.

Beautiful grounds with access to the rivers and views. Nice hike too!
The weather was gorgeous but the water so really cold

Spent a night camping at Smugglers Notch earlier this month and absolutely loved it. We had one of the walk-up tent sites and have not stopped raving about it since.

In our camping experience, it is hard to find truly secluded, wooded campsites, but this site was it.

Can't wait to get back!!

We were in this area of Vermont the 3rd week in September and it was very pretty. We expected a bit more...coming from SD and Needles Highway and Ironman Road which have much more to see. In fact we drove by and went back again...and thought...is this all there is??

Now that was a fun Notch to drive thru! Very twisting and narrow turns around boulders! We parked at visitor center and hiked the Sterling Pond trail directly across street. Hike UP was a nice workout..took about 1 1/2 hrs. The reward at top was the pristine Sterling Pond which offered very refreshing swimming opportunity in addition to just the amazing beauty of the area

The park is not bad, probably one of the top things in the Green Mountains, yet not really something breathtaking.

A beautiful oasis.We loved it.Great campgrounds.Park is close to Ben & Jerry's factory, and Smuggler's Notch Resort, where you can take a gondola ride up to Mount Mansfield or go zip lining.

VERY strenuous and rigorous climb of about thirty minutes to the top and Sterling Pond--- but well worth it!

Walk to the left of the pond and up a short hill and you're at the top of Smugglers Notch Ski Resort.

Only spent a hurried day here but highly recommended place with fascinating history - would love to go back either for winter sports of summer trekking and camping - and the local distillery! Great place and an intriguingly windy road to get to it :)

We travelled here at this time for fall foliage colour
The trip up to the Notch allows you to see fabulous views and we saw exceptional fall colour
The day was sunny and dry and our experience would have been quite different on a wet day

We parked at the Notch parking area and hiked the entire length of the Sterling Pond Trail to the pond. It's a very strenuous climb and there was a lot of running water on the trail on the day we hiked. Make sure you come prepared with good hiking shoes and plenty of water, bug spray and sunscreen. Sterling pond is pristine and gorgeous and the trail is well marked.

We traveled the notch road on our visit and loved it. The drive can be a challenge, but if you are careful you will get to see a wonderful route. There are lots of places to park at the top and new toilet facilities are being installed. The hikes look good and I did do one of them from that location a year or two back, stunning views, good signage and plenty of other people to share your day with.

We stayed here for two nights, it was a very comfortable clean park. While we knew we were going to be staying without any services available, we didn't realize the extremely tight regulations on generator usage. 8-10am and 4-6pm. It just would have been a nice to have a heads up about this restriction.

Nice & well maintained park that offers tent & RV camping. Some sites have shelters. Restroom facilities available. Friendly & welcoming staff.

My sister and I drove through the notch on our way to Jeffersonville and it was a trip! The next day we drove back through on our way to Stowe. We decided to stop and read some of the history of the notch. We were intrigued by what we read so we hiked to a couple of the caves. It was a lot of fun to be able to say that we did it! There are many trails and sights to see in the notch! If you are driving through anyway... stop and smell the roses! We loved the peaceful beauty of it here! So glad we stopped instead of driving continuously driving though!

We took the road up to the sterling pond trail and we were really pleased by the view. The road is a bit tight, but fun to drive.

The Sterling Pond trail is a good challenge for amateurs like us. There was not too many people on the trail when we got to the Sterling Pond, but there a little bit too many people on the shore. I would have enjoyed silence, but I understand this place is very touristic.

We loved it overall!

We stayed at the state Park campsite. It was 18usd per night for a tent spot, a little more for a lean-to. All camping spots are well separated most with their own campfire/bbq area. The site itself is on a steep woodland hill. Staff are very nice and helpful and there is someone on site 24hrs. Bathroom facilities are excellent and cleaner than any campsite I've seen before. 50 cents for a quick hot shower.

Drove through the notch at peak leaf peaking season and everything you have read is true. It is a great drive, take it slow and stop to take in the view. The drive itself is fun if you like that sort of thing. Some tight turns around very large stones. Don't get distracted by the view. Enjoy.

Travel up and view the area early or you will join the queues with others. Lovelly area good colours with plenty of photo opportunities

Smuggler's Notch State Park is an extremely popular park. After having enjoyed quality time in the near wilderness, this park seemed like Grand Central Station. It is a beautiful park featuring waterfalls, a scary drive through boulders, and pristine mountain views. I recommend Big Springs Picnic area for a welcome rest. I feel sure if I had more time to spend here I'd appreciate what the park has to offer,

We stumbled upon this looking for a spot to hike, and enjoyed our time in the woods and navigating a beautiful waterfall. Nice spot for families.

The drive was exciting through the Notch but there was virtually no place to stop because of how many visitors were there. Even took another trip through later on thinking that it would slow down....no such luck:( Could not go up the Auto Road either since all of their parking lots were full. Ah well, maybe another trip:) Still had a beautiful day!

We headed to the crest of the Notch and then started on a two hour round trip to Sterling Pond which is located at about 3000 feet and is nestled between Sterling Mountain on one side and Spruce Mountain on the other. The route to the pond is reasonably strenuous but it is well worth the effort to reach this beautiful and peaceful place.

Gem run by a gremlin. Vermont, seek a new host for Smuggler's Notch campground. The current one does not reflect well on the state or this fantastic little campground. Since other reviewers have covered the natural beauty of the area and activities available, we'll get straight to something you should also know.

This campground is administered by a jerk, a little Patton Oswald without any of the likeability who apparently lives there as well. We've been all over the country and have never met an unfriendly camp host. He wouldn't sell us wood because "the office is closed" despite the fact he's sitting in his office, the kiosk, as we're trying to hand him cash for wood we can see right in front of us. The next day, we try to buy ice at 11am from, again, an ice bin we can see right in front of us. "Ice is available at 2pm" is all the dude can say. No reason given, no good morning, no "sorry we're short-staffed and I have to attend to something else right now." Our TEENS couldn't believe how rude this man was on each of the 3 short interactions we had with him.

This is not hospitality nor is it how a campground should be run, certainly on the taxpayer's dollar. We bought our supplies elsewhere and had a great time hiking and taking advantage of Stowe's great restaurants and attractions.

an excellent view and a unique experience. the road is very narrow .. about 1.5 lanes... carved out of the rock with hairpin turns. A look back into what pioneers must have experienced going over a mountain pass but your version is paved. aslo the caves are a great spot to stop and stretch and let the kids explore a bit.

We drove this both ways. It is a winding road, narrow at times, but an awesome trip. It does not take long to drive through. There are places to stop and hike if you choose. There is a gondola right before you enter, and that is worth the price to go to the top of the mountain.

A beautiful little drive. The leaves were perfect while we were there. The road is one lane in places. Interesting history and gorgeous photo ops.

Smuggler's Notch has no specific car parking spots and you don't need to pay to get into the park unless you are planning to camp. It's simply a case of finding a spot to park and starting your hike. We opted for the Sterling Pond trail which is an uphill trajectory through the woods to a pretty, serene pond. It's a steady incline and it gets the blood going but it's not exhausting. 
Highly recommend stopping at the visitor center/information centre where the staff are very helpful and friendly. 

We loved the drive thru the park you wind around and around passing huge rocks along the way. This was fun and free.

If your looking for a great family resort for family bonding Smugglers Notch has it all. Entertainment every day and night as well as camp for the kids. The camps are great and the kids loved participating in them everyday. My older daughter has met some friends and have kept in touch with them ever since and they are planning on getting together again next year when we return. The price is great and the units are immaculate. We stay on the West hill in the Sycamore units and they are absolutely beautiful. The kids would love to move there and live full time.

We stayed a night in Stowe during the peak color season and this drive was recommended to us. We are so glad we did it. It was gorgeous! We had limited time so we were very disappointed we didn't get to experience more of this area. We made it to Smugglers Notch though and captured some beautiful shots. The road is very winding up there. It was super windy and we watched the leaves getting blown off the trees. We definitey recommend this scenic drive.

Didn’t go to Smugglers Notch. We did go to Von Trapp Bier Hall, which was very delicious and delightful. Yes, it’s owned by the youngest Von Trapp of the Sound of Music family and fame.

Let me start by saying it was not a nice day when we visited. This unfortunately meant we could not do as much as we had first planned. With the insistent rain it meant underfoot was slippy and in some places treacherous as the mountain crowd in from both sides. However, even in the rain it is still an area of outstanding natural beauty and well worth the trip up there.
We approached from the Stowe direction and the road surface is good quality although it does get mighty thin as you near the top (obviously, if it was easy then smuggler's wouldn't have used the route in and out of Canada). You often lose the center line and if you meet a truck then somebody is in for a swift lesson in reversing. There are plenty of pull ins and areas at the side of the road to jump out and snap off a few photies but we found the car parks busy with few available spaces as we got there.
We had a half-hearted attempt to trek to the cave at the top but lost the waymarkers quickly and it really was to wet and slippery to go stumbling about - even with the right gear. In the end we returned to the car and decided to give the trek to the lakes a miss and drove back to Bingham Falls instead.
Still take a look at the photo that are logged against the attraction and you can see what a spectacular place it is in the sun.