Things to do in Stowe

Planted at the base of Mount Mansfield, Stowe is one of the most quintessential Vermont towns (one of, there are many) and Stowe has so much to offer its residents and visitors in every season. With the mountain so close, and the river running through, there is lots to see and do.

Growing up not too far from Stowe, I’ve spent lots of time exploring the mountains and town and I’m excited to share some of my favorite things to do here.

Outdoor Activities

There’s no excuse not to be outside in Vermont. In every season there are outdoor adventures to be had and Stowe makes it easy to get out and explore. With that said, the things I list below are activities to do in the “warmer” months, not in the dead of winter. I’ll post outdoor winter activities another time.

Biking:

The Stowe Recreation Path is a 5.3 mile paved path that is open to the public all year long. The path winds through the town and into fields and is the perfect place for a flat, easy bike ride. It is also a popular place for walking and running. The path weaves by a few restaurants, so you can bike and grab a bite to eat (Stowe Sandwich, Idletyme Brewery, Piecasso). There are four parking lots along the path for easy access and a couple of maintenance stations with basic tools to tune your bike if anything were to happen.

If mountain biking is your thing, Stowe Trails Partnership covers over 35 miles of trails in Stowe. No fees are required to use the trails and while there are so many trails to choose from, my favorite place is Cady Hill Forest. With a parking lot on Mountain Road and a lot by the Backyard and Ranch Camp, you won’t have any trouble finding the trails. Cady has trails for every ability and has my very favorite trail in all of Vermont - “Florence”. The perfect length with incredible flow. Hard not to smile while riding down.

Mountain Biking at Cady Hill

Some other great places to mountain bike in and around Stowe are Adam’s Camp, Little River, and Sterling Forest. Be sure to check out these trails before riding so you know what you’re getting into. I like to use the Trailforks app to look up trails and see pictures or videos so I know generally what to expect before truly sending it.

Want to try mountain biking, but don’t know where to start? 4 Points VT offers private and group lessons for any kind of rider and will help get you comfortable on a bike in no time. Need a bike? There are lots of bike rental stores off of Mountain Road in Stowe (Ranch Camp, Pinnacle Ski and Sports, MountainOps Outdoor Gear, and AJ’s Ski & Sports) you can’t miss them and their staff members are extremely helpful in fitting you for the perfect bike to ride the Rec Path or the mountain bike trails.

Top of Mount Mansfield

Hiking:

Oh gosh were to START? There are so many incredible hiking trails in Stowe with gorgeous views. Here are a few of my favorites with my personal difficulty rating. Be sure to check out the Trailfoks or Alltrails apps for other trail info.

• Stowe Pinnacle (easy): This trail can be whatever you want it to be. There is a lower lot making the hike about 1.6 miles and a steady climb of approximately 1,500 ft of elevation. The upper lot (my personal favorite) is about 1.3 miles and not nearly the amount of elevation (less than 1,000 ft). There are a few steeper portions of the trail, but is mostly traversing from the upper lot.

• Sterling Pond Trail (moderate): Park at the top of the notch road and enjoy the views before the hike. This trail is 0.9 miles up with a 946ft elevation gain at which point you’ll reach the Long Trail. Head to the left and you’ll wander down to Sterling Pond. Great place for a quick snack and a swim. Hike up the trail a bit more and you’ll reach the top of the Sterling lift at Smuggler’s Notch. Great views of the valley from there.

• Hunger Mountain (difficult): I always underestimate this trail and it always kicks me in the butt. But who doesn’t love a good hard hike? This trail is 1.9 miles up and is a stead climb of around 2,300 ft. of elevation - so as you can tell, you’re hiking…and rock scrambling in places. Go slow if you need and take water breaks. Views from the top are incredible and worth the hike!

Water Activities:

• Waterbury Reservoir: highly recommend heading here for a dip on any hot day in Vermont. Also a great post hike or bike spot to cool off. This place is great for fishing, paddleboarding, kayaking, and canoeing. Need a paddleboard, kayak, or canoe? Hit up Umiak Outdoor Outfitters for your rentals. They got you covered.

• Moscow Recreation Park: Great little spot by the river. Bring a chair or blanket and make an afternoon out of it. The Park also has multiple volleyball nets, so bring a ball and play with friends before cooling off in the river.

Kayaking on Waterbury Reservoir

Food & Drink

Stowe has some of the best restaurants around. I mean you honestly can't go wrong. Anyplace you stop for a bite to eat will be AMAZING.

Here are a few of my favorite places to go…

Food

For breakfast, Edelweiss is my jam. I seriously go out of my way to go here. I love ordering their Standard (breakfast sandwich with egg, bacon, and cheddar cheese) and I always chat with Mel while I wait for my sandwich and drink my coffee. Edelweiss is really your one-stop-shop when it comes to food. They have pre-made items and a full deli with breakfast and lunch offerings as well as an array of baked goods that tempt me every time I go to check out. They also have shelves of snack food and all the local beer you can imagine.

Green Goddess is also an amazing breakfast spot, with great breakfast burritos and smoothies. For lunch, they have a build-your-own salad bar which is honestly pretty killer too.

Ranch Camp burrito

While you can grab a quick bite at Edelweiss or Green Goddess for lunch, I really love going to Ranch Camp. Ranch Camp is all about bikes, beers, and burritos. Their burritos and burrito bowls are to die for. Their staff is incredible and I often sit and chat with them while I eat my food. Great spot to dine in or out - sit and enjoy their patio.

Stowe Cider has a great location with a food truck on site called Live Forever Foods which is a women run truck with food from the garden. Grab some food from the truck then head out to Stowe Cider’s Garden to sip a fresh hard cider too. Make sure you check out their events calendar because they have live music every Friday and Saturday which you won’t want to miss.

Backyard outdoor patio

Dinner options are endless. Truly. Here are my favorites:

• Idletyme Brewing- Best dry rub wings in the area. Trust me, I’ve had a lot of wings, and theirs are my favorite. Their beer is also great, and beer and wings make a great pair. If you can, grab a seat outside at their treehouse themed bar and enjoy the ambiance. If it’s chilly out, sit in their adirondack chairs by the fire pit.

• Backyard - Best smash burger. Seriously. With lots of smash burger options my favorite is the Bacon Cheese Double Smash. Order it and tell me it isn’t amazing. They also have tots, not fries. Soooo good. Say hi to waitress Mandy - she’s my friend and also the sweetest human being on the planet.

Sipping BBCO at the top of the mountain

Drink

Vermont’s beer game is strong and if you’re looking for some unique sips while enjoying the outdoors, you have to check out Stowe Public House - their beer selection is stellar and can even be a bit overwhelming with how many different mircobrews they have in stock (700 to be exact). Their staff is very knowledgeable about beer and if you tell them you like a certain kind of beer like “citrus IPAs” they will suggest some great options. You’ll find some unique stuff and it’s always delicious.

If wine is your thing you need to go to Cork. Cork is a truly instagramable natural wine shop and restaurant. Their menu is constantly rotating so you know you’re going to get something fresh when you’re there. I enjoy sitting at the bar sipping wine.

If you want a night scene check out Lower Bar or Alfie’s Wild Ride. Lower Bar is, well, a bar and a great place to hang after dinner. Alfie’s is a old mechanic shop turned club. With indoor cornhole, shuffleboard, and a stage for live music, it’s a party.

This list is only a snip of what there is to do in Stowe. Get out there and enjoy! But most of all have fun exploring.