Green Mountains
Mountain villages, forested ridges, winding valleys, and the high country of Vermont.
Green Mountains is a region of forested mountains, historic villages, working farms, winding roads, and some of Vermont’s most iconic mountain landscapes. Stretching along the state’s central and southern Green Mountain spine, the region encompasses quiet valleys, mountain passes, ski communities, historic inns, and rural towns where the landscape remains closely connected to everyday life.
Here, mountains shape nearly every aspect of the landscape. Villages sit in narrow valleys, roads climb toward forested ridgelines, and streams and rivers wind through landscapes shaped by farming, logging, tourism, and industry.
This is the Vermont of covered bridges, mountain forests, village greens, ski slopes, stone walls, historic inns, and roads that disappear into the high country.
For travelers, photographers, and history enthusiasts, the Green Mountains offer an opportunity to explore the landscapes that have come to define Vermont—from working mountain communities and historic villages to remote forests, scenic overlooks, and the changing character of the mountains through the seasons.
The Character of the Green Mountains
The Green Mountains are defined by elevation, forests, and the valleys that connect them.
One moment you may be standing on a historic village green surrounded by homes, churches, and old commercial buildings. A few miles later, the road may climb through dense forest, cross a mountain pass, or open onto a broad valley framed by distant ridgelines.
The region includes:
- Historic mountain villages
- Forested mountain landscapes
- Agricultural valleys
- Ski and outdoor recreation communities
- Covered bridges and historic roads
- Mountain passes and scenic byways
- Rivers, streams, and waterfalls
- Historic inns and resort communities
While Southwest Vermont is closely associated with the Taconic foothills, slate and marble communities, and the state’s western borderlands, the Green Mountains are defined by the central mountain spine itself and the valleys and communities shaped by it.
Communities of the Green Mountains
Some of the region’s notable communities include:
- Wilmington
- Dover
- Londonderry
- Jamaica
- Stratton
- Winhall
- Manchester Center
- Peru
- Ludlow
- Chester
- Weston
- Mount Holly
- Killington
- Woodstock
- Bridgewater
- Plymouth
Each community reveals a different side of Vermont’s mountain landscape. Some grew around farming, mills, and transportation routes; others developed around tourism, skiing, and recreation. Together, they form a region where Vermont’s natural landscape and cultural history remain deeply connected.