Mount Mansfield
Steep, storied expert runs and long cruisers from high on Vermont’s tallest peak. Strong skiers could happily spend the whole week here.
- Go
- First chair, after fresh snow
- Best for
- Confident skiers
Stowe, Vermont
Vermont’s highest mountain, a white-steepled village and an inn with the fire already lit. Here’s how to plan a winter week.
By the Global Escapes travel team · Updated
- Best time to go
- December to March
- Trip length
- 4 to 6 nights
- From Atlanta
- About 2.5 hours nonstop to Burlington
- Burlington to Stowe
- About 45 minutes by car
- Weather
- January highs in the upper 20s°F, colder up top
- Book by
- Six to nine months ahead for holiday and February weeks
Why Stowe is the classic
Stowe is the New England ski town you picture: a white church steeple, a village of old inns and shops, and Vermont’s highest mountain just up the road.
Mount Mansfield rises to 4,395 feet. Stowe Mountain Resort spreads across it and neighboring Spruce Peak, linked by a gondola, with 116 trails, 12 lifts and 485 acres of skiing. The village sits a few miles down the Mountain Road, so you can ski all day and be back in town for dinner.
Vail Resorts has owned the mountain since 2017, and it’s on the Epic Pass. Lift tickets are limited, so we sort out passes or tickets well before you arrive.
When to go
- DecemberHoliday weeks and a festive, lively village
- JanuarySnowy, quiet and the coziest inn stays
- FebruaryPeak ski weeks, book early
- MarchLonger days, softer snow and maple sugaring season
Ways to spend a winter day
Stowe is just as good for the skier who wants every run as for the traveler who’d rather sit by the fire. Here’s how to fill the days.
Spruce Peak
Gentler slopes, the ski school and a slopeside village with shops, dining and a performing arts center. Skating at the village rink is free.
- Go
- Any day, especially with kids
- Best for
- Families, beginners
Nordic at the Trapp lodge
More than 60 kilometers of groomed cross-country trails on 2,500 acres, plus snowshoe tours. Ski out to a cabin with a fireplace for soup and hot chocolate.
- Go
- A half day, or a full one
- Best for
- Non-downhill skiers, couples
Stowe Village
Main Street’s shops, galleries and taverns, a walk past the church steeple, and dinner somewhere warm. It’s lovely after a fresh snowfall.
- Go
- Late afternoon into evening
- Best for
- Everyone
Fireside inns and where to stay
Stay slopeside for easy ski days, or in the village for walkable dinners. Either way, end the day by a fire.
At the base of Spruce Peak, The Lodge at Spruce Peak puts you ski-in, ski-out, steps from the village rink. Near the foot of Mount Mansfield, Topnotch Resort is known for its spa, with a solarium pool, hot tub and a fire pit by the pool for cold, starry nights.
Up on the hillside, the von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort was founded by the family whose story inspired The Sound of Music, and its Nordic trails start right outside the door. In the village itself, the Green Mountain Inn has welcomed guests on Main Street since 1833.
Which base suits you
- Spruce PeakSki-in, ski-out, with the rink and village below
- The Mountain RoadBetween the lifts and town, lined with inns
- Stowe VillageWalk to dinner, shops and the church
- The Trapp hillsideCross-country trails out the door
Getting there and getting around
Stowe is one of the easiest ski trips from the Southeast. You can leave Atlanta and be by a fire in Vermont the same day.
Delta flies nonstop from Atlanta to Burlington, about two and a half hours. From there it’s roughly 45 minutes to Stowe by private car or a rental with all-wheel drive. Boston works as well, with a longer, scenic drive north.
Route 108 over Smugglers’ Notch closes for the winter, so trips to and from the north side of the mountain go the long way around. We plan your transfers with that in mind.
A relaxed five-night shape
- Day 1Fly to Burlington, dinner in the village
- Days 2 and 3Ski Mansfield and Spruce Peak
- Day 4Cross-country skiing or snowshoeing, then the spa
- Day 5One more ski morning, skating at sunset
- Day 6A slow breakfast and an easy flight home
Good to know
The small things that make a Stowe winter feel cozy, not complicated.
Sort out lift access early
Stowe is on the Epic Pass, and lift tickets are limited. Buying ahead is the surest way to ski on the days you want.
Reserve ski school
Lessons and kids’ programs fill during holiday and February weeks. We book them along with your room.
Dress for the summit
It can be much colder and windier up top than in the village. Layers, a neck warmer and hand warmers make a big difference.
Drive with care
An all-wheel-drive car or a private driver makes snowy roads simple, especially after dark.
Go mid-week
January and mid-week days are calmer on the slopes and quieter in town.
Not a skier? Come anyway
Spa days, skating, snowshoeing and long dinners by the fire make Stowe a treat for everyone.
Planning the whole trip?
Our New England guide
Month-by-month weather for Vermont and Boston, drive times, a route map and the places our travelers love most, from Stowe to Acadia.
See the New England guideLet’s plan your Stowe winter
Tell us when you’re thinking of going and who’s coming along. An advisor will take it from there.