A couple of weeks ago, I drove my son and his friend to Killington Mountain School's week-long Bag Jump Camp in Vermont (If you haven't heard of it - skiers bomb down a long ramp, then flip into a giant airbag. Check it out). Since it was a 3.5 hour drive, I reserved one night at the Snowed Inn bed and breakfast. Just a quick trip to Vermont to deliver the children, then be on my way.
That was my plan, but life had another one...which left me "stuck" in VT for several days. Luckily, the owners of the Snowed Inn, Carolyn and Ken, were warm, hospitable and even upgraded me to my own suite. I couldn't have been more comfortable or felt more at home. I was even able to access two nearby hikes: one to a rip roaring waterfall and the other to an expansive overlook of the mountains. This change of plans was quickly turning into an unplanned vacation.
I'd dropped the boys off Sunday afternoon and was planning to return home on Monday morning. But at 3:00am, I was woken by an emergency alert on my phone, warning of flash floods. It was a bit unsettling, but I quickly fell back to sleep. When I woke the next morning and went down for my Vermont breakfast of quiche and oatmeal, I learned that the roads leaving Killington had all been flooded. There was no way out.
So I settled in and the owners graciously offered to upgrade my room to a suite with a private kitchen to prepare food. There was a market at the end of the street, so I was able to buy groceries for the next couple of days. After the second night, the rain finally stopped and the sun made an appearance. But the roads were still closed. Luckily, there were two hikes on my list to explore and I was able to access both trailheads.
The first was Thundering Brook Falls, a short .5 mile out-and-back trail along a well-maintained boardwalk to a roaring waterfall. The long boardwalk is wheelchair and stroller friendly, with a short section of incline and dirt trail leading to the falls where assistance may be needed. Dogs are allowed here on leash. This trail also connects to the AT, so I made sure to walk some of that while here! Pictures do no justice to this waterfall, but it is one of the most impressive I've ever seen. The timing was also helpful with all of the rain. There's a viewing platform near the falls for safety. It's just spectacular. Here is the All Trails link if you get to visit: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/vermont/thundering-brook-falls
After my quick trip to the falls, I still had some time on my hands and wanted to explore more of the Green Mountains. Next, I went to the Deer Leap Overlook Trail, a 2 mile out-and-back leading to a large boulder with views of Pico and Killington Mountains. The trail itself mostly followed a stream, which was wet due to all of the rain. The forest was lush, mossy, vibrant and the overlook was quite the reward for such a short hike. Here's the link for that hike: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/vermont/deer-leap-overlook-trail
In the end, I was able to create a route home by using the very helpful website: https://newengland511.org. It may have taken me 6 hours, but I did make it back to Portland. And I did get a tour of Southern Vermont, which is a spectacularly beautiful place of rolling hills and no development...or cell service or gas stations for miles.
If you're planning a trip to the Killington area, here is more information on the Snowed Inn. Located at 104 Miller Brook Road in Killington, a quiet wooded area right off of Killington Road and 1.3 miles from the base lodge. There is a babbling brook behind the Inn, a hot tub overlooking the woods, a home cooked Vermont breakfast included, a cozy wine bar with snacks, walking distance to restaurants, and warm cookies upon arrival. Standard rooms, plus suites with options of fireplaces, jacuzzi tubs and balconies are available. There are cozy Christmas lights in the lobby area, plus unlimited tea and coffee available all day long. The tagline on their website "Your home away from home" could not have become more true for me and I cannot wait to return with my family this winter.
