The Best Places to Photograph in Vermont

Ricker Pond by Sundar M / CC BY-SA 2.0

Vermont is a favorite destination for those who love beautiful autumn colors and gorgeous mountain views, which means the state has a lot to offer for nature and landscape photographers. The scenery can be found many places throughout the state, so just driving through the mountains can lead to plenty of great photo opportunities. But on this page we’ll point out several of the most noteworthy locations for photographing Vermont. The interactive map below shows the location of each spot mentioned on this page.

This page will continue to be a work in progress, so please feel free to leave a comment with your own suggestions of great places to photograph.

Find great places to photograph in any state! We have similar guides for each state to help you find all of the best places to photograph. See the index page to find the guides for each state.

Green Mountains

The Green Mountains run north to south through the state of Vermont. The same mountain range continues into Massachusetts where it is known as the Berkshires. The Green Mountains are well known for amazing autumn colors and scenery. This is a large area since the mountain runs throughout the state, so below we’ll mention a few specific points of interest.

Hogback Mountain

Hogback Mountain is located in southern Vermont. Catching an amazing view from Hogback Mountain is easy from Route 9.

The Best Places to Photograph in Vermont

View from Hogback Mountain by chensiyuan / CC BY-SA 3.0

Mount Abraham

Mount Abraham offers a great view of the Green Mountains and the Champlain Valley and is popular with hikers. You can reach the summit from the Long Trail or Battell Trail, both require about a 2.5 – 3 mile hike to reach the summit. You can get more hiking information on this page.

The Best Places to Photograph in Vermont

View from Mount Abraham / Public Domain

Camel’s Hump State Park

Located in northern Vermont, Camel’s Hump is a distinct peak in the Green Mountains. Camel’s Hump State Park is an undeveloped state park (there are no facilities) that provides hiking trails to explore Camel’s Hump. There are parking lots on Camel’s Hump Road that give access to trailheads. The trails close from the time snow starts to melt until the Memorial Day weekend because they get very muddy.

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The Best Places to Photograph in Vermont

Camel’s Hump by Thomson20192 / CC BY 2.0

The Best Places to Photograph in Vermont

View from Camel’s Hump by bcpnyc / CC BY-SA 2.0

Smugglers’ Notch

Smugglers’ Notch is a popular resort area in northern Vermont that offers skiing in the winter and great scenery year round. Smugglers’ Notch State Park offers some camping and hiking opportunities to enjoy the 1,000 foot cliffs that create a notch in the mountains.

The Best Places to Photograph in Vermont

Smugglers’ Notch by Bre LaRow / CC BY 2.0

Green River Reservoir

The Green River Reservoir is located in northeastern Vermont. Green River Reservoir State Park manages the area and provides access to amazing scenery and wildlife. This is a mostly natural and undeveloped area, there are not a lot of park facilities. There are some campsites available, but all of them must be reached by boat. Day use is available, but to a limited number of visitors. Parking is also very limited.

The Best Places to Photograph in Vermont

Green River Reservoir by Christian Aubry / Public Domain

Ascutney State Park

Ascutney State Park is located near the New Hampshire border. It is a 2,000 acre park that provides great views of the surrounding area. You can drive Summit Road most of the way up Mount Ascutney. From the parking lot a hiking trail will take you the remaining 0.8 miles to the summit.

The Best Places to Photograph in Vermont

Mount Ascutney by Doug Kerr / CC BY-SA 2.0

Allis State Park

Allis State Park is located in eastern Vermont, about 60 miles north of Ascutney State Park. The park lies on Bear Hill and offers great views in all directions from an observation tower.

The Best Places to Photograph in Vermont

Allis State Park by Kevin Jarrett / CC BY 2.0

Ricker Pond State Park

Ricker Pond State Park is located in eastern Vermont, about 50 miles southeast of Green River Reservoir State Park. The pond and its surrounds make for beautiful photos, especially in the fall. The park is located next to Groton State Forest, which includes 17 miles of hiking trails, including the Cross Vermont Trail.

The Best Places to Photograph in Vermont

Ricker Pond by Sundar M / CC BY-SA 2.0

Quechee Gorge

Quechee Gorge is located about 20 miles north of Ascutney State Park. The 165-foot deep gorge is park of Quechee State Park, which includes trails on either side of the gorge. You can also view the gorge from the bridge on U.S. Route 4.

The Best Places to Photograph in Vermont

Quechee Gorge by Drew Tarvin / CC BY 2.0

Lake Willoughby

Lake Willoughy is located in northeastern Vermont, about 35 miles northeast of Green River Reservoir State Park. The southern end of this beautiful, deep lake (more than 300 feet deep) is surrounded by the Willoughby State Forest. The beauty of the area attracts a lot of vacationers.

The Best Places to Photograph in Vermont

Lake Willoughby by Jack Flanagan / CC BY 2.0

Sylvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge

The Sylvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge includes divisions in 4 different New England states. Vermont is home to the Nulhegan Basin Division and the Putney Mountain Unit. The Nulhegan Basic Division is in northeastern Vermont and the Putney Mountain Unit is located in southern Vermont. The Nulhegan Basin Division is more than 25,000 acres of forest, wetlands, and swamps in a remote location. There are several hiking trails as well as gravel roads that are accessible Memorial Day through mid December. The Putney Mountain Unit is nearly 300 acres of forest that is accessible, but no official trails currently exist (they are planned for the future).

The Best Places to Photograph in Vermont

Sylvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge Nulhegan Basin Division by Tom LaPointe / CC BY 2.0

Lake Champlain

lake Champlain lies mostly in Vermont and New York, but a small part extends into Canada. There are also several islands on the lake that are a part of Vermont. On those islands, South Hero, North Hero, and Grand Isle are great spots for photographing the lake.

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The Best Places to Photograph in Vermont

Lake Champlain by johnoghue / CC0

Hildene

Hildene, located in southwestern Vermont, was the summer home of Robert Todd Lincoln (son of Abraham Lincoln) and Mary Harland Lincoln. the 400+ acre estate features a beautiful landscape, great views, and gardens.

The Best Places to Photograph in Vermont

Hildene by Rolf Müller / CC BY-SA 3.0

Want to learn more about neighboring states and provinces? Please see:

Photo license links: CC0, CC BY 2.0CC BY-ND 2.0, CC BY-SA 2.0, CC BY-SA 3.0

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