Underhill

Underhill offers several specific starting points for a trip: hiking trails on Mt. Mansfield, local winter sports history, outdoor activities, and seasonal events. These are spread across different seasons and times of day. If you are looking for a hotel in Underhill, you can match your preferred focus—hiking, local history, ice skating, or visiting a market—with your travel dates. This makes it clear early on whether a recurring winter offering, set hours of use, or an annual event date matters most for your plans.

Winter Sports History in Underhill

In 1924, the first alpine ski trail, The Teardrop, was established on the Underhill side of Mt. Mansfield. Cross-country skiing in Vermont began in Underhill Center. This means the history of alpine trails and the history of cross-country skiing are two distinct historical connections. The Halfway House adds an earlier hotel history to this picture: the hotel was built near the present-day location of the camping area in Underhill State Park. Taken together, this historical perspective covers both winter sports and earlier lodging.

Hiking Trails and Camping in the State Park

Underhill State Park is on the western slope of Mt. Mansfield and offers direct access to hiking trails on the mountain, including the Sunset Ridge Trail and the Laura Cowles Trail. These two named trails provide specific starting points for planning a hike on Mt. Mansfield. The upper camping area has seven lean-to sites and two tent sites. All campsites are accessible from the parking lot only by a short walk; vehicles cannot reach them. If you include this camping option in your plans, account for the walk when packing your gear. The park information therefore concerns two different aspects of planning: access to hiking trails on the one hand, and the walking access to the campsites on the other.

Activities and Dates

You can ice skate outdoors at Moore Park every winter. The ice rink offers views of Mount Mansfield, bringing a winter activity and mountain scenery together in one place. The mountain bike trail loop behind Underhill Central School is open to the public Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m., as well as on weekends, holidays, and days when school is not in session. Since this public access schedule may change, check it again before your trip. The two offerings differ clearly when planning dates: ice skating is tied to winter, while access to the trail loop depends on specific times of day and school-free days.

The Old Fashioned Harvest Market is held annually on the last full weekend in September at the United Church of Underhill. Check the dates and program again each year. The District No. 5 Schoolhouse is open on Saturdays from May 23 to October 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; confirm the specific dates before your trip. This comparison is useful when choosing dates: the market is concentrated on one September weekend, while the Schoolhouse has a longer seasonal window.

Discover more destinations: Shelburne, Essex Junction, Colchester, Williston, South Burlington, Burlington.

For the broader travel overview: Chittenden.