View Breathtaking Vistas in Vermont on the Molly Stark Scenic Byway

November 1, 9:29 PMBoston Day Trips ExaminerMari V. DeAngelis

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Hogback Mountain scenic outlook
photo by M Pennell

"Rush Hour in Vermont" is the caption on a Vermont postcard featuring a pastoral scene of a herd of cows meandering across  a road. Perhaps life is slower in Vermont but that doesn't mean that there is less to see and do in the Green Mountain state. One just needs to shift into lower gear to enjoy its pleasures. Route 9 crisscrosses Southern Vermont, from the NH border to the edge of New York state. Driving along this lovely roadway is one of those Vermont experiences to be savored and enjoyed-slowly.

Full of history, scenic vistas and breathtaking mountain passes, this winding roadway is well worth a day trip from Boston. The 48 mile drive will take about two hours from end to end. Begin in Brattleboro and head toward Bennington, with a stop in the charming little town of Wilmington in between. Take a full tank of gas and a sense of adventure.The rolling byway follows along Route 9 in southern Vermont, past green farmlands, covered bridges and small towns. However, it is the Green Mountains that makes this trip worth the drive, towering above and beyond the road and echoing in the distance.

One of the first stops between Brattleboro and Wilmington should be the Hogback Mountain lookout in Marlboro. A breathtaking 100 miles view of three states awaits. At Hogback Mountain, visitors can see for miles, taking in the beauty of Vermont's Green Mountains, New Hampshire's White Mountains and Mount Monadnock and the Berkshires of Massachuetts. Viewing stands offer the opportunity to get a bird'e eye view. For visitors seeking the best foliage views in Vermont, Hogback is a must. 

According to the National Scenic Byways Association (NSBA) website, Route 9's appeal goes back to the early days of  car travel. It seems that in the early 1900's, according to the NSBA, when people began to tour the countryside by car, a local hotel keeper devised the idea of a tour through the mountains of New England. Thus, the trail came to be. The state of Vermont designated the trail as The Molly Stark Trail in 1967 and in 2003, the Vermont  legislature dubbed the route  the Molly Stark Scenic Byway and it became  "an official Vermont Scenic Byway",  according to the NSBA website. 

For more information:  Visit the National Scenic Byways Association website

If you enjoyed this article:  You can read more about travel in Vemont here on Examiner.com:

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