Drive west from Warren and the valley opens slowly, farmland giving way to the long blue suggestion of Lake Champlain on the horizon. Before you reach it, stop at Texas Falls, where Hancock Branch has spent centuries carving itself into the bedrock of the Green Mountains, the gorge so narrow and so deep it feels almost secret. Then continue toward Middlebury, where the falls on Otter Creek tumble straight through the middle of town, limestone worn smooth and pale beneath the current. While you're there, the college campus sits on its hillside like a quiet argument for permanence, all Federal stone and open lawn. On the way back, Pulp Mill Covered Bridge waits just north of town, spanning the creek in near-total obscurity, unhurried and old.
Within 25 miles · ranked by scenic score
6 Places Worth Seeing
Middlebury, VT
Texas Falls
A series of cascades and plunge pools carved through a narrow bedrock gorge in the Green Mountain National Forest along the Hancock Branch. The falls drop through sculpted potholes and curved rock formations. A short paved trail and viewing bridge provide accessible vantage points directly above the gorge.
Middlebury, VT
Sunset Ledge on the Long Trail
A west-facing rock ledge along the Long Trail near Lincoln Gap that provides sweeping views of the Champlain Valley and Adirondack Mountains. The ledge is reached via a 0.8-mile moderate hike from the Lincoln Gap Road trailhead. As its name suggests, the ledge is positioned perfectly for sunset photography facing west.
Middlebury, VT
Middlebury Falls
A series of cascades on Otter Creek in the center of downtown Middlebury, dropping approximately 15 feet over limestone ledges. The falls are visible from a footbridge and several viewing platforms adjacent to the Marble Works historic district. The combination of falling water and 19th-century mill buildings creates a compelling urban-nature juxtaposition.
Middlebury, VT
Pulp Mill Covered Bridge
The oldest surviving covered bridge in Vermont, built circa 1808-1820, spanning Otter Creek just north of Middlebury. The bridge is a two-span structure using a combination of Burr arch and Town lattice trusses. It is one of the few two-lane covered bridges remaining in the state.
Middlebury, VT
Middlebury College Campus
Founded in 1800, Middlebury College features a blend of Federal, Gothic, and modern architecture set on a hillside with views of the Green Mountains and Adirondacks. Mead Memorial Chapel and Old Chapel are notable landmarks. The campus quad framed by limestone buildings and mature trees is particularly striking in autumn.
Middlebury, VT
Snake Mountain
A 1,287-foot monadnock in Addison with a 3.6-mile round-trip trail to a summit with panoramic views of Lake Champlain, the Adirondacks, and the Green Mountains. The summit features open ledges and the ruins of a 19th-century hotel. The isolated rise from the Champlain Valley floor makes it an excellent vantage point for landscape photography.
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