A place of great legend and majestic natural beauty, the Smugglers Notch State Park is located in the Green Mountains of Vermont. The ‘notch’ is a narrow pass with a winding road through Vermont’s Mount Mansfield, spanning from Jeffersonville to Stowe. This road is closed in the wintertime, but in the summer it offers a fantastic scenic trip.
In the early days, the road existed only as a footpath and trail for horses. The passage gained its notoriety and name in the days of prohibition when it’s said that smugglers went into hiding in the caves and crevasses throughout the notch.
Photo Credit: Vermont State Parks
The road today is now two-lane passible but narrows to one lane in several places. It’s a great location to go to for an exciting drive, but you wanna make sure your brakes are working because both sides of the Notch are miles of descent and incline. The road is also limited to cars as trucks tend to get hung up in the tight spots!
Photo Credit: Awesome Snow Farm Vineyard customers who know how to have a good meal!
Vermont State Parks do not hold liquor licenses, therefore oenophiles who would like to enjoy Snow Farm Vineyard Wines may do so responsibly. All Vermont State Parks, particularly Smugglers Notch, have a carry-in carry-out rule in place. This natural habitat and environment is there for all of us and deserves to be treated with care and respect. If you do bring in a bottle of Snow Farm Wine to a campsite or to a mountain peak, please do so responsibly and carry out and recycle your bottle.
View from the top of Smugglers Notch State Park
It’s a beautiful view on either side of the notch. Both from in the notch and looking out across The Green Mountains. Sterling Mountain lifts above the road on the east side of the Notch, and Vermont’s highest peak, Mount Mansfield, rises above the “notch road” on the west side of the passage.
Photo Credit: Vermont State Parks
Whether you are out for a drive, looking for a destination to hike from, or beginning an overnight camping trip, Smugglers Notch State Park has something for everyone. If you are playing in the notch it’s rare not to have fun. Regardless of if you were to bring some Snow Farm Vineyard wine with you on your journey or save it for the end of the journey back at home, you’re bound to have a great time!
Stop in for a tasting at Snow Farm Vineyard and pick up some wines to take with you on your journey as you explore all that Vermont has to offer. We offer great 1/2 case and full-case specials that you can purchase at the winery or order online!
