Mountain pass separating Mount Mansfield, the highest peak of the Green Mountains, from Spruce Peak and the Sterling Range

How to Get There

Overview

Smugglers Notch (alternatively Smugglers' or Smuggler's) is a mountain pass in Lamoille County, Vermont. The notch separates Mount Mansfield, the highest peak of the Green Mountains, from Spruce Peak and the Sterling Range. Most of the notch is in Mount Mansfield State Forest.

Smugglers' Notch derives its name from activities precipitated by a request of President Thomas Jefferson to prevent American involvement in the Napoleonic Wars. The Embargo Act of 1807 forbade American trade with Great Britain and Canada. But proximity to Montreal made it a convenient trading partner, and the Act caused great hardship for Vermonters, many of whom continued the illegal trade with Canada, carrying goods and herding livestock through the Notch. Fugitive slaves also used the Notch as an escape route to Canada. The route was improved to accommodate automobile traffic in 1922 thus providing a route for liquor to be brought in from Canada during the Prohibition years.

Smugglers' Notch State Park was created near the Notch by the depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps. In 2003 the park was relocated, allowing for a larger campground and new, modern facilities incorporating alternative energy. In order to preserve the work of these pioneering conservationists, all original structures created by the CCC were painstakingly relocated to the new site.

Smugglers' Notch Resort is located on the northeast side of the pass on the northern side of the Sterling Range with developments on Spruce Peak (referred to as Sterling Mountain by the resort), Madonna Peak (referred to as Madonna Mountain by the resort), and the lower portion of Morse Mountain. The resort takes its name from the pass. Stowe Mountain Resort straddles the southern end of the pass, with developments on both Mt. Mansfield and Spruce Peak.

Smugglers' Notch State Park

Smugglers' Notch State Park on Vermont Route 108 is open for year-round recreation, but access is limited in the winter months to snow mobiles and skiers. The park serves as a trailhead for several hiking trails that stretch into Mount Mansfield State Forest. Sterling Pond trail passes through a dense secondary forest. The trail begins North of the campground and it rises 900 feet to Sterling Pond which is open to fishing and swimming. Several trails begin at Smugglers' Notch State Park and ascend Mount Mansfield. Mountain climbing and spelunking is permitted at the park. Many large boulders and caves are found throughout the park and vertical cliffs are on Mount Mansfield and Elephant's Head.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Smugglers Notch", and "Smugglers' Notch State Park", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0