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Maple Sugar, Mountain Biking
and Miles of Riding Trails

You'll find all of these pleasures and more at the Mountain Top Inn, Vermont.

The reds, yellows and oranges of autumn leaves can’t be surpassed if you are visiting the “Green Mountain State” of Vermont. And the Mountain Top Inn in the center of the state is a perfect spot to witness this annual “changing of the guard.”

My husband and I and two friends from California had timed our visit to coincide with this breathtaking event, but we had to peer through drizzle and heavy mist during the drive to the Inn. Entering the main lodge, we couldn’t help admire the view from the large back windows, but when the sun broke though the clouds, the kaleidoscope of color surrounding the Chittenden Reservoir, a large lake below us, proved as amazing as we had imagined.

The main lodge has thirty–three guest rooms, some with whirlpool bathtubs, and all with traditional, but elegant, mountain lodge furnishings. You may also choose one of five rustic cabins which are cozy and pet friendly, or one of the private chalet homes.

The four of us shared one of the chalets and found it very spacious and comfortable, decorated for fall with pots of brightly colored mums, and showing off beautiful views of the lake. We could relax on one of the three decks soaking up the sun and admiring the scenery or curl up in front of the fireplace with a good book, depending on the weather.

My primary interest was in the Equestrian Program and I was not disappointed by the variety of choices and quality of the horses. The equestrian activities catered to all levels and interests of riders. There were walking trail rides for those comfortable with observing nature from the back of a horse to private and group jumping and dressage lessons and everything in between – English and Western beginner riding lessons, intermediate cross-country rides with trotting and cantering, driving lessons, and hayrides.

The children’s summer horsemanship camp is designed to provide children with experience in grooming, tacking up and additional horse care as well as riding. There are thirty–six mostly quarter horse crosses with two Percherons for driving.

I was paired up with “Kansas,” a well-trained palomino while the others in my group rode an Appaloosa, a black and white pinto, and a chestnut quarter horse. We were mounted on a variety of colored horses just like the trees around us, and they all proved to be safe, reliable mounts.

“Catch one leaf for good luck. If you catch two, make a wish,” Mike, our guide, told us just as a brisk breeze shook the branches and yellow and red leaves fell all around us covering the trail.

We were trotting along one of the many miles of cross-country ski trails up in the mountains overlooking the 650–acre Chittenden Reservoir. Through meadows and woods – both deciduous and evergreen – and alongside ponds, the trails offered a variety of riding experiences. Mike boosted our knowledge during our ride by pointing out plants and parts of plants – leaves, bark and roots – that are said to cure aches and pains, stress, and/or are eaten for nourishment.

No matter the season, the trail rides showcase the beauty of the 350 picturesque acres of the Mountain Top Inn – the bright green of new leaves in the spring, colorful flowers in summer or the brilliant hues in autumn.

Starting in 2006, Mountain Top is offering inn–to–inn riding tours. The horses and riders will leave in the morning and travel cross–country to another inn for dinner and overnight before riding back to Mountain Top the next day

For those interested in other warm weather sports, there is tennis, shuffleboard, lawn croquet, clay bird shooting, fly fishing, hiking and mountain biking. There is golf nearby. A swimming pool and a private sandy beach at the lake add to the inn’s available water sports – swimming, kayaking, canoeing and scenic, guided boat rides. And for relaxing and soothing the body and mind, try a facial or massage therapy.

Surrounded by thousands of acres of the Green Mountain National Forest, the Inn is also a Nordic ski and snowshoe center that offers both cross–country skiing and snowshoeing for all ages and levels. Ski along manicured trails through the solitude of the forests, rocket down a hill on a sled, glide on ice skates on frozen ponds or bundle up and enjoy a two–horse sleigh ride, if your visit occurs during winter months.

Meals are served in the dining room, the tavern or out on the terrace. You may request a picnic if you’re “on the go” and don’t have time to stop and return to the Inn for lunch. Sandwiches in the Tavern for lunch fit in perfectly with our schedule. In the dining room in the evenings, we relished leisurely dinners that would satisfy any gourmet and sipped wines from the inn’s ample wine list.

Not far from the Inn are the Vermont Marble Museum, the New England Maple Sugar Museum and the Norman Rockwell Museum. We visited all of them as well as the Quechee Gorge (Vermont’s little Grand Canyon) and the Simon Pearce Glass Factory just past Woodstock. Antique shops, summer theatre and gondola rides to the top of Killington Peak are just a few of the many things to enjoy nearby.

We loved the quaint country stores, charming white–steepled churches, covered bridges and old red barns that we drove past. They cried out for the click of a camera.

Vermont and the Mountain Top Inn, perfect for a fun equestrian holiday, but it’s also a mountain resort destination that beckons to all those in your family. There’s something for everyone!



To contact Mountain Top Inn, please see our Riding Vacation Directory under Vermont.

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4799 Lower Mountain Road, New Hope, PA 18938
Tel: (215) 794-5878 • Fax: (215) 794-5878
E-mail: info@horseclassics.com
Web: www.horseclassics.com

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