Hogback Mountain Conservation Area is a beloved 591-acre Vermont conservation area in Marlboro, VT that offers free admission year-round to hikers, wildlife enthusiasts, and history buffs exploring the Southern Vermont wilderness. Originally operating as Hogback Mountain Ski Area from 1946 to 1986, this former ski resort was saved from development when local citizens formed the Hogback Mountain Conservation Association (HMCA) in 2006, with the land transferred to the Town of Marlboro in 2010—making it a remarkable community conservation success story now celebrating over 15 years as a protected nature preserve. The area is renowned for its legendary "100-mile view" spanning Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, plus 12+ miles of multi-use trails ideal for hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing, and backcountry skiing near Brattleboro, with leashed dogs welcome. Wildlife observers can spot 80+ documented bird species, black bears (look for claw marks on beech trees), moose, bobcat, and numerous amphibians across diverse habitats including hardwood forests, wetlands, and the headwaters of the Green River watershed. The HMCA runs an active bird-banding research program tracking songbird migrations and conducts Early Successional Habitat restoration on former ski slopes—creating critical young forest habitat that's extremely rare in New England. Visitors can explore remnants of the historic ski area including original lift towers and a Quonset hut base lodge, then connect to Molly Stark State Park to climb the Mount Olga fire tower for stunning 360-degree panoramic views. Located at 7599 VT-9 (Molly Stark Byway), just 15 miles west of Brattleboro and 25 miles east of Bennington, this Vermont outdoor recreation destination welcomes families, nature enthusiasts, and lost ski area historians—donations accepted but never required (contact: hmca@hogbackvt.org).
Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center (BEEC)14 mi
The Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center (BEEC) is a member-based nonprofit environmental education organization founded in 1991 by Dorothea Stockwell and other community members, housed in the historic 18th-century Stockwell farmhouse on 60-100 acres of diverse habitats including mature forests, meadows, hemlock groves, woodland streams, a pond, and a spectacular vernal pool in West Brattleboro, Vermont. Located at 1221 Bonnyvale Road, West Brattleboro, VT 05301 (just 10 minutes from downtown Brattleboro), this Vermont conservation center features 2.3 miles of hiking trails including "Dorothea's Way," the primary 1-mile loop trail, open free to the public from dawn to dusk with interpretive guides available and sweeping hilltop views from Heifer Hill overlooking Vermont and New Hampshire mountains. Annual membership rates range from $25 for students/seniors/EBT cardholders, $50 for individuals, $75 for families, $100 for sustaining members, to $1,799 for Generations membership, with members receiving early registration for camps and programs, discounts on community programs, and reciprocal benefits at 140+ North American nature centers. The center's educational offerings include science-based outdoor learning programs for schools (PreK-6th grade aligned with Next Generation Science Standards), Nature Explorers Summer Camp for ages 4-11 at $375 per week with CCFAP subsidies and scholarships available, after-school programs, natural history hikes and workshops, Forest of Mystery theatrical nature experiences ($30 adult/$20 child, $25/$15 for members), Nature Photo Explorers camp for youth ages 12-18, and professional development for teachers. BEEC has earned a 4.8-star rating from Chamber of Commerce reviewers, with testimonials praising the organization's developmentally appropriate programming, knowledgeable naturalist instructors, and transformative outdoor experiences that parents describe as their child's favorite camp. The conservation focus includes direct contributions to wildlife and land conservation through watershed stewardship, reptile and amphibian conservation initiatives (including training volunteers to ferry amphibians across roads on rainy spring evenings), working with municipalities on biodiversity planning and beaver relationship enhancement, providing wildlife emergency response, and maintaining ecological literacy programs throughout southeastern Vermont's bioregion. Visitors can contact BEEC at (802) 257-5785 or admin@beec.org to learn more about this premier Vermont environmental education center that has been inspiring connections to the natural world for over three decades.
Back in 1946, a group of Putney locals got worried about developers eyeing their mountain and decided to do something about it. That decision turned into the Putney Mountain Association, an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) land trust that's approaching its 80th anniversary in 2026 and ranks among Vermont's oldest conservation organizations. They now steward over 1,000 acres along the Windmill Hill Ridgeline in southeastern Vermont, with 15+ miles of hiking trails spanning Putney, Brookline, Westminster, Dummerston, and surrounding towns. Trail access is completely free. Lifetime membership costs just $25 (not a typo). The summit hits 1,647 feet with panoramic views west toward Mts. Snow, Stratton, and Bromley, while Mt. Monadnock dominates the eastern horizon. Main trailhead sits at 443 Putney Mountain Road in Putney/Brookline. What really sets this place apart is the Fall Putney Mountain Hawk Watch running daily from September through October, sometimes into November. It's the only full-time autumn raptor watch in Vermont, and watching thousands of migrating raptors ride the ridgeline thermals is... honestly kind of addictive. I've seen folks show up planning to stay an hour and still be there at sunset. The organization runs guided woods walks, bird walks, wildflower identification outings, moss walks (yes, moss walks), tree ID workshops, orienteering instruction, and forest ecology programs for all ages throughout the year. Conservation-wise, they're protecting an important north-south wildlife corridor for deer, bobcat, red and gray fox, fisher, coyote, and possibly moose and bear. They work closely with the Vermont Land Trust, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, Windmill Hill Pinnacle Association, and the Silvio O. Conte National Wildlife Refuge. The organization has 100% positive recommendations with 5 Facebook reviews and over 326 check-ins. Contact them at putmta@gmail.com or info@putneymountain.org, call (802) 387-4537, or write to PO Box 953, Putney, VT 05346.
Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home is a premier Manchester VT historic attraction and conservation destination rated 4.7 stars with over 1,400 TripAdvisor reviews, earning the #1 ranking among all things to do in Manchester, Vermont and a 2025 Travelers' Choice Award. This 412-acre estate was built in 1905 by Robert Todd Lincoln—President Abraham Lincoln's only son to survive to adulthood and former president of the Pullman Company—and remained occupied exclusively by Lincoln descendants until 1975, longer than any other Lincoln family residence in America. Admission is $25 for adults and $8 for youth ages 6-16 (children 5 and under free), which includes the 24-room Georgian Revival mansion with 95% original furnishings, the 1908 Aeolian pipe organ with 1,000 pipes, and one of only three surviving Abraham Lincoln stovepipe hats in existence. The estate's Vermont wildlife conservation programs feature a 600-foot floating wetland boardwalk (ADA accessible) where visitors observe blue herons, red-winged blackbirds, beavers, and turtles, plus a bobolink sanctuary, pollinator pathways, and habitat restoration supporting endangered species. Hildene Farm operates a working goat dairy as part of the Vermont Cheese Trail, raises critically endangered Randall cattle heritage breeds, and uses regenerative agriculture practices—all viewable by visitors exploring this Southern Vermont family attraction. Educational programs serve over 3,500 children annually with NGSS-aligned curriculum including monarch butterfly tagging, wetland ecology, and living history at the 1832 Hollow Schoolhouse, making Hildene a top Vermont school field trip destination. The restored 1903 Pullman railcar "Sunbeam" with Tiffany glass and the "Many Voices" exhibit—the southernmost stop on Vermont's African American Heritage Trail—add cultural depth to this Manchester Vermont museum experience. Open Thursday–Monday 10 AM–4:30 PM at 1005 Hildene Road, Manchester, VT 05254; call 800-578-1788 or email info@hildene.org for guided tours and group reservations.
Here's the thing about the Equinox Preservation Trust: it's completely free. No admission, no parking fees, no membership required. Just 914 acres of protected forest on Mount Equinox (the highest peak in the Taconic Range) open to visitors year-round since conservation easements were donated to the Vermont Land Trust back in 1996. The trust manages 11 miles of well-marked hiking trails ranging from easy loops around the 15-acre Equinox Pond to challenging summit climbs gaining 2,962 feet of elevation. AllTrails users have given it a 4.6-star rating from 1,940 reviews, and it's earned a TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Award placing it in the top 10% of properties. The raptor watching here is excellent, especially for peregrine falcons. Multi-use trails allow cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, mountain biking, and horseback riding across rare northern hardwood forests that support globally rare bat species. This nonprofit 501(c)(3) does real scientific work too, with ongoing studies on tick populations, mammal surveys, mineral weathering processes, and Vermont LoonWatch monitoring at the pond. (I spent a morning last fall watching researchers set up acoustic monitors near the water, coffee getting cold in my hand while fog burned off the pond. Quiet doesn't begin to describe it.) Trail access starts at the Red Gate parking area on West Union Street in Manchester, Vermont, where free pocket trail maps are available at the informational kiosks. Contact them at (802) 362-7794 or rick@equinoxpreservationtrust.org. The fall foliage viewing is exceptional, and the mature hardwood ecosystems make this an outstanding spot for families, hikers, wildlife photographers, and anyone seeking actual wilderness without an entrance fee.
The Nature Museum at 186 Townshend Road in Grafton, Vermont is an intimate natural history museum and environmental education center housed in a historic Grange Hall, founded in 1989 by Sue Hadden and Don Clark (36 years in operation), offering donation-based admission of $5 per individual or $15 per family with a welcoming policy stating visitors without means to donate are still welcome. This Vermont nature museum and wildlife education center features hands-on interactive exhibits including a crawl-through underground bear den, live honeybees in a glass observation hive, mounted Vermont wildlife specimens (including a touchable bobcat), fossil digging areas, and two floors of displays covering local flora, fauna, and geology, plus 4 acres of outdoor space with the Magic Forest Playscape natural playground, restored wetland pond, native pollinator gardens, Outdoor Adventure Backpacks for borrowing, and the beloved Fairy House Festival held annually the last weekend of September (17+ years running) with 70-80+ miniature fairy houses along woodland trails. The museum earned a TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Award and consistently receives praise in reviews for helpful, knowledgeable staff, with visitors calling it a "tiny gem" that appeals to all ages despite being child-focused, offering free access to outdoor areas dawn-to-dusk year-round even when the museum building is closed (open Friday-Sunday, 10am-4pm). Educational programming includes Brave Bears summer camps for ages 4-11 with scholarship assistance available, Mighty Acorns preschool programs for ages 3-6 ($20 per class or $15 when booking three or more sessions), Wee Explorers programs, Science Saturdays, school field trips, and the museum also staffs the Bellows Falls Fish Ladder & Visitor Center June-August as a free public service, demonstrating commitment to Connecticut River Valley watershed education and conservation. Contact this Vermont aquarium alternative and butterfly conservatory-style nature center at (802) 843-2111 or info@nature-museum.org for information about camps, guided nature walks, wildlife rehabilitation education programs, and seasonal events at this accessible, family-friendly botanical garden and ecological learning center that serves as an important Vermont tourism destination for nature lovers and outdoor education seekers.
This volunteer-run nonprofit land trust formed in 1992 and incorporated in 1993 as a memorial to outdoorsman Jamie Charles Latham (1968-1991). Thirty-three years later, the Windmill Hill Pinnacle Association has conserved 2,860+ acres of permanently protected wilderness across six Vermont towns: Athens, Brookline, Grafton, Rockingham, Townshend, and Westminster. Trail access is free. All 28 miles of it. Hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, birdwatching, whatever you want, year-round. The popular Pinnacle at Windmill Hill Loop covers 3.9 miles with 643 feet of elevation gain (figure 1.5 to 2 hours) and has earned 4.7 stars on AllTrails from 462 reviews. Overall community ratings sit at 4.5 stars from 904 reviews praising well-maintained trails, beautiful views, and gentle to moderate terrain. The Pinnacle peak itself reaches 1,683 feet with sweeping panoramic views. There's a renovated overnight shelter cabin available for $5 per person or $20 per family (suggested donation), though advance reservations through WHPAtrails@gmail.com or (802) 376-8365 are mandatory. The Athens Dome log shelter offers another backcountry camping option. Programs include guided nature walks, wildflower hikes, naturalist-led school field trips for Westminster Center School and Grafton Elementary students, annual photo contests, and special outings to Vermont's largest known white ash tree in Westminster. Accessibility Day events help make the trails available to diverse visitors. The hawk watching at nearby Putney Mountain during fall migration is exceptional. They've got about 25 active volunteers maintaining trails and removing invasive species, plus a 1,000-member base supporting conservation efforts outlined in their 2023 Conservation Management Plan. The protected habitat includes 13 vernal pools, upland ponds, heron rookeries, beaver colonies, native brook trout streams, wood turtle habitat (a species of conservation concern), and rare Northern bulrush wetlands. Headquarters are at 35 Main Street in Saxtons River, VT with mailing at PO Box 584. Contact info@windmillhillpinnacle.org or (802) 376-8365 for trail maps, volunteer opportunities, or event schedules.
Pharmaceutical executive George W. Merck established this place in 1950, and 75 years later Merck Forest & Farmland Center still covers 3,500 acres of working farm and forest preserve at 3270 Route 315 in Rupert, Vermont. The 35 miles of hiking trails are completely free to use. That's worth repeating. Free. The land sits at 1,800+ feet elevation in the northern Taconic Range and has pulled a 4.8-star AllTrails rating from 378 reviews plus a 4.7-star TripAdvisor rating and Travelers' Choice Award. The 60-acre working farm raises sheep, pigs, chickens, goats, draft horses, and turkeys humanely while producing Vermont-Certified Organic, Audubon-certified bird-friendly maple syrup from 3,000 tapped trees. (The smell of the sugarhouse during March sugaring demos is something else. Wood smoke mixed with that unmistakable maple steam.) Products are available year-round at the Joy Green Visitor Center, open 9am-4pm daily. Rustic off-grid cabin rentals run $50-$90 per night, making this one of only 12 places in Vermont offering year-round backcountry lodging. Three lean-tos and dispersed camping are also available. Cabins sit 0.5 to 2.5 miles from parking, so you'll need to hike, ski, snowshoe, or bike in. Members get 20% discounts. Educational programs include summer camps for grades 1-8, Kits & Cubs nature immersion for toddlers 18 months to 5 years, school field trips on watershed ecology and pollinator conservation, maple sugaring demos, woodworking at the timber shop, and apprenticeship opportunities. Trail highlights include Mount Antone summit (2,600 feet, 5-mile round trip with spectacular Adirondack and Green Mountain views), the Wildlife Trail with interpretive forestry signs, Birch Pond loop, and the easy Farm Walk perfect for families wanting animal interactions. The nonprofit protects critical wildlife corridors within a 42,000-acre unfragmented forest block and welcomes over 20,000 annual visitors for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, horseback riding, birdwatching, and hunting in designated areas. Contact them at (802) 394-7836 or info@merckforest.org.
