Nordic Skiing
Kick, glide, and schuss on 25 miles of Nordic (cross-country) ski trails in and just outside Montpelier, and join us in one of our favorite local ways to embrace and celebrate winter. Like our mountain bike trails, our groomed Nordic trails are remarkably free to use, thanks to a thriving partnership between Montpelier Parks, Onion River Nordic Ski Club, and generous private landowners. Because there are so many access points to get on the trails, there’s plenty of places to park around town, and there’s no ticket required, it’s super easy to hop on the trails for a lunch break, after-work, or quick early morning outing. You can find skis for rental, lease, and purchase at Onion River Outdoors. Whether you love skate skiing, classic skiing, or breaking trail with metal-edged touring skis, the opportunities to cover our rolling, scenic terrain feel limitless. If you’re up for a day trip, we highly recommend a visit to Craftsbury Outdoor Center, a breathtaking Nordic paradise with more than 100 km of groomed trails.
The local spots
Hubbard Park, North Branch River Park, North Street Trails, Capital City Golf Course
Just outside town
Millstone, Blueberry Lake, Bolton Valley (Bolton also has excellent AT skiing opportunities)
Day tripping
Trapp Family Lodge, Craftsbury Outdoor Center, Catamount Outdoor Family Center, Grafton Trails & Outdoor Center
Adventure Stories
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Montpelier is a hub for outdoor recreation, and is nestled in a valley where The North Branch and the Winooski rivers converge and public lands connect multiple networks of trails. Access to nature couldn’t be easier, from the Hubbard Park trails ...
The city of Montpelier was built in a valley surrounded by the Green Mountains. The various hills and slopes that make up the valley provide locals and visitors alike an opportunity to experience some of the best sledding in Vermont. From the trails ...
When people think of Vermont, they imagine maple syrup, colorful leaves, and skiing. Vermont’s ski mountains are some of the best in the Northeast with resorts such as Sugarbush, Mad River, and Bolton; all of which are under an hour's drive from ...
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Montpelier, in the heart of Central Vermont, is surrounded by adventure. Right from downtown you can access hiking, mountain biking, gravel biking, nordic skiing, swimming, paddling, and amazing parks for walking. To add to that, Montpelier is just ...