Winter Getaway, Northern Vermont

There are some spots that you just don’t know about until you get there! I had never heard of the town of Groton before but at only a half hour away from the the capital, Montpelier, and with a state forest (Groton State Forest, link to all Groton State Forest trails here) with over 26,000 acres there are lots of reasons to visit and explore! It was this cute and cozy Airbnb (scroll down for pics and link) that brought us to this particular spot for a couple nights but I hope to be back to see and hike more there.

🥾Where we hiked:

🥾Walk around Lake Willoughby At just around an hour from the Airbnb, Lake Willoughby, and the hike that gives you the best views of it (Mount Pisgah, scroll below) is not to be missed! If there’s one place I’d like to see in all the seasons, Lake Willoughby comes first to mind! If you want just walk up to the lake and take pictures of it from ground level you can do that! There are a couple places to park and then a little trail that quickly leads to the shore of the lake that you can walk along (the walk is under 10 minutes but you’ll take more time taking pictures!)

🏔Hike up Mount Pisgah Here you will get amazing views of Lake Willoughby below! About 4.1 miles and 1700 feet of elevation gain. There are two look out spots, be sure you keep going to the top one! You can follow and check the map on AllTrails here.

🏠Where we stayed:

This Airbnb hosted by Alan and his wife, Kirsten, is such a special little retreat! The 900 square foot loft space is super cozy and warm with a pellet/wood stove that is just what you need after hiking in the cold. Dog friendly (I bring blankets and dogs beds for them to lay on) and sparkling clean 2nd story loft IN Groton State Forest and offers privacy, peace, and quiet! Forest trails outside your door; star-gaze with little to no light pollution! There are actually 3 bedrooms here and a full kitchen that we used to make eggs in the morning and a Mexican night with burritos post hike. 🙂 The best part is being able to open the back door and let the dogs out in the morning as there is a little clearing plus trails behind the apartment. Alan and Kirsten live in a home 150 feet from the loft space (which is above a 3 car garage) but the property is on 11 acres so you feel secluded with space for the dogs to roam a little. Find the link to book here and feel free to reach out with any questions about the space! Alan is also super helpful and loves sharing info about the surrounding forest and trails.