Day Trips From Stowe for Families Who Bike and Hike

Four family-sized outings within an hour of Stowe, from a flat rail trail in Morrisville to the gondola-assisted ridge at Stowe Mountain Resort.

Start Close: The Stowe Recreation Path and Cady Hill

The obvious first day costs nothing in driving time. The Stowe Recreation Path runs about five and a half miles from the Village Green out toward Topnotch, paved the whole way, mostly flat, and dotted with bridge crossings over the West Branch of the Little River. It is the single best ride for a family with a seven-year-old or a tagalong, and you can tack on a swim at one of the access points in July and August. Parking near the village fills by mid-morning on weekends, so arrive before nine or ride in from your hotel.

For older kids who want dirt, Cady Hill sits just south of the village and holds a network of purpose-built mountain-bike loops with smooth berms and roller sections; the green and blue lines are genuinely approachable. Rentals are available in the village, and rates sit in the mid-range for a half-day. My pick is Cady Hill over the resort trails if your group is mixed-ability, because you can session short laps and regroup easily without committing to a long climb.

Morrisville and the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail

Morrisville is a fifteen-minute drive east on Route 100 and has become the practical base for the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, which now stretches across northern Vermont on a gentle crushed-stone grade built on an old rail bed. Families with younger riders gravitate here because the surface is wide and the grades are shallow; you can ride out-and-back for as long as legs allow and turn around at any crossing. The town itself has a compact downtown with a co-op and bakeries for a picnic, and parking near the trailhead is straightforward on weekdays.

Pair the ride with a short hike at one of the state forests nearby, where woodland paths are quieter than the Stowe classics. Best months are late May through June, when the blackflies have eased but the trail is not yet dusty, and September through early October for foliage — bike shuttles run seasonally on parts of the corridor, so check locally before planning a one-way. What I would skip: the busy stretch right at the trailhead on a Saturday morning, which is congested with families unloading; start a mile or two along instead.

Waterbury and Camel's Hump Country

Drive south on Route 100 for roughly twenty minutes and you reach Waterbury, a natural lunch stop with a cluster of casual restaurants and the Ben & Jerry's factory just up Route 100 in Waterbury Center. From there, trailheads for Camel's Hump sit within another fifteen to twenty minutes. The Burrows Trail from Huntington is the shortest route to the summit — about two and a half miles up — but it is steep and rocky and best for teenagers and adults, not young children; the Monroe Trail is longer and slightly gentler but still a genuine mountain day.

For a family hike that everyone can finish, the trails around Little River State Park in Waterbury are the better bet: old farm roads and woodland paths with modest climbs, plus a swim beach on Waterbury Reservoir. The park charges a day-use fee and fills on hot weekends, so arrive early. From here it is a short drive back to Stowe or on to South Burlington if you are splitting the trip, which is where a lot of visitors search for accommodation before heading north.

Smugglers' Notch, Jay, and When to Go

North of Stowe, Route 108 climbs through Smugglers' Notch, a narrow pass between towering boulders that is genuinely spectacular and closed to through traffic in winter. In summer it is a destination in itself: the resort area at the notch has lift-served mountain biking, an aerial adventure course and hiking trails that fan out from the base, making it a full-day outing for families with a range of ages. The drive takes about twenty-five minutes from the village. The road through the notch is steep, narrow and winding — fine for a confident driver, less so for a large RV.

Farther north, Jay Peak is roughly an hour from Stowe and worth the drive only if you are combining it with a stay or want the waterpark and tram ride; the hiking there is more rugged than family-friendly. Best months overall are June, September and early October, when crowds thin and the weather holds. If you want one base for all of the above, I would book in Stowe village or just south along the Mountain Road, where you are within twenty minutes of every trip above and still close enough to South Burlington for a rainy-day museum run.

Questions, answered

Do we need a car for these day trips?

Yes. Public transport between Stowe and Morrisville, Waterbury or Smugglers' Notch is limited, and trailheads sit off the main roads. A car gives you flexibility and lets you start early, which matters for parking at the Recreation Path and Little River State Park on summer weekends.

What is the best month for a biking and hiking trip from Stowe?

Late June and September are the sweet spots: trails are dry, days are long, and summer crowds have thinned. Early October brings foliage but also busy roads. July and August are warm and good for swimming, though afternoon thunderstorms are common and blackflies can linger into June.

Are the trails suitable for young children?

The Stowe Recreation Path and the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail are flat, wide and ideal for young riders and trailers. Cady Hill's green loops suit school-age beginners. Mountain hikes like Camel's Hump are better for teenagers and adults, as the climbs are steep, rocky and long.

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