As America's most rural state, Vermont keeps things pretty wild. Indeed, almost everywhere outside the state's largest city, surrounded by mountains, is covered with forests, snowy peaks, farmland, and cows. The Northeast Kingdom, a 2,000 square-mile swath in Vermont's northeast corner, takes it to a new level.
Fewer than 64,000 people live here, and 80% of the land is covered in forest. It also sustains the state's harshest winter weather. Such conditions, though, help to knit local communities closely
together, including the 1,300 inhabitants of Waterford, located about five miles east of Vermont's once-bustling rail town that's now a hidden retreat with a cozy Main Street. Today, Waterford's town center comprises a handful of buildings and is settled at the junction of Route 18 and Lower Waterford Road Fork. It's only a hop, skip, and a jump from the Connecticut River, which separates the Green Mountain State from New Hampshire.
The village of Lower Waterford has earned the nickname "the White Village" for its stunning snow-toned buildings. It all began in the early 1900s, when a creamery owner named John W. Davies bought up nearly the entire village. He then instituted a strict color scheme, mandating that all new constructions in Lower Waterford be white buildings with green shutters. This unique architecture has made it heaven for photographers, especially those seeking an old-school New England aesthetic. Photographers, visitors, and artists alike will marvel at constructions like the all-white Rabbit Hill Inn, which dates from 1825, the Greek-Revival-style Lower Waterford Congregational Church, which dates from 1859, and the vintage Davies Memorial Library, the last public library in the state to use the honor system.
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Where To Hike In The Waterford Area
If it's warm enough for you to venture outside of your cozy inn, then Waterford's chief attraction is the surrounding nature, which turns particularly gorgeous during the autumn season. See the leaves change color on hiking trails that take you across the river into Littleton, New Hampshire, a White Mountain town that's both a shopping hub and outdoor haven.
There, you can navigate to one end of the 19-mile-long Ammonoosuc Rail Trail. On the north side of Littleton, there's also Parker Mountain, which boasts 25 miles of trails across 1,000 acres of terrain. On the Vermont side of the border, Kingdom Trails offers one of two prime hiking opportunities in the Waterford region. The network contains more than 100 miles of trails that allow for non-motorized treks through the forests and mountains, including this beautiful and pleasantly uncrowded ski resort that's one of Vermont's best-kept secrets.
If you're hiking, the nearest access point to Waterford is 13 miles north in Lyndon. In St. Johnsbury, find one end of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. Running 93 miles across the northern half of the state, the rail trail is the longest in New England. It also offers an intimate tour of the 18 Vermont towns it passes through and the Green Mountains that shape them all.
How To Get To Waterford
Waterford sits in one of the most rural areas of New England, which puts major airports at a significant distance. The nearest, Burlington International Airport, is 80 miles to the west. Although you'll have a long drive ahead of you to reach Waterford, the journey will take you down plenty of slow-moving mountain roads, making for a scenic and soul-searching drive.
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport is 121 miles south of Waterford, but it is all highway, making it a less craggy trip. No public transport runs directly to Waterford, and bus routes in the area are extremely limited. As a result, a car is essential to visit this "White Village" and its surrounding area. Fortunately, two highways pass alongside Waterford -- Interstate 91 running north-south on the Vermont side of the Connecticut River, and Interstate 93 doing the same on the New Hampshire side.
Don't forget that the remoteness of this adorable town means that you must keep a strict eye on the weather and prepare for adverse conditions. That's particularly true through the winter, when you'll need to look out for freezing temperatures and heavy snow. In the spring, look out for the first mud bogs and floods that come with the melt. Similarly, this is a part of Vermont where cellphone signals struggle, so relying on GPS or lifeline calls is a bad idea. Lastly, the Northeast Kingdom is home to ample wildlife, some of which -- like black bears, coyotes, and lynx -- require strategies to stay safe. However, if you remain vigilant and prepare for this wild, exciting terrain, you're in for the adventure of a lifetime.
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