State Park · Vermont
A narrow mountain pass between Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak, where cliffs rise nearly 1,000 feet overhead, boulders crowd the road, and a compact campground puts hikers minutes from Sterling Pond and the Long Trail.
Field briefing
Smugglers' Notch State Park changes fast with season and elevation.
Before you go
Book a site as early as possible, especially for summer and fall weekends, using Vermont's new rolling 11-month reservation system. The Notch road closes to vehicles in winter; late June through mid-October is the reliable window.
Weather, crowds, and what the season changes about the trip.
Cold and muddy; the Notch road often stays closed through May due to ice and rock conditions.
Pack Waterproof boots, layers, and a contingency plan if the road is closed.
Cool and dramatic in the shadowed Notch itself; warm and sunny above treeline on the ridge.
Pack Rain shell, warm layer for the exposed ridge, water, and an early campground check-in.
Spectacular foliage fills the Notch walls from late September through mid-October before the road closes.
Pack Warm insulating layer, traction for frosty early-morning trail surfaces, and a camera.
The Notch road closes to vehicles, ending campground access. The area is a snowshoe and backcountry ski zone.
Pack Winter mountaineering gear, avalanche awareness, and confirmed road conditions before attempting approach.
Sterling Pond Trail
The park's most popular hike: a 2.4-mile round-trip climb to a scenic alpine pond at about 3,000 feet, one of the highest ponds in Vermont. Allow about 2 hours round trip and expect company on summer weekends.
The Notch itself and the boulder field
Route 108 through the Notch passes enormous boulders that have fallen from cliffs rising nearly 1,000 feet on both sides. Parking pullouts let visitors explore on foot and spot cave-like passages between the boulders.
Bingham Falls
A short gorge walk from a Notch-road pullout leads to a series of waterfalls and swimming holes on a tributary stream, one of the most popular warm-weather stops in the area.
Put the access rule first: shuttle, parking, timed-entry, or reservation windows should decide the order of the day. For one day in Smugglers' Notch State Park, make Sterling Pond Trail the non-negotiable, add The Notch itself and the boulder field only if the first stop runs clean, and keep Bingham Falls as the flexible finish.
Turn Smugglers' Notch's conditions into water, pack, and sleep-system decisions.
Build around conditions
Let season, elevation, and weather set the plan.
Plan your trip
4 quick tools, already seeded for Smugglers' Notch State Park. Tune the numbers around temperature swings, footing, layers, and how much margin the route needs.
Start with the gear decisions this park changes: footing, weather, camping, and water.
Kit Authority
Smugglers' Notch State Park packing list
0 of 24 packed. Check items as you pack, then take this list to the store, trailhead, or campsite.
Pack planning
Use this as a constraint check while you are still shaping the trip. The active checklist becomes useful once your route, dates, and sleep plan are set.
Checklist mode
24 items, grouped for the trip you are actually taking.
The buying guides that match what Smugglers' Notch asks of your kit, with our current top picks across budget and use case.
The park campground has 20 tent sites and 14 lean-tos, all reservable through Vermont State Parks. The campground runs from the third weekend in May through the second Monday in October. Stowe is about 10 miles south on Route 108 with full services including hotels, restaurants, and gear shops. The private Smugglers' Notch Resort nearby offers a much larger lodging and amenity complex for families.
Camping reservations
The small campground fills quickly, especially for summer and fall weekends. Vermont's 2026 reservation system opens daily on a rolling 11-month window at 9 a.m. The lean-tos are particularly popular and go fast.
Reviewed June 11, 2026
Booking window
Rolling 11-month advance booking, new days opening daily at 9 a.m. through Vermont State Parks. Reservations accepted up to 2 p.m. on the day of arrival. Call center: 1-888-409-7579, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where to book or verify
Official Vermont State Parks reservation portal for Smugglers' Notch campsite and lean-to booking.
Park profile with trail information, lean-to details, and season dates.
Check for federal campground, backcountry, tour, and permit inventory tied to this park.
Campgrounds to know
Build the arrival around the reservation.
Entry windows, permit pickups, and drive time should be checked before the itinerary gets crowded.
Getting there
Arrival note
Smugglers' Notch State Park sits on Route 108 between Stowe and Jeffersonville in northern Vermont.
Car strategy
From Stowe, drive north on Route 108 about 10 miles through the Notch to the campground.
Car strategy
Note that Route 108 through the Notch is closed to vehicles in winter and is steep and winding even in summer, not suitable for large RVs or trailers.
Pair this with lodging: choose the base that keeps the reservation or permit pickup from becoming the hardest part of the day.
The name comes from the early 19th century, when the narrow mountain pass and its cave-like boulder passages were used by smugglers running goods across the Canadian border during the trade embargoes of the War of 1812 era.
No. Route 108 through the Notch closes to vehicles in winter, typically from mid-October or November until late spring, due to ice and rock hazards. The campground and Sterling Pond trailhead are only accessible when the road is open.
It is a moderate 2.4-mile round trip with a meaningful climb of about 1,000 feet to reach one of the highest ponds in Vermont at around 3,000 feet. Allow about 2 hours and expect company on summer and fall weekends.
Through Vermont State Parks at vtstateparks.com, using the rolling 11-month reservation system introduced in February 2026, where new dates open every morning at 9 a.m. You can also call 1-888-409-7579 on weekdays.