Vermont mountain town centred on the state's largest ski resort and year-round outdoor trails.
Killington is Vermont's biggest ski resort and one of the largest in the eastern United States, with seven mountain areas, nearly 100 kilometres of trails, and a season that often stretches from October into May. Locals call it "The Beast of the East," and on a busy winter weekend the access road is a slow crawl of ski traffic.
The skiing suits all levels, though intermediates get the most terrain. Killington Peak itself tops out at 1,293 metres with long cruising runs, while the steeper terrain is concentrated on Bear Mountain. The resort also has one of the better terrain parks on the East Coast, and its snowmaking investment is unmatched in New England.
In summer and autumn Killington reinvents itself as an outdoor base. The mountain biking trail network uses the gondola to access the descents, the Long Trail and Appalachian Trail both pass through (they share a route here), and the fall foliage in late September and early October draws nearly as many visitors as the snow does. Gifford Woods State Park, a short drive away, contains one of Vermont's last old-growth forest remnants and is a rewarding stop in any season.
Guide
Getting There
Killington is best reached by car. Route 4 crosses the Green Mountains from Rutland in the west and White River Junction in the east, and the Killington Access Road branches south from Route 4 at Sherburne Pass. Rutland is the nearest town with services, about 18km west. There is no nearby passenger airport — Burlington, about an hour and a half north, is the main Vermont hub, and Bradley/Hartford or Manchester-Boston Airport are about two and a half hours by car.
A shuttle bus from Rutland to Killington operates during ski season, and the resort runs free shuttles between the lodges and the lifts in winter. Without a car in summer, the area is difficult to navigate. The Amtrak Vermonter service stops at White River Junction, from which a taxi or shuttle can reach Killington.
Guide
When to Go
Killington has two distinct seasons that make it worth visiting. Winter (December through April, and often into May) is ski season — crowded at peak weekends, expensive, and very lively on the access road strip. The best ski conditions are usually February and early March, when snowpack is at its deepest and the natural snow supplements the machines. Avoid the week of President's Day in February if you can: it is the busiest weekend of the year.
Autumn (late September through mid-October) brings the fall foliage — Vermont's most famous natural spectacle. The Green Mountains turn red, orange, and gold, and the Killington area is particularly good because the elevation means the colours peak earlier than in lower valleys. The access road is busy with leaf-peepers but quieter than ski season, and the hiking is at its best. Summer is the quietest season: the resort runs gondola rides and the bike park, but the village feels half-empty between the ski exodus and the autumn arrival.
