Westmore
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Westmore

Westmore

Tiny Vermont lake town beneath Mount Pisgah cliffs, focused on Lake Willoughby's clear glacial water.

Westmore is a tiny town on the shores of Lake Willoughby, Vermont's fourth largest lake and arguably its most dramatic. The lake sits in a glacial cleft between Mount Pisgah and Mount Hor, with cliffs dropping straight into deep, clear water. Several state parks surround the town, including Sentinel Rock State Park, making it a popular destination for swimming, fishing, and hiking in the heart of the Northeast Kingdom.

The town itself is little more than a handful of houses, a general store, and a few summer camps along the lakeshore. There is no main street, no stoplight, no tourist infrastructure to speak of. What brings people here is the landscape — and it is worth the drive.

Guide

Getting There

Westmore is in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, a remote corner of the state. There is no public transport to the area.

By car, the village is reached via Route 5A, which runs along the eastern shore of Lake Willoughby. From Newport (the nearest town of any size, about 25 km north), follow Route 5 south and then Route 5A south along the lake. From Burlington (about 2 hours southwest), take I-89 north, then US-2 east and VT-5A north.

The nearest airports are Burlington International (Burlington, 2 hours) and Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International (about 2.5 hours north through Quebec).

Guide

Things to Do

Westmore's main draw is the outdoors. Lake Willoughby and the mountains that flank it define the visit — hiking, swimming, fishing, and simply staring at the view. This is not a place for museums or nightlife; it is a place for people who like their landscape dramatic and their summers unstructured.

Guide

When to Go

Summer (June–August) is the classic season. The lake is swimmable from late June, hiking conditions are good, and the long evenings are lovely. July and August see the most visitors — not crowds by any urban standard, but the beaches get busy on hot weekends.

Autumn (September–October) is arguably the best time to visit. The Northeast Kingdom's fall foliage is among the most spectacular in New England, and the crisp air makes hiking pleasant. The lake reflections double the colour. Weekends in early October can be busy on the roads, but Westmore itself stays quiet.

Winter brings snowshoeing, ice fishing on the lake, and cross-country skiing in the surrounding forests. The Northeast Kingdom is cold — temperatures well below freezing for weeks at a time — so come prepared. Many local businesses close from November to May.

Spring (April–May) is "mud season" in Vermont: the roads soften, the trails get boggy, and the black flies emerge in late May. Not the ideal time to visit.