Smuggler's Notch Scenic Drive in Stowe, VT
A guide to driving Smuggler’s Notch Pass, a scenic drive near Stowe, VT
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Year visited: 2024
Time of year: October
Stowe, VT is a popular tourist destination year-round, but fall is one of the best times to visit. Vermont is a leaf-peepers paradise, and Stowe is one of the best places to base yourself for fall in Vermont.
It is close to several scenic drives, including the Mount Mansfield Auto Toll Road and Smuggler’s Notch Pass, both of which are exceptionally beautiful in the fall. I drove through both roads, so I can give you advice, and compare both scenic drives.
So here is your complete guide to driving Smuggler’s Notch in the fall from Stowe, VT.
A video of the drive is coming soon!
What’s in this Article?
Information at Smuggler’s Notch picnic area.
History of Smuggler’s Notch
Smuggler’s Notch is the winding road that goes from Stowe past the base of Mount Mansfield, Vermont’s tallest mountain.
It gets its name from the Embargo Act of 1807, when America was forbidden to trade with Canada. Because Montreal was such a vital trade partner with the people of Vermont, they started smuggling goods through the narrow mountain pass into (and from) Canada.
The pass was also used to smuggle in alcohol during the prohibition era, for slaves to escape to Canada, and for pirates to hide their contraband.
The road was expanded in 1922 to allow room for automobiles, and in 1936 was turned into a state park.
Smuggler’s Notch State Park
The road through Smuggler’s Notch is now part of Smuggler’s Notch State Park. The area is full of camping spots, picnic areas, hiking trails, and, most importantly, bathrooms!
Smuggler’s Notch Drive
I drove from Stowe Village (where I was staying) to Jeffersonville. While the entire drive is not technically all part of “Smuggler’s Notch,” most of the route is still absolutely gorgeous. I loved driving from Stowe toward Mount Mansfield, and seeing it appear through the early morning mists!
From Stowe to Jeffersonville is a 30 minute, 17.5 mile drive.
Smuggler’s Notch drive technically starts at the Barnes Camp Visitor Center. I’m not sure where the drive technically ends, but I personally think it stops being “scenic” after Smuggler’s Notch Resort, which is a 10 minute drive (just under 5 miles).
Officially, the scenic drive is 3.5 miles long, but again, I am not sure where the official ending point of this is. You can drive as much or as little of this road as you would like (this map shows the starting and ending points, as well as stops along the way).
Map of the route from Stowe through Smuggler’s Notch:
Green-significant points of interest
Orange-places to stop along the drive
Pulled off along the side of the road on the Smuggler’s Notch scenic drive.
How much does it cost to drive Smuggler’s Notch?
Smuggler’s Notch is FREE to drive!
This is absolutely one of the best things to do in Stowe, and the best part is, it doesn’t come with the steep price tag most other things, like the Mount Mansfield Auto Toll Road and the Stowe Gondola do.
When is Smuggler’s Notch scenic drive open?
Smuggler’s Notch road is only open seasonally; you cannot drive through this area in the winter, due to snowfall.
The opening times vary based on the weather that year, but typically the road will open at the beginning of May and remain open through October, and possibly into November.
When is the best time of year to drive through Smuggler’s Notch?
Fall is the best time to experience this drive! It is still a fun summertime activity, but the fall foliage really makes this scenic drive worth it!
I drove it in the very beginning of October, just before peak foliage. The best time to drive Smuggler’s Notch would probably be about 1 week into October, typically around Oct. 6-Oct. 12.
Now we’re onto the drive through Smuggler’s Notch! Here are answers to some frequently asked questions, as well as tips for driving.
How long is the drive through Smuggler’s Notch?
As I mentioned above, I am not sure what the exact official “ending point” of the drive is, but most sources claim it is a 3.5 mile drive.
If you start in Stowe and turn around in Jeffersonville, the drive 17.5 miles, and will take 30 minutes (without stopping).
Most likely you will stop to take pictures, have a picnic, or go on a hike, which will add time to the drive. It took me about an hour to drive from Stowe to Jeffersonville, one way.
What time should you drive through Smuggler’s Notch?
The road is open any time of day, but it gets crowded in the late morning and early afternoon. The best time to do the drive will be about 9:00 in the morning.
I read from another blogger that it can be foggy in the morning, so if you go too early, the fog can obscure your view.
I started the drive about 9:30 am, and wished I had started a little earlier. I thought the morning fog made it even more magical, but it was almost gone by the time I started. It was also starting to get busy at that hour.
By the time I reached the end of the drive, the road and parking lots were getting crowded. I skipped a popular trailhead stop because the parking area was full.
How narrow is the drive through Smuggler’s Notch?
You may be wondering just how narrow this scenic drive is?? And if your car will fit (especially if you have a campervan).
The good news is, they have installed a “will my car fit?” test at the beginning of the drive. The blockade in the road replicates the width of the narrowest turn on the scenic drive, so you can see how close it is before you commit.
Basically, though, any car will fit; it’s the tractor trailers that end up getting stuck. There are multiple signs warning tractor trailers to turn around!
Smuggler’s Notch scenic drive gateway at the Barnes Camp Visitor Center.
Is Smuggler’s Notch drive scary?
I did not find the drive through Smuggler’s Notch to be scary. I thought it was beautiful and magical!
You do drive up a mountain, a little ways, but you don’t go that far up (or down). The road also can get very narrow, but it is not like you are on the edge of a cliff (like you are on the Auto Toll Road!!).
I can see how this drive would get frustrating and stressful if there are too many cars around, so I would avoid doing it in the middle of the day, if possible.
Where to go to the bathroom in Smuggler’s Notch?
I know I’m not the only one who maps out where I can stop for the bathroom, because my sister just sent me a list of ideas for our 24 hrs in NYC, including “possible bathroom stops” (this is why I love my sister!).
Since you’re going to be spending some time in Smuggler’s Notch, taking pictures, maybe hiking or picnicking (and since it’s still early in the morning and my coffee hasn’t finished running through me…), it’s good to know that there are bathrooms available!
Barnes Camp Visitor Center, at the start of the drive, has bathrooms available. The trick is, it is only open on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays (like Labor Day).
Smuggler’s Notch Picnic Area- Not far from the visitor center is a large picnic area. Here you will find information, picnic tables, a large parking area, and bathrooms! I stopped here on my drive through Smuggler’s Notch.
Smuggler’s Cave/Sterling Pond Trailhead- There is a small information booth with bathrooms available at this large parking area. The parking area does fill up quickly, though.
Jeffersonville- Once you get to Jeffersonville and turn around (or drive another route back), there are several places you can use the restroom. I stopped at Vermont Maple Outlet to get a maple creemee (at 10 am…). You can also stop at the Mobile gas station that’s right there, or another local store or diner.
Is Smuggler’s Notch drive worth it?
I really loved driving through Smuggler’s Notch! I thought it was absolutely magical. I drove about 9:30 in the morning, when the morning light was still waking up, and the road wasn’t overly crowded.
Note: I left my hotel around 9 am, but didn’t get to the actual drive until about 9:30.
I would suggest going a little earlier, to get even better lighting, and avoid more traffic, as it was already starting to get crowded at points.
But this free scenic drive from Stowe, VT was definitely worth doing!
There are so many places to stop along the scenic drive from Stowe to Jeffersonville! From waterfalls to popular hiking trails, picnic areas to pull off spots just for pictures, there are plenty of stops for this little mini road trip.
This map shows the trail heads, as well as many parking spots, bathrooms, and where the official “Smuggler’s Notch” drive starts and stops.
Parking Pull Off Areas
There are a lot of areas along the Smuggler’s Notch drive with extra pavement where you can pull off to the side. Some of these spots are just a little extra, for a couple cars to pull over on, and some are full parking areas.
I even found a local selling Vermont Maple syrup and other products at one of these larger parking areas.
Pro Tip: There was one spot I pulled off that wasn’t exactly paved. I think it might have been at one point, but the pavement was actually all broken up, and I and the car who pulled off behind me had a bit of trouble getting back on the main road. If it doesn’t look like the best pull-off area, skip it. There are plenty of better ones to choose from!
Smuggler’s Notch Picnic Area
Another place I pulled off was the Smuggler’s Notch Picnic Area. This was a large parking area, kind of in the woods, off to the side of the road.
I could walk back to the road to get pictures of the pretty drive from this parking area, but it was separate from the road (not just a pull off along the side).
There were a lot of picnic tables here, as well as open bathrooms, and a sign with information on the area and hiking trails.
This spot was right after the visitor’s center, at the start of the drive, so it was kind of early to be having a picnic (though I had the spot to myself for quite a while!).
Note: If you want to hike on the Long Trail, you can pick it up from this spot.
Hiking Trailheads
There are a lot of hikes that start along the drive through Smuggler’s Notch. You can pull over to park and enjoy the view for a while here, even if you don’t plan to do any hiking.
The only problem is that these spots are very popular, and parking fills up quickly during the day.
Here are some of the popular spots to visit on the drive:
Bingham Falls- Though it’s technically before the Smuggler’s Notch drive begins, Bingham Falls trailhead is on the way to Smuggler’s Notch from Stowe, and is a very popular hike.
Hell Brook Trail- This is a challenging trail that goes up Mount Mansfield. Hikers are encouraged to take the Long Trail back down the mountain, as Hell Brook Trail is very steep.
Smuggler’s Cave/Sterling Pond Trail- There is a small information booth at this parking lot. The Sterling Pond Trail starts here, which is marked as a difficult trail, but there is also Smuggler’s Cave, just past the parking lot. You can explore the cave and climb on the surrounding rocks. I did not personally stop here because the parking area was too full.
Smuggler’s Notch Resort
Even if you’re not staying at Smuggler’s Notch Resort, you could stop here on your drive through Smuggler’s Notch Pass, and find plenty of things to do. You can purchase a day pass to the resort to access all of their amenities, including swimming pools, hiking trails, mini golf, volleyball, magic shows, and so much more.
The Vermont Maple Outlet
I drove from Stowe to the Vermont Maple Outlet, where I stopped to use the bathroom and turn around. This store is just past downtown Jeffersonville, so it is a good destination if you’re driving through Smuggler’s Notch.
You can get local maple products, including a maple creemee, which is why I chose to stop (despite it being 10:30 in the morning)!
Good to Know: Just FYI, the customer bathroom here is an outhouse.
You can also turn around (and use the bathroom!) at the Mobile gas station in Jeffersonville.
Just before I headed out to Stowe, my favorite bloggers published a guide from their trip almost TWO YEARS before!! So at the last minute I read through all of their advice and ideas.
They suggested an alternative route back to Stowe, instead of just driving back through the Smuggler’s Notch Pass. They took HWY 15 to HWY 100 in Morrisville. They thought Morrisville was also cute, and much less crowded than Stowe (and they found a great donut shop!).
Now, I am ALL about the donuts, so I tested out this alternative route back to Stowe. Unfortunately, I hadn’t had time to check the opening hours of said donut shop…
Personally, I found this route boring and not nearly as scenic, and I also found Morrisville pretty boring. If I did it again, I would turn around and drive back through Smuggler’s Notch, because it was SO magical!
However, it was starting to get crowded, so if you want to avoid the stress of navigating narrow roads with lots of cars, you might want to consider this alternate route back to Stowe.
Fall foliage on the Stowe Auto Toll Road drive up Mount Mansfield.
When I first started researching things to do for my trip, I read about a scenic drive in Stowe, that I remembered I wanted to do. But I didn’t find any information about what exactly that scenic drive was.
So when I Googled “scenic drive in Stowe,” I first came up with the Mount Mansfield Auto Toll Road, before I later discovered the Smuggler’s Notch drive (which is the one I really wanted).
The toll road is different from Smuggler’s Notch, in that it actually climbs a mountain and takes you up to almost the very top of Vermont’s highest point (talk about scenic!).
Once I discovered the difference, I personally decided I just wanted to drive through Smuggler’s Notch, not the toll road!! But since I couldn’t find a lot of information anywhere on the toll road (or Smuggler’s Notch, for that matter), I decided to do both.
You can read my whole article about the drive, but here is a quick comparison:
Smuggler’s Notch is free, the toll road is $35+
Smuggler’s Notch winds around a mountain, the toll road goes UP the mountain!
The foliage changes earlier in higher elevations, like on the Auto Toll Road.
The only place to use the bathroom on the toll road is the porta potties at the very top.
The views along the Auto Toll Road are absolutely stunning, and the best views around, in my opinion.
BUT, the drive up the toll road can be seriously stressful!
There are a lot of great things to do in Stowe, VT in the fall (and all year-long)! Here are some suggestions for other things to do in and near Stowe during your trip:
Ride the Stowe Gondola up Mount Mansfield
Ride the free Over-Easy Gondola to explore/shop at Stowe Mountain Resort
View the iconic church from the viewpoint
Hike to Sunset Rock
Explore/shop/eat in downtown Stowe
Walk along the Stowe Recreation Path
Visit the Trapp Family Lodge
Try apple cider and donuts at Cold Hollow Cider Mill
Tour the Ben & Jerry’s Factory (and eat ice cream!)
There is no lack of magical places to stay in (and around) Stowe, VT, so feel free to browse around all the Hallmarky inns and resorts in the area. But here are my top two suggestions (be sure to book early, about a year ahead of time):
Brass Lantern Inn
I stayed at the Brass Lantern Inn. It was expensive, but perfectly magical. I booked 11 months ahead of time for my fall road trip.
The Brass Lantern Inn was just outside of downtown Stowe, and had cozy sitting rooms, an outdoor hot tub with mountain views, and a homemade breakfast every morning (that always managed to incorporate maple syrup from down the street).
Stowe Village Inn
My second choice for where to stay would be the Stowe Village Inn. This inn looked adorable, and was in a perfect location to be able to walk downtown (and to the church viewpoint) without having to worry about parking.
It was also on the side of Stowe closest to Stowe Mountain Resort and Smuggler’s Notch, so you can eliminate some of the downtown traffic if you stay here.
Smuggler’s Notch State Park
Don’t forget that you can also stay in Smuggler’s Notch State Park, in a campsite. You can book a camping spot for a tent, or one with a little cabin.
That’s my review of the beautiful Smuggler’s Notch scenic drive in Stowe, VT. It was definitely one of my favorite things I did, so I can see why it always seems to be at the very top of every list of things to do in Stowe that I read.
Any more questions?
If you have any more questions about driving through Smuggler’s Notch, or any tips/suggestions to add, feel free to email me or comment below!
Planning a trip?
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This article was written by: Julia Rexford