Most people come to Mount Snow, ski, eat, and leave. They never get off Route 100. Which is fine – more of the good stuff for the rest of us.
The Deerfield Valley has a handful of places that don’t show up in typical travel guides but are among the most memorable things you’ll do on a trip here. None of them require special skills or long drives. They just require knowing where to look.
Somerset Reservoir – The Lake Nobody Knows About
Harriman Reservoir gets all the attention. Somerset Reservoir is the one you’ll remember.
A 1,568-acre wilderness lake at 2,200 feet, surrounded entirely by Green Mountain National Forest. No houses on the shoreline. No development. No cell service. A 10 mph speed limit keeps jet skis and powerboats away, leaving the water to kayakers, canoeists, and the occasional fly fisherman. The access road is 10 miles of gravel – bumpy, slow, and exactly why this place stays uncrowded.
Bring your own boat (there are no rentals), launch from the primitive ramp at the south end, and paddle north. On calm mornings, the water goes glassy and you’ll hear nothing but loons. Eagles nest along the eastern shore. It’s the most pristine paddling water in southern Vermont, and it’s 25 minutes from Valley View Villa.
📍 Somerset, VT | ~25 min via gravel road | Free | Bring your own kayak/canoe
Hogback Mountain Overlook and Gift Shop
Route 9 between Wilmington and Brattleboro climbs to Hogback Mountain at 2,410 feet, where a pull-off delivers a 100-mile view across three states – Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. On clear days, you can see Mount Greylock to the south and Mount Monadnock to the east.
The real discovery is the gift shop. It looks like a tourist trap from the parking lot, but inside it’s a sprawling, wonderfully weird emporium of Vermont-made products, maple everything, local crafts, and oddities that will keep kids entertained for 30 minutes. There’s also a small nature trail behind the building that most people walk right past.
📍 Route 9, Marlboro | ~20 min from Valley View Villa | Free (overlook) | $ (gift shop)
Vermont Distillers
Tucked into an unassuming building on Route 9 in Marlboro, Vermont Distillers is easy to miss entirely. That would be a mistake. They produce small-batch spirits using Vermont ingredients – their maple bourbon and maple liqueur are the standouts, and both have won regional awards. The tasting room is informal, the staff is knowledgeable without being pretentious, and a flight of five tastings costs practically nothing.
This pairs perfectly with a stop at Hogback Mountain (they’re minutes apart on the same road) or as part of a craft brewery tour through the valley.
📍 Route 9, Marlboro | ~20 min from Valley View Villa | $ for tastings | 21+
The Ledges at Jamaica State Park
About 40 minutes north of Valley View Villa, Jamaica State Park has one of the best-kept swimming secrets in Vermont. The Hamilton Falls Trail follows the West River to a series of natural rock ledges and swimming holes carved into the bedrock. The water is cold, clear, and surrounded by forest. The main swimming area has natural rock slides and deep pools that feel more like Costa Rica than Vermont.
The hike in is about 2.5 miles on a flat, wide path – easy enough for kids. Go on a weekday if you can; locals know about this one, and summer weekends get busy. Swimming is at your own risk – there are no lifeguards.
📍 Jamaica State Park, Jamaica VT | ~40 min from Valley View Villa | $ (state park day-use fee)
Molly Stark State Park and the Mount Olga Fire Tower
The best effort-to-reward hike in the area. A 1.7-mile loop through Molly Stark State Park climbs 500 feet to the Mount Olga fire tower, where you get 360-degree views of the Green Mountains, the Berkshires, Mount Monadnock, and Mount Snow itself. The trail crosses a brook, passes through hardwood and spruce forests, and is short enough for young kids but rewarding enough that adults don’t feel shortchanged.
The fire tower is a historic wooden structure – climb to the top for the full panorama. Pack a snack and eat it up there. During peak foliage in early October, this is one of the best viewpoints in southern Vermont.
For more trail options, see our hiking trails guide.
📍 Route 9, Marlboro | ~20 min from Valley View Villa | $ (state park day-use fee)
Why This Matters
The ski mountain is great. The restaurants are good. But the places that make you want to come back are usually the ones you didn’t plan for – a quiet lake at dawn, a fire tower above the clouds, a tasting room you stumbled into on the way home. The Deerfield Valley has more of these than any ski town has a right to.
🗺️ More to Explore Near Mount Snow
- Top 10 Things to Do in Wilmington, VT — The main attractions in nearby Wilmington
- Top 10 Things to Do at Mount Snow and West Dover, VT — The essential activity list for the area
- Stargazing in Vermont: Best Night Sky Views Near West Dover — Another under-the-radar experience worth trying
