You’ll be feeling like you’re at the top of the world at Stratton Mountain Resort in Vermont. Stratton Mountain is southern Vermont’s highest peak and gives you a true “big mountain” experience without having to travel out west.
There is so much to explore between the 38 miles of trails, 160+ acres of glades and the Stratton Village that you’ll be anxiously marking your calendar for your next trip to Stratton Mountain Resort.
In this article we’ll give you the lowdown on what you need to know before you head out to Stratton.
Highlights of Stratton Mountain Resort
Stratton is full of beautiful views and excellent skiing and riding. Check out the highlights below:
- 11 lifts
- 99 trails
- 670 acres of skiable terrain
- Summit elevation of 3,875 feet
- A vertical drop of 2,003 feet
- 160+ acres of gladed terrain
- 95% snowmaking coverage
Where is Stratton Mountain Resort?
Stratton Mountain Resort is tucked away in the Green Mountain National Forest of southern Vermont. It’s southern location makes it super accessible from cities like New York and Boston while maintaining its “lost in the mountains” feel. From New York City, Stratton Mountain Ski Resort is just a 4 hour drive or 222 miles. Other distances are listed below:
- Boston, MA- 3 hours, 150 miles
- Manchester, New Hampshire- 2 hours and 20 minutes, 115 miles
- Quebec, Canada- 5 hours and 45 minutes, 370 km
- Amherst, MA- 1.5 hours, 75 miles
- Albany, NY- 1 hour and 35 minutes, 75 miles
Does Stratton Mountain Resort Have Lodging?
Stratton Mountain Resort VT lodging is everything you’ll want for your next Vermont vacation regardless of the season! Stratton Mountain Resort Lodging has options to accommodate groups of all sizes, from hotel style lodging in the Black Bear Lodge and Long Trail House to more condominium style lodging like the Founders Lodge. Depending on where you’d like to stay you can either walk to the lifts or jump on one of the many free shuttles.
If you’re looking to stay outside the resort there are also a few inns and bed and breakfasts a short drive from the mountain. For lodging near Stratton Mountain Resort be sure to check out the options in the towns of Winhall and Jamaica.
Does Stratton Mountain Resort Have Night Skiing?
Stratton Mountain does not have night skiing and most lifts close between 3:30 and 4pm. There’s so much to do in Stratton Mountain Village after a great day of skiing or riding that you’ll be stoked to get off the mountain and into the village to check out the shops, grab a well deserved snack or craft cocktail at one of the unique bars and restaurants.
Pro Tip: Check the lift hours before you ski or ride. The upper lifts tend to close half an hour earlier than the lower lifts.
What is Stratton Mountain Village?
It could be said that Stratton Mountain Village is the best ski village in southern New England! In Stratton Village you can stroll through the many boutiques and specialty shops, get a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants or try a great craft beer or cocktail (Vermont is full of great craft breweries).
Nothing beats walking through the village and mingling with other skiers and snowboarders after an epic day on the slopes. There is even the Stratton Mountain Resort Spa- a day spa in the village for some deep relaxation and well deserved pampering.
Is Stratton Mountain Ski Resort Good for Beginners?
Stratton Mountain has a big mountain feel while still being excellent for beginners. Beginners can choose to take a daily lesson, enroll in a seasonal program or even a specialty clinic to work on specific skills.
A first glimpse at the Stratton Mountain trail map shows the majority of the cruiser trails (blue squares and green circles) as well as the learning center are located on the lower half of the mountain, although there are many novice and intermediate trails from the summit as well! The longest trail, Mike’s Way to Wanderer is a 3 mile cruiser from the top of the mountain that is great for beginners!
Peak Seeker Pro Tip: When getting off the lifts at the summit head to your right to find the easier trails to the bottom.
Does Stratton Mountain Resort Have a Ski Shop?
Yes! Stratton Mountain Village is full of great shopping from the best, most trusted brands on the market! Take a stroll through the First Run Ski Shop or browse the top notch gear at the Burton Store. Other ski shops include: The Northface, Syd and Dusty’s and Stratton Sports.
For rental gear, Stratton also has you covered. Stratton has two rental centers. Head to Village Rentals near the clocktower to pick up pre-booked rentals reserved online. You can even pick up your rentals between 3-5pm the day before you ski to save some time!
Walk-in rentals are only available at Sun Bowl Rentals located at the Sun Bowl Base Lodge. Walk-in rentals are on a first come, first served basis and tend to run out so make sure to get there early (open at 8:00am or 7:30am on holidays) or pre-book online!
Stratton Ski Resort rentals offer top of the line Rossignol skis as well as Burton snowboards. You will be able to choose between different style skis and boards to find the best fit for you. A few times a year Stratton has Burton demo days where they let you “test drive” the newest line of Burton snowboards!
Terrain Parks at Stratton Mountain
Stratton Mountain will have freestyle skiers and boarders of all abilities jumping and spinning all day long. Stratton has 5 terrain parks and even a top-to-bottom boardercross course! You will find a progression park with smaller features as well as Tyrolienne with small to medium features. Some other parks to check out include:
- Big Ben – a medium to large park
- Suntanner Park – progression style on one side and larger features on the other. This park is used in events like the Vermont Open and therefore may be closed at times as the crew creates new features.
Does Stratton Mountain Resort Make Snow?
Yes, Stratton Mountain Resort has 95% snowmaking capacity! This guarantees that no matter the weather, there will always be a great base of snow at Stratton!
Trails at Stratton Mountain- What to Know
Overall Stratton has 99 trails, over 670 skiable acres and 12 marked glades. The trails at Stratton Mountain are classified as follows:
- (40%) Novice
- (35%) Intermediate
- (16%) Advanced
- (9%) Expert
Key Takeaway: Stratton is known for its glades and boasts more than 12 marked glades! Most of the trees between runs are glades ready to be explored and carved through! If you like tree skiing, Stratton is definitely a mountain you have to check out!
Other Winter Activities at Stratton Mountain
Stratton Mountain is also home to the 4 lane Cocoa-Cola Tube Park complete with a warming hut, light refreshments and even a fire pit to warm up after having some skill-free fun!
The tubing park is located in the Sun Bowl area and shuttles are available from the Base. The Tube Park is open Friday-Monday and is even open some evenings for a unique tubing experience under the lights!
Be sure to check Stratton Mountain Resort’s website to see a full list of available activities! They sometimes offer ice skating, snow shoe tours, cross country skiing, and even snowmobile tours!
Key Takeaway: Tubing is super popular! Be sure to check the Stratton website for hours, availability and to reserve your spot! The Tube Park is open one hour after the last scheduled tubing session.
Is There Summer Mountain Biking at Stratton?
Oh yeah, you bet! Stratton has excellent lift-serviced mountain biking! The downhill mountain bike park has 5.81 miles of trails full of berms, rollers, rock gardens and more! The bike park weaves together the natural landscape and man made modifications for an awesome day of biking for everyone.
The bike park is great for those new to mountain biking as well as the experienced rider. The Stratton Mountain bike trails are made for excitement as well as skill sharpening. Don’t have a mountain bike? No worries, Stratton offers a great line of rental bikes as well as group lessons!
Conclusion
Stratton Mountain Resort is a perfect destination no matter the season! If you’re looking for a great mountain with an awesome atmosphere, Stratton Mountain Resort is the mountain for you! Between the Stratton Village, the excellent skiing and snowboarding, and all the other 4-season activities, it’s an easy choice!
Stratton Mountain Resort offers a complete ski resort experience – and just a few hours from southern metropolitan areas! Whether it’s your first trip or you call Stratton your home mountain, we can’t wait to see you out there!
What are your favorite things to do at Stratton Mountain Resort Vermont? Share with us in the comments below!
