Late Autumnal Hike Up Mount Philo

Mount Philo State Park, in Charlotte, VT, is a local favorite hike. The well-groomed trails climb 968 feet, making it a moderately-easy hike in under an hour. When looking for a bit of outdoorsy time but don’t want to be at it all day, or drive more than a half hour from Burlington, Philo is a good option.

Mt Philo State Park was established in 1924, when the owner of the Mt Philo Inn donated it to the state, making it Vermont’s first official state park. In addition to the hiking trails there is a steep, narrow road that can be driven to the top, where there are picnic areas and great views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks to the west.

Then, after you burn off those calories with a quick hike up and back, you can travel just another few miles south to North Ferrisburg, and stop at Vermont Cookie Love, and put those calories right back on again. If a business name could double as my short-form biography, it would be Vermont Cookie Love.