Central Vermont

Central Vermont covers Washington County in the geographic center of the state, the rolling Green Mountain country built around Montpelier — the smallest state capital in the country by population. The terrain is rolling hardwood-and-conifer hills cut by the Winooski and Mad rivers, with the Worcester Range rising along the northern edge. Washington County is the only county in the region. Montpelier holds the Vermont State House (the only state capitol topped with gold leaf) and the Vermont Historical Society Museum; Barre holds the Rock of Ages granite quarry tour (the largest dimension granite quarry in the world) and the Hope Cemetery’s elaborate stone-carved monuments; Waterbury holds Ben & Jerry’s ice cream factory tour; Warren and Waitsfield hold the Mad River Valley and Sugarbush Resort. The Worcester Range, the Green Mountain National Forest’s eastern edge, and Camel’s Hump State Park anchor the public-land scenery. Most trips here run capital-and-cabin focused. Montpelier handles the State Capitol tour and downtown walking; the Ben & Jerry’s tour and Cabot cheese tour at Waterbury anchor the food itinerary; Sugarbush and the Mad River Valley pull skiers in winter and hikers and farm-to-table diners in summer; Barre’s granite-and-Italian-immigrant history fills cultural visits.