The Green Mountains

The Green Mountains region covers Bennington County in the southwestern corner of Vermont, the rolling Green Mountain foothills running from the Massachusetts line north past Manchester. The terrain shifts from broad valley floors at Bennington (sitting at 700 feet) up into the Taconic and Green Mountain ranges, with the Battenkill River draining west into New York and Mount Equinox rising above 3,800 feet at the western edge. Bennington County is the only county in the region. Bennington (the largest town) anchors the region; Manchester holds the upscale shopping district and the Equinox Resort; Arlington holds the Norman Rockwell Exhibition; Stratton Mountain holds the Stratton ski resort. The Bennington Battle Monument (the tallest structure in Vermont at 306 feet), the Bennington Museum (with the largest collection of Grandma Moses paintings), the Robert Frost Stone House, and the Equinox Preservation Trust anchor the major attractions. Most trips here split between Bennington and Manchester. Bennington handles the historic-and-cultural itinerary — the Battle Monument, Old First Church, the Bennington Museum, Bennington College; Manchester runs the upscale shopping itinerary at Manchester Designer Outlets and the Orvis fly-fishing flagship; the Equinox Resort and Mount Equinox Skyline Drive draw scenic-and-resort visitors.