Top Mountains in Vermont

Vermont takes its name directly from its mountains — "green mountain" rendered into French as Verd Mont — and the Green Mountains are not a scenic backdrop here so much as the organizing spine of the entire state. They run north to south almost the full length of Vermont, and nearly every aspect of settlement, weather, and tourism bends around them.

Mount Mansfield

At 4,393 feet, Mount Mansfield is Vermont's highest point and its most recognizable summit, its ridgeline famously said to resemble a human face in profile, with named features like the Chin, Nose, and Forehead. The summit ridge holds one of the largest stretches of alpine tundra in the state, a fragile arctic-like plant community that survives this far south only because of the elevation. A gondola and toll road make the summit reachable without a full hike, but the exposed ridge trail remains one of the most rewarding stretches of the Long Trail.

Killington Peak

Killington, the second-highest peak in the state, anchors one of the largest ski resorts in the eastern United States and has shaped central Vermont's identity as much through its resort economy as through its elevation. Its nickname, "the Beast of the East," reflects the scale of its lift network, but the peak also connects directly into the Appalachian and Long Trail systems for hikers who want the summit without the lifts.

Camel's Hump

Camel's Hump is Vermont's most distinctively shaped peak and one of the few major Vermont summits with no road or ski development on it, a status protected by state law. Its bare, rocky summit and undeveloped slopes give it a wilder character than Mansfield or Killington, and it appears on the Vermont state quarter as a symbol of the mountains generally.

Mount Ellen and the Mad River Valley Peaks

Mount Ellen, the third-highest peak in the state, along with the surrounding Mad River Valley summits, forms the backbone of the Sugarbush ski region and helps define one of Vermont's most admired valley communities, where mountain access and small-town character reinforce each other closely.

Jay Peak

Near the Canadian border, Jay Peak receives more natural snowfall than almost any other mountain in the eastern United States, a result of "Jay Cloud" weather patterns that trap moisture against its exposed ridge. Its remoteness relative to Vermont's more central resorts has kept it a favorite among skiers who prioritize terrain and snow quality over polish.

The Green Mountain Pattern

What ties Vermont's mountains together is how completely they structure the state around them — the Long Trail runs their entire length, valley towns sit in the gaps between them, and foliage routes and ski economies both depend on the same ridgeline. Few states let a single mountain range explain so much about how the place actually works.