If you came to the Mad River Valley to ski and never came back in summer, you’re missing the better half of the place. The Valley’s trail network runs from flat riverside walks you can do in sneakers to Long Trail summits that will remind you the next morning why you don’t skip leg day. Hyde Away sits in the middle of all of it — 1.9 miles from Mt. Ellen, 3.1 miles from Mad River Glen, and a short drive from some of the best hiking in Vermont.

Our staff hike these trails. The notes below are from people who’ve done them, not from a tourism website.

The Mad River Path — Easy

The easiest place to start is the Mad River Path, a community-built trail network that threads through the Valley floor in Warren, Fayston, and Waitsfield. The West Greenway section — a 1.2-mile out-and-back from the Meadow Road trailhead — follows the Mad River past several swimming holes with views up to Sugarbush’s upper trails and the Monroe Skyline. Flat, quiet, good for leashed dogs, good for kids. The Mill Brook Trail adds more mileage and connects the villages through floodplain forest and a beaver meadow boardwalk.

No summit, no gear required. A good choice for an afternoon leg-stretch before dinner at the inn, or for guests who want to move without committing to a mountain.

Burnt Rock Mountain — Our Favorite Day Hike

Rising above the heart of the Mad River Valley, two peaks south of Camel’s Hump by way of the Long Trail, Burnt Rock is one of Vermont’s most interesting day hikes — and one that most out-of-state visitors walk right past on the way to bigger names.

The trailhead is at the end of Big Basin Road in Fayston. It can be hard to find the first time: from Waitsfield, head north on Route 100 to North Fayston Road, turn left, follow it to Big Basin Road — all the way to the end. You follow the Hedgehog Brook Trail along a stream, gently at first, steeper as you get higher. After 2.5 miles it joins the Long Trail. From there, a short spur leads to one of the largest glacial potholes in New England before you reach the summit.

What makes Burnt Rock worth the effort: the trail offers a bit of everything — stream crossings, wooden stair climbs, granite scrambles, and at the top, a view of Sugarbush and Mad River Glen spread out below you to the south. Multiple ledges near the summit mean a dozen parties can be up there at once, each with their own private vista.

Stats: 5.2 miles round trip, about 2,100 feet of elevation gain. Plan for 4–5 hours. Leashed dogs welcome. The granite slabs get slippery in wet weather — save this one for a dry day.

Hiking at Mad River Glen — A Different Kind of Access

Mad River Glen opens its mountain to hikers in summer, which means you can walk terrain that most people only see in ski boots. The Stark Mountain Trail (2.5 miles to the summit) follows the wide work road under the Single Chair, past a waterfall, through Birdland, and up to the Long Trail just before Stark’s Nest shelter.

Park free at the Mad River Glen lot, cross the road to the base area, and pick up the trail at the kiosk by the flagpole. The Kent Thomas Nature Center at the base is worth a look — especially with kids. For a longer day, continue south on the Long Trail toward the Jerusalem Trail junction or push on to Mt. Ellen.

The Gap-to-Gap — For Those Who Want a Full Day

The Long Trail Gap to Gap — the MRV’s full-day option — covers 11.6 miles from Lincoln Gap across Mt. Abraham, Lincoln Peak, Mt. Ellen, and General Stark Mountain, ending at Route 17 and the Appalachian Gap. It’s a traverse of the Green Mountain ridgeline above both ski areas, with the Valley spread out below you the whole way.

This one requires a car shuttle (one vehicle at each trailhead) and a solid fitness base. Our staff have done it. Bring more water than you think you need.

A Few Things Worth Knowing

Mud season runs roughly mid-April through mid-May, and some higher-elevation trails stay wet into June. The Green Mountain Club maintains the Long Trail sections and posts current conditions on their website. Check before you go.

The Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce trails page has a good interactive map covering all the networks in one place.

Planning a trip? Book your stay at the Hyde Away — we’re a short drive from every trail listed here. Ask at the bar or at breakfast.

Most people find the Mad River Valley in winter. They come for Sugarbush or Mad River Glen, fall in love with the place, and spend the rest of the year thinking about coming back. Some of them figure out that summer is worth the drive too. The ones who do tend to keep it to themselves.

The Valley runs about twelve miles through the Green Mountains between the villages of Waitsfield and Warren. In summer it gets warm, green, and quiet in the way Vermont does when it’s not ski season. The farmer’s market is running, the river is cold and clear, the trails are open, and the deck at Hyde Away is full most evenings. Here’s what to do with a few days here.

Get in the River

The Mad River flows north, which confuses people from away and delights everyone who lives here. In summer it’s the main event. Several good swimming holes sit within a few miles of the inn.

The Great Eddy Bridge swim hole in Waitsfield Village sits right next to Vermont’s oldest covered bridge. Rocky beach, deep pool, and on a hot afternoon, half the town. Lareau Farm, a few miles south on Route 100, is better for families — grassy banks, a good jumping ledge, and room to spread out. Warren Falls, further south near the village of Warren, is the most dramatic: multiple pools, cliff jumping, and the kind of cold that makes you gasp.

Clearwater Sports in Waitsfield rents tubes, kayaks, and paddleboards. The tubing run from the covered bridge takes about two hours and ends with someone coming to pick you up.

Walk or Ride the Mad River Path

The Mad River Path is a multi-use trail network that winds through farm fields and along the river, connecting Waitsfield and Warren. It’s mostly flat, well-marked, and genuinely beautiful. You can walk it, run it, or ride it on a bike.

The full route is around seven miles one way. Most people do a section and double back or arrange a car shuttle. Clearwater Sports and Stark Mountain Bike Works both rent bikes and can point you toward the sections worth prioritizing. The stretch along the river near Lareau Farm is the best.

Hit the Farmers Market on Saturday Morning

The Waitsfield Farmers Market runs every Saturday from late May through October, in the field behind the Mad River Green. It’s one of the better farmers markets in Vermont — local vegetables, cheese, maple, honey, bread, and usually a couple of prepared food vendors. Live music most weeks.

Go before 10am. Bring a bag. The cheese vendors sell out.

Hike Something

The Valley has access to serious trail mileage. The Long Trail crosses the ridge above the Valley at Appalachian Gap, about eight miles from the inn. Burnt Rock Mountain, accessed from the Hedgehog Hill trailhead, gives you one of the better summit views in the region for a moderate effort — about seven miles round trip with 2,000 feet of climbing.

For something shorter, the Mad River Path connects to several side trails with river views and minimal elevation gain.

Eat & Drink Well

In the villages: the Waitsfield Farmers Market is the obvious Saturday anchor. After a day on the river or the trail, the deck at Hyde Away is the obvious next stop — cold beer, the full dinner menu, and a view of the pond.

Mad River Distillers in Waitsfield makes small-batch spirits with Vermont grain and maple and offers tastings. The Big Picture Theater in Waitsfield is an independent cinema — good for a rainy evening.

And then there’s the deck at Hyde Away. We open at 4pm every night, serve the full menu until 10, and keep a rotating selection of Vermont craft beers on tap. On a warm summer evening with the pond out back and the mountains up the road, it’s a hard place to leave.

When to Come

Late June through August is peak summer. July and August get warm but rarely oppressive — highs in the 70s and 80s most days, cool at night. The farmers market runs from late May, and by Memorial Day weekend the Valley is fully open.

September is a hidden gem: the summer crowds are gone, the weather holds, the foliage hasn’t peaked yet, but the hills are starting to turn. If you’re flexible, September might be the best month of the year here.

Hyde Away Inn is open year-round. One of Vermont’s oldest historic ski lodges, the Hyde Away has been welcoming guests since Mad River Glen’s very first season in 1949. Book a room for a summer stay, or reserve a table. We’re at 1428 Mill Brook Road in Waitsfield — 1.9 miles from Sugarbush’s Mt. Ellen and in the middle of all of it.