Green. Mountains. Those two words (in French, Verts Monts) gave Vermont its name, but they also capture what it means to live and go to college here.
We're green, in more ways than one. Vermont is three-quarters forested, which means we have unspoiled natural beauty as far as the eye can see. Our fall foliage is world-famous. National Geographic included Vermont as one of its "50 Places of a Lifetime," and tourists visit year-round.
But we're also "green"; Vermont cares about the environment. You can see that on campus. We recycle, we compost, we refill our water bottles, we eat local and shop local. We're a Fair Trade institution, and we have our own organic garden and farm stand during the growing season.
And mountains? From campus, look in one direction and get a great view of Mount Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak, and of Camel's Hump. Look in another direction and you'll see the peaks of New York's Adirondacks across the lake. Within a 45-minute drive from campus you can be at some of the best downhill and Nordic skiing in the East, including Smugglers Notch, Stowe Mountain Resort, Sugarbush, Mad River Glen and the Trapp Family Lodge.
You don't have to go far for Vermont adventure in the mountains and the lake. Virtually right out our back door we have world-class biking, hiking, rock climbing, river and lake kayaking, and fly fishing. Our Wilderness Program will get you into the great outdoors in ways you might never have imagined (ice climbing, perhaps?).
And while the Green Mountains are at the heart of Vermont, there's plenty to do in our towns and cities, too. Visit the Shelburne Museum, one of the nation’s most renowned museums of art, Americana, architecture and artifacts, and then stop in at the nearby Vermont Teddy Bear factory. Stop at the Ben and Jerry's factory in Waterbury and the famous ski village of Stowe. North of Burlington lie miles of beautiful lakefront through small towns and rural stretches up to Canada's border, with pristine roadways and hiking and biking trails. To the south you’ll find Montpelier, the nation’s smallest capital city, and southwest is Addison County, an agricultural valley that stretches from the mountains to the lake.
For more information about Vermont, watch this video covering VT in 2 minutes or visit Vermont's Wikipedia entry, Vermont's Department of Tourism and Vermont.com.