Mother and daughter equestrians enjoy a summertime horseback riding vacation in Vermont’s Green Mountains.
Known as a premier four-season destination, The Mountain Top Resort is nestled in Vermont’s Green Mountains, surrounded by breathtaking views of the nearby peaks just beyond the Chittenden Reservoir. It’s the quintessential New England equestrian vacation, in every season.
I set out to experience their summer and fall horseback riding offerings, and after a weekend retreat with my daughter, The Mountain Top Inn & Resort lived up to everything it boasts. We had a weekend full of fun and relaxation.
Exploring The Mountain Top Inn’s History
While taking in the beautiful morning scenery, I wanted to learn a little about the area and its history, so I set off exploring the lodge. What started as a turnip farm in 1871 evolved from a barn to a tavern, then into an exclusive summer resort in 1940, when it was purchased by the Barstow family, associates of Thomas Edison.
The property changed hands again in 1945, and the Wolfes gave it its current name, Mountain Top Inn, in 1947. The Wolfes hosted President Eisenhower at the Inn in 1955 for a fishing expedition, cementing its reputation as “the place” to retreat — the room where he stayed in the Main Lodge is still nicknamed “Ike’s View” today. As nearby ski areas grew through the 1950s, the Inn became a premier ski center in 1964, prized for its vast network of cross-country trails.
Although nearly destroyed by fire in 1977, the Inn was rebuilt, and changed hands one final time in the early 2000s — allowing today’s resort to flourish into the Inn & Resort it is now.
Sunrise view from the “Pheasant Ridge” room at the Mountain Top Resort, Vermont.
A Morning Horseback Ride Through the Green Mountains
With both of us avid equestrians, our stay had to start with a morning ride. The equestrian facilities at The Mountain Top Inn & Resort are open from May to October and offer a solid range of options. Guided trail rides let you explore more than 40 miles of trails through thousands of acres of surrounding National Forest. Riding lessons are available in two arenas as well as on the cross-country course, monthly clinics are scheduled, and a children’s horsemanship camp and pony rides make it easy for younger riders to join in.
As we prepared for our trail ride, the activities center bustled with families, couples, and groups of friends coming in to plan their day. The phone rang constantly with reservation calls from guests still in their rooms. Staff patiently walked hikers through trail options, and a children’s camp was underway in the nearby barn, with eager kids waiting to meet their horses.
Louise, the activities center manager, introduced us to Kyra, our guide for the morning. After talking through the route options, we chose a more advanced ride that skirted the lake, winding through National Forest trails alongside the water. We met our horses, Tonka and Casper, opted for English saddles (western saddles are available too), and headed down the wooded trail.
The National Forest was a summer delight — a canopy of green shaded us from the sun as we crossed streams and ponds on wooden bridges, picked up long trots on the flat stretches, climbed steep banks, and listened for wildlife hidden just out of sight.
As we came to one bridge crossing, our guide’s horse paused and perked its ears.
The other horses followed suit, so we asked our guide if something was ahead. Though none of us could see anything, she explained the horses were likely catching the scent of a young bear recently spotted in the area. My daughter and I exchanged a look — we both knew exactly what the other was thinking.
Our guide dismounted and coaxed her horse across the bridge on foot, which settled our horses enough to follow. Reasonably at ease on horseback with a bear somewhere nearby, we pressed on, keeping a keener eye on the thick forest around us. As curious as we secretly were to spot a bear — or a moose, also common in Vermont — we were just as happy to see only a deer, which briefly startled us. All part of the adventure.
Activities Beyond the Stables
Beyond the stables, the resort offers plenty for couples, friends, or families to enjoy together. We sampled as many activities as we could during our stay and still didn’t get to everything.
We started with a pontoon boat ride around the lake, cruising along with a picnic prepared by the Inn’s kitchen. Our captain for the hour, Joe, shared his own story of how he ended up at Mountain Top. Originally a longtime guest of the Inn, he and his wife eventually loved the area so much that they bought property about a mile away to retreat to each summer. Over time, they grew to love it even more and eventually left New York City behind to move here permanently.
Guests can sunbathe or swim at the lake’s beach, or use the complimentary paddleboards, canoes, and kayaks to explore the water. The kitchen will also pack a picnic lunch for a cruise around the lake on the pontoon boat.
Led by Operations Director Roger Hill, the Inn offers clay bird shooting in half-hour sessions, open to guests 15 and older. We were a little skeptical going in, but game to try something new — and it turned out to be the highlight of my daughter’s trip. We quickly realized it’s an activity the whole family can enjoy together. Like Joe on the pontoon cruise, Roger first came to the Inn as a boy with his mother; he later met his wife here and now leads the Inn’s operations as director.
Other activities include lawn games behind the resort — horseshoes, croquet, badminton, and tennis — along with an outdoor pool and hot tub, a fitness center, massage therapy, and yoga classes.
Fishing, clay bird shooting, disc golf, and more are offered at The Mountain Top Inn.
The Highlands Dining Room & Mountain Top Tavern
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner can be enjoyed in two settings overlooking the lake. We sat on the terrace one beautiful summer evening for a three-course meal, and the view was breathtaking through every bite. Color seemed to jump out everywhere — the deep greens covering the mountaintops, the emerald lawns on either side of the Inn manicured like green satin, tucked into the endless surrounding forest like a quiet oasis.
Wildflowers in purple, yellow, pink, and white lined the edge of the dining terrace, and hummingbirds moved from bloom to bloom in a slow, hypnotic rhythm that kept us pleasantly distracted as we ate. The sun set behind the mountains, and we turned in after a wonderful day at the Inn.
Impressions of Vermont
We left Vermont marveling at how green everything was and how simple things felt — content, for once, without reaching for our phones or the electronics we’ve grown so used to in the city. Roadside signs for sweet corn, blueberries, and woodcrafts pulled us into unplanned stops despite our travel schedule. Low, full clouds sat over the northern hills, close enough to touch, as if the mountaintops themselves were reaching up for them. The Mountain Top Inn & Resort was a perfect setting for a Vermont equestrian vacation — and so much more.
Plan Your Visit
Where: Chittenden, Vermont, set on 700 private acres bordering the Green Mountain National Forest, a short drive from Killington.
Riding season: The equestrian center operates Memorial Day through October, with more than 40 miles of trail access, English and Western instruction, jumping and cross-country schooling, and dedicated programs for younger riders. It’s Vermont’s only resort-based equestrian center.
Since our visit: The resort has added a spa, an event barn, four luxury cabins, a beach pavilion, and fully restored stables — worth knowing if you’re planning a trip today rather than picturing the property as it was on this visit.
Beyond riding: Lake swimming and paddling, pontoon boat cruises, clay bird shooting (15+), lawn games, an outdoor pool and hot tub, fitness center, massage, and yoga.