Step outside the front porch of our Vermont bed and breakfast at 5:00 am, and Waterbury feels like a completely different world. The streets are quiet, the stars are just beginning to fade, and the mountains around the village are still dark.
Catching a Vermont sunrise is an experience you won’t forget, and staying with us puts you right in the center of the best viewpoints in the area. You don’t necessarily have to climb a 4,000-foot peak to enjoy it, either. From reflections on Waterbury Reservoir to views from a mountain gap, there are plenty of ways to watch the sun come up.
Here is our local guide to early-morning adventures, along with a few practical tips to help you navigate in the dark before returning to the inn for breakfast.
Mount Hunger
Waterbury Center
For experienced hikers looking for a true sunrise summit, Mount Hunger is one of the first places we’d suggest. There are several approaches to Mount Hunger, but the Waterbury-side route is a better choice if you’re heading up before dawn.
The trail climbs steadily through the forest before reaching the exposed rocks near the summit. The final section involves some scrambling, and you’ll want to be comfortable navigating uneven, rocky terrain before attempting it in the dark.
The Hayward Trail (formerly Middlesex Trail) is steeper and includes a knotted-rope section that is much more enjoyable when you can actually see what you’re climbing.
The summit opens up into wide views across the Worcester Range, and you don’t necessarily have to be standing on the highest rock at the exact moment the sun comes up. The eastern views begin lighting up well before sunrise, so give yourself enough time to stop, catch your breath, and enjoy the changing sky.
Stowe Pinnacle
Upper Hollow Road, Stowe
If Mount Hunger sounds like more of a climb than you’d like to tackle before breakfast, Stowe Pinnacle is a good alternative.
The trail climbs through hardwood forest before reaching an open rocky summit with broad views toward Mount Mansfield, the Waterbury Reservoir, and the surrounding Green Mountains. The trail is still a workout, but the shorter round trip makes it easier to plan around sunrise.
An early start has another advantage in addition to the views: you won’t have to worry as much about finding a parking spot. The trailhead can get busy later in the morning, particularly during foliage season.
Once you’re at the top, find a comfortable spot on the rocks and give yourself a little time to watch the mountains change color. Then it’s back down the trail and on your way to breakfast.
Camel’s Hump
Monroe Trail, Duxbury
At 4,083 feet, Camel’s Hump is the third-highest mountain in Vermont, and its distinctive summit is one of the state’s most recognizable sights. The Monroe Trail from Duxbury is one of the closest access points to the inn, but this is still a substantial hike, with several miles of trail and more than 2,500 feet of elevation gain.
That means an early sunrise here requires an especially early start. If sunrise is around 6:30 a.m., you may need to be on the trail around 3:30 a.m. to give yourself enough time.
The reward is a wide-open summit with views in every direction. Just remember that the top is exposed, and it can be considerably colder and windier than it is down in the valley.
Mount Worcester
Mountain Road, Worcester
The Mount Worcester trail begins with a moderate climb on a well-worn singletrack through the forest before becoming steeper and rockier as you approach the summit. The final stretch includes some scrambling over exposed rock, so this is one where you’ll want to have your headlamp and sure footing ready before setting out in the dark.
At the top, the overlook opens up with expansive views across the surrounding mountains. The summit faces southwest toward the rest of the Worcester Range, with Camel’s Hump visible in the distance.
Sunrise Without a Mountain Hike
If you like the idea of seeing the sunrise but would rather keep your feet closer to sea level, there are a few other ways.
Sunrise at Waterbury Reservoir
You don’t have to hike up a mountain to get a great sunrise. The Waterbury Reservoir is only about ten minutes from the inn, and the Blush Hill Boat Launch is an easy place to watch the sky brighten over the water.
Just drive down Blush Hill Road and park at the launch. On a clear morning, the mountains reflect across the reservoir as the sky changes color, and you may have the whole place to yourself. Bring a thermos of coffee from the inn and give yourself a few extra minutes to enjoy the view before heading back to Waterbury for breakfast.
You can also bring a kayak, canoe, or paddleboard and head out straight from there.
Hubbard Park Stone Tower
58 Tower Loop, Montpelier
The stone tower at Hubbard Park in Montpelier is another easy way to earn a sunrise view. The over 200-acre city park is a fifteen-minute drive from the inn, and a short walk from the parking area at Tower Loop takes you to the base of a fifty-four-foot stone tower built in 1915. Climb the stairs to the top, and you look east across the Winooski River Valley toward the White Mountains, with the golden dome of the Vermont State House glowing in the early light.
You can also make a morning of it in Montpelier afterward, with plenty of places to grab a second cup of coffee before heading back to the inn.
A Sunrise Drive Over Appalachian Gap
Route 17, between Waitsfield and Bristol
Our favorite mountain drive to take in a sunrise is Appalachian Gap on Route 17, about a forty-minute drive south from the inn through the Mad River Valley. The road climbs steadily out of Waitsfield to a mountain pass at 2,375 feet, and the pull-offs at the top look east across the valley toward the Green Mountains. Get there thirty minutes before sunrise, park at one of the designated pull-offs, and watch the first light hit the ridges below you. The drive down the west side into Bristol is beautiful in its own right, so if you have the time, continue on and loop back to the inn through Middlebury and Route 100.
A Few Things to Know Before You Go
Sunrise changes quite a bit throughout the year. In June, the sun can come up before 5:15 a.m., while late October brings much more manageable sunrise times closer to 7:30 a.m. Check the exact time the night before and plan to reach your viewpoint about 30 minutes beforehand. The sky usually starts changing well before the sun actually appears.
If you’re hiking in the dark, bring a headlamp with fresh batteries rather than relying on your phone flashlight. A warm layer is also a good idea, even in July. The temperature at the top of an exposed mountain can be considerably cooler than it was when you left the trailhead.
Come Back to Old Stagecoach for Breakfast
The best part about planning a sunrise adventure from the Old Stagecoach Inn is knowing that breakfast is waiting for you when you get back.
After a few hours on the trail or the road, you can trade your hiking boots for a comfortable chair and settle in with locally roasted coffee, homemade pastries, fresh fruit, and a hot entrée from our rotating seasonal breakfast menu. When the weather is warm enough, take your breakfast out to the patio and enjoy the gardens while you watch the rest of Waterbury wake up.
Ready to See Vermont at Sunrise? Book your stay at the Old Stagecoach Inn and put yourself within easy reach of some of the best sunrise hikes, mountain drives, and viewpoints in central Vermont.