Leicester offers a quiet and outdoorsy Vermont lifestyle
Set in the foothills of the Green Mountains, Leicester is a small, rural town of about 1,000 residents. Due to its location, much of the western Vermont hamlet offers mountain views and wooded privacy amid maple, birch and pine trees. “Leicester is right at the intersection of Green Mountain National Forest and Lake Dunmore, both popular summer destinations,” says Mark Raishart, a town local and co-owner of Foxglove Farm and Forest. “We do have a lot of second homeowners and seasonal visitors. But we tend to have visitors all year long because there’s a lot to do here in the summer, followed by the fall foliage season, and then there’s ski season.” While Leicester embodies the quintessential Vermont aesthetic of a mountainous landscape peppered with tall trees and fresh lakes, Raishart mentions that the Addison County town provides a more down-to-earth feel. “We’re off the beaten path, which makes our area authentic. It tends to be quieter out here, giving visitors a realistic Vermont experience,” he says.
Lake Dunmore sits beside Green Mountain National Forest
Leicester’s rural locale features freshwater lakes and state forests, with Lake Dunmore occupying the north side of town. The 985-acre lake spans 3 miles, offering public boating access surrounded by recreational space. Branbury State Park provides 69 acres on the eastern shore of the lake, with sandy beaches and swimming areas, boat launches, canoe rentals, camping grounds and hiking trails. Outdoor enthusiasts can access Silver Lake Trail, a 5-mile hiking path through Moosalamoo National Recreation Area that leads to the scenic Falls of Lana. Children can attend summer camps around the lake, including the all-boys Keewaydin and the all-girls Songadeewin.
Just east of Lake Dunmore, Green Mountain National Forest encompasses more than 400,000 acres. Vermont’s only federally managed public national forest, the expansive park space offers miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, hunting and fishing areas, as well as campsites with rental cabins. Seasonal visitors can also opt to camp at Country Village Campground, located on the south side of Leicester. The campground has a community pool, a playground and a miniature golf course.
Foxglove’s maple syrup and Paddler Pub’s waterfront dining
Tucked into a rural landscape away from major retailers, Leicester features local farmsteads and artisan establishments rather than grocers and restaurants. Foxglove Farm and Forest offers lodging in a quaint log cabin, as well as gardens and farm space that curates free range eggs and maple syrup. “We’re a certified tree farm with the American Tree Farm Association. We tap the trees on our property to make maple syrup, and we sell flowers in the summer. My wife, Katie, makes jewelry, too,” Raishart says. Mount Pleasant Sugarworks also makes maple syrup, as well as maple candies and maple popcorn. To the north, Paddlers Pub is a popular stop for Lake Dunmore boaters. The American pub serves burgers, wings, beer and cocktails, with outdoor seating on the water. For groceries, residents can head 5 miles south to the village of Brandon, where there’s Hannaford.
Cottages hide in the woods while cabins sit lakeside in Leicester
Residences are typically set back in the woods or up a hill, away from the town’s two-lane highways. Narrow, unmarked roads lined with densely forested shoulders lead to properties on multiple acres, giving locals a sense of privacy and space. Some homes were built as early as 1900, while most were built between the mid- to late-1900s. Quaint ranch-style cottages can cost between $125,000 and $200,000, while larger ranch styles and Colonial-inspired farmhouses with spacious front porches or patios and detached two-car garages typically range from $325,000 to $650,000. Residences located on Lake Dunmore or the smaller Fern Lake offer water views and access, surrounded by Vermont treescapes and mountainscapes. Lakefront cabins with private docks and Green Mountain views can reach upward of $900,000.
Otter Valley public schools and nearby Middlebury College
Students can begin at Otter Creek Academy at Leicester, which teaches kindergarten through sixth grade and earns a C-minus from Niche. Otter Valley Union Middle and High School earns a C and covers seventh through 12th grades. The school boasts strong high school arts programs, including the student-led Walking Stick Theater group that produces musicals, plays and skits. The acting troupe has been selected to perform at the New England Drama Festival five times.
Education can continue 12 miles north at Middlebury College, a private institution founded in 1800. Home to about 2,800 undergraduate students, the college is renowned for its language programs and international studies offerings.
U.S. Route 7 serves the town and features Queen Connie
U.S. Route 7 conveniently cuts north-south through Leicester, connecting residents to the larger towns and cities. “The position of Leicester is important because Route 7 is a major route on this side of the state, making the town accessible to a lot of areas,” Raishart says. "Leicester is essentially a bedroom community for Middlebury, a larger college town about 15 minutes north, or Rutland, a working-class town about 30 minutes south. And Burlington is about an hour's drive.” Residents can take The Bus from Middlebury to Rutland with frequent stops along U.S. Route 7. For further destinations, Albany International Airport is about 100 miles away, and Boston is 185 miles southeast.
While driving along U.S. Route 7 through town, residents can visit Queen Connie, a 19-foot steel and concrete sculpture of a gorilla holding a real Volkswagen Beetle in her left hand. While her left arm raises the car above her head, her right arm hangs low, offering a place to sit in her cupped hand. Built in 1987 by T.J. Neil, Queen Connie has become a beloved tourist attraction.
Written By
Mary Beth Greene
