Small, rural Mendon sits between Rutland and Killington Resort
A rural area situated between the busier city of Rutland and the popular ski resort town of Killington, the small community of Mendon depends heavily on the retail and industry that surrounds it. Home to slightly more than 1,000 residents, Mendon’s natural landscape attracts a strong presence of both seasonal and year-round residents, all of whom are full-time outdoor enthusiasts. “We are a main corridor to the ski areas to the east,” says Walter Manney, co-owner of the local Sugar & Spice Restaurant and Gift Shop. “And people come up here from all over the region for our outdoor summertime activities, too.” Killington Resort and Pico Mountain offer winter sports, while the Green Mountains make for sweeping summer and fall views of central Vermont’s colorful topography. While much of Mendon requires off-road navigation, U.S. Route 4 brings year-round traffic through the northern slice of the Rutland County town.
Mendon houses seasonal visitors of Killington Resort and Pico Mountain
Mendon welcomes year-round visitors and second homeowners who take to the slopes of Killington Resort, a popular destination in the town of Killington about 10 miles east of town. In addition to hosting the Stifel Killington Cup, which is a stop on the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Tour, the resort offers more than 2,000 acres of skiable terrain, 28 chairlifts and a 12-lane snowtubing park. The resort remains open for summer adventures, including more than 90 miles of hiking trails, a mountain biking park and Snowshed Adventure Center, complete with a golf course, ziplining and the Beast Mountain Coaster.
Pico Mountain is another, smaller ski resort on Mendon’s east side. Only open for the winter season, the resort offers 468 acres of skiable terrain, 7 chairlifts and about 58 ski and snowboarding trails. Toward the end of September, the Killington Brewfest is held at the base of Pico Mountain. The event bids farewell to fall and ushers in the colder season through live music, craft beers and food trucks, all in front of a backdrop of autumn foliage.
Aitken State Forest and Killington Peak provide miles of hiking trails
When they’re not skiing, nature lovers can escape to the Vermont wilderness. On Mendon’s south side, Aitken State Forest is a 918-acre nature preserve with hiking trails to the 2,000-foot summit of Bald Mountain. The state park is also popular during hunting season, as well as for wintertime cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. On the east side of town, Killington Peak has several marked hiking trails that lead to its 4,000-foot summit, the second highest in Vermont. Hikers can take the Long Trail, which is part of the Appalachian Trail, or the steeper Bucklin Trail to the top of the mountain. Other accessible trails throughout town include the Canty Trail and the Deer Leap Trail, both of which offer 2-mile hikes up different elevations of the Green Mountains.
Condos near ski resorts and private cabin styles hidden in the woods
Seasonal residents who choose Mendon’s proximity to Killington Resort and Pico Mountain are typically drawn to the area’s different condominium and townhome communities built in the 1980s. Most units offer one to two bedrooms and one to two bathrooms, ranging in price from $120,000 to $450,000 for a spot closer to the resorts. Rural backroads, some dirt or gravel, shaded by maple and pine trees lead to secluded ranch-style homes, renovated farmhouses and mountain-style New Traditionals. Many properties offer spacious patio areas with hot tubs or in-ground pools, and some sit mountainside on two to ten acres with panoramic views of Vermont’s rolling landscape. Sizes range from 2,500-square-foot wooded cottages with three bedrooms and two bathrooms to 3,500-square-foot contemporary cabins with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. Prices generally span a range from $500,000 to $900,000.
Local maple syrup diners, apple orchards and inns line the highway
Several of Mendon’s establishments are set along U.S. Route 4, as the highway connects Killington to Rutland. Bed-and-breakfasts attract outsiders looking for a mountain getaway with views, and diners feature Vermont staples like maple syrup and local gifts. Sugar & Spice serves breakfast and lunch inside a rustic sugarhouse cabin, a popular stop for out-of-towners and residents alike. “Maple syrup is big here, and we make it in-house. But we also started making it out-of-house because we can only make so much to keep up,” says Walter Manney, co-owner of the restaurant and gift shop. “We’re a big tourist area during the ski and summer seasons, but locals are our anchor.” A mile south on Route 4, Mendon Mountain Orchards offers different varieties of pick-your-own apples. The establishment also has a bakery that prepares an assortment of fresh pies and turnovers daily. For groceries and other shopping needs, residents can head about 3 miles west, where Rutland has Walmart, Hannaford and Aldi.
Public school students attend Barstow and have high school choice
Students can begin at Barstow Memorial School, which serves kindergarten through eighth grade learners. The school, located just north of town in Chittenden, receives an A-minus rating from Niche. Students then have high school choice, with the ability to apply to attend any high school in the state. Nearby options include Rutland High School, which receives a B-minus rating. At Rutland, high schoolers can choose to be part of either the Global Studies Concentration or the STEM Concentration, with both programs offering more focused courses and awarding eligible students with a special certificate upon graduation.
U.S. Route 4 serves the community as The Bus makes frequent stops
U.S. Route 4 is Mendon’s main artery, running east-west through town and connecting residents to U.S. Route 7 in Rutland, about 4 miles away. The Bus services the area, with the Rutland Killington Commuter route making frequent stops along Route 4 as it runs back and forth between Rutland and Killington. About a 10-mile drive south of town, Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport offers three daily flights through Cape Air to and from Boston.
Hurricane Irene’s lasting effect on the town's infrastructure and mindset
Mendon was heavily affected by Hurricane Irene in 2011, which caused the town to be completely isolated from the rest of the state. While damaged infrastructure, including roads and bridges, have since been rebuilt to withstand a future flood, many establishments were unable to recover from the devastation. During the years that followed, the community banded together through resources, support and helping hands. Residents who lived through the storm report that though they are now more prepared, they often still feel jolts of anxiety when heavy rains pour onto the town.
Written By
Mary Beth Greene
