Nature and history embrace in the Southern Vermont town of Plymouth
Surrounded by state forests and ski resorts, Plymouth offers an appreciation for South Vermont wildlife, while also preserving its own historic footprint. “Plymouth is a funky little hamlet that’s quite rural that some think of as a second-home community or just a travel-through town along Vermont Route 100,” says Alison Cummings, broker/owner with Cummings & Co. But upon closer look, Cummings says, there’s a lot more than meets the eye. With 600 residents, the small Windsor County town sits equidistant between Killington Resort and Okemo Mountain Resort, both popular winter sports destinations. And at Plymouth’s core, the Calvin Coolidge Homestead District is a National Historic Landmark that celebrates the former president’s home village. The preserved area features 19th century buildings that are open for public viewing, some establishments still in operation. These maintained historic sites, along with the protected forests throughout town, are a testament to the conservationist and nature-friendly mindset found in Plymouth.
Historic Plymouth Notch features the Coolidge Homestead and cheese factory
Residents can take a step back in time when they visit Plymouth Notch, a walkable historic district in the heart of the town. Calvin Coolidge, former U.S. president, was born and raised in the village, which includes his 19th-century homestead, Coolidge’s father’s cheese factory, a dance hall, a schoolhouse and an old church. Visitors can stroll through the village, stopping at each site to see old artifacts and exhibits detailing Plymouth’s historical significance. Plymouth Cheese Factory, which was built in 1890, still operates today. The factory was a popular tourist destination throughout the 1900s and is now owned by the state of Vermont. While under new ownership, not much has changed regarding both the cheese-making process and the factory’s appearance.
Plymouth is also known as a summer camp destination, with Bethany Birches Camp attracting families from all over the region. The faith-based camp offers day camps for younger children, weekend-long and week-long sleepaway camps for older children and leadership programs for teenagers. The establishment also offers a similar winter camp series.
Residents can access Killington Resort and Okemo Mountain Resort
The rural town of Plymouth sits quietly between two highly visited ski resorts and is home to a mountain inn, all of which are popular for wintertime tourists. North of town, Killington Resort hosts the Stifel Killington Cup, which is a stop on the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Tour. Winter sports enthusiasts can ski and snowboard from seven mountaintops, including the 4,241-foot Killington Peak. The resort offers more than 2,000 acres of skiable terrain, a 12-lane snowtubing park and 28 chairlifts. Adventure can continue in the summertime, with more than 90 miles of hiking trails, a mountain bike park and Snowshed Adventure Center, which includes zipline and ropes courses, the Beast Mountain Coaster and an 18-hole golf course. Just south of Plymouth, Okemo Mountain Resort is another wintertime resort with an indoor pool and fitness center. Skiers can glide down one of the 123 trails from a 3,344-foot mountain. In the summer, visitors can ride scenic chairlifts and the Timber Ripper Mountain Coaster, as well as explore the ropes course, play a round of traditional golf, mini golf or disc golf and hike 3 miles to Okemo Mountain’s summit. Hawk Inn and Mountain Resort, centrally located in Plymouth, is a popular weekend getaway on the Black River.
Log cabins and ski chalets sit mountainside or along the river
The two-lane Vermont Route 100 winds through forests of maple, birch and pine trees, branching off into narrow unmarked country roads that weave up the mountainside and down into the valley. Several brooks flow from the mountain and into the valley, creating smaller streams that babble through residents’ backyards. Contemporary log cabins, country cottages and ski chalets rest along the mountain or hide in the forest, offering from a half-acre to two acres of seclusion. Some properties feature wrap-around balconies that provide panoramic views of the Green Mountains, others offer hot tubs and direct access to snowmobile trails. Price tags range from $265,000 for a 1,000-square-foot cottage to upwards of $1 million for a 4,000-square-foot chalet. While rare, there are luxury lodges with wood and stone facades and open interior designs with 13,000 square feet of space, usually starting at around $3 million. Buyers can also find mountain-style townhomes near Coolidge State Forest and log cabin-style condominiums around Hawk Inn and Mountain Resort, varying from $250,000 to $450,000 for a 1,500-square-foot unit.
Coolidge and Camp Plymouth state parks attract year-round visitors
Surrounded by woodlands and conserved park spaces, Plymouth residents have quintessential Vermont recreation at their fingertips. Coolidge State Park encompasses the western section of town, providing 21,500 acres of campsites, hiking trails and fishing streams. About 10 miles south of Coolidge State Park, which is the largest in Vermont, Camp Plymouth State Park also offers campsites and mountain cabins for rent. Additionally, the park features Echo Lake, where residents can have beach days on the sandy shores and swim and kayak in the calm water. Locals can bring their nonmotor boats, and the state park offers kayak, pedal boat and paddleboard rentals. Outside of the two major state parks, there are several camping grounds, RV parks and preserved wildlife areas throughout the woodsy mountainside town.
In 2023, the Great Vermont Flood came through Plymouth and affected several homes and establishments. “The flood really hit Plymouth hard, partly because a lot of the town is positioned in the valley,” Cummings says. More than 9 inches of rainwater filled the town’s valley in just a day and a half. In addition to millions of dollars in damage to bridges and roads, local attractions like Camp Plymouth State Park and Hawk Inn and Mountain Resort were destroyed. Since 2023, Camp Plymouth has been restored to a visitable state, but Hawk Inn is still undergoing renovations.
Country markets and local eateries found to the north along Route 4
Plymouth’s lack of retail makes the community dependent on the surrounding towns for shopping and dining. Where Vermont Route 100 meets U.S. Route 4, north of the area, Sunrise General Store offers gas, sandwiches, pizza and select grocery items. A few miles east on Route 4, Long Trail Brewing Company makes their craft beers on site and serves pub-style food in a spacious cabin-themed setting.
There are several eateries and markets in the Killington Resort area, which is located just north of Plymouth. Nearby establishments include Waffle Cabin, which offers waffles to-go from a cozy window-serve cabin, and Sunrise Bar & Grill, a full bar with an elevated pub menu that’s only open during the busier winter ski season.
Students attend Killington Elementary and Woodstock Union High
Kindergarten through sixth-grade students living in Plymouth can begin at Killington Elementary School, which receives an A rating from Niche and is ranked the No. 1 public elementary school in the county. Students can advance to Woodstock Union High School for seventh through twelfth grade, which receives a B-plus. The high school offers 28 student clubs, including environmentally conscious clubs like Mindfulness in Nature and Earth Beat.
Two-lane Vermont Route 100 is Plymouth's main thoroughfare
Vermont Route 100 serves the car-dependent Plymouth, running north-south through town and connecting residents to U.S. Route 4 to the north. State routes and highways allow for a 100-mile commute to Albany, where the nearest international airport is located, and about a 150-mile drive to both Hartford and Boston. For a quicker trip to the city, Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport, 25 miles way, offers Cape Air service to and from Boston.
Written By
Mary Beth Greene
