Summer recreation and historic charm make up the small town of Wells
Situated at the westernmost edge of Vermont, Wells is a classic New England small town with serene lakes and vibrant treescapes. “Wells is a very rural area,” says Alison Cummings, broker/owner with Cummings & Co. “It’s sort of seen as a bedroom community for Rutland,” referring to the busier city about 25 miles north of town. While Wells is home to around 1,000 full-time residents, the outdoorsy area also welcomes almost the same number of seasonal dwellers and visitors. Lake St. Catherine is a major draw to the area, offering both water recreation and camping adventures. The large lake feeds into a smaller body of water, Little Lake, which provides Wells residents with more private and local recreation. On the south side of Little Lake, the historic village of Wells was formed around 1771, and much of its original appearance has been maintained. Old mills, general stores and churches have been converted into town offices, retail establishments and even a schoolhouse. The preservation of the quaint village district has landed it a spot on the State Register of Historic Places.
Lake St. Catherine and Little Lake provide summertime recreation
A major advantage of living in Wells is its favored location near Lake St. Catherine, the second-largest lake in Vermont. The recreational lake is 5 miles long with an average depth of 32 feet, making it popular for boating and swimming in the summertime. Lake St. Catherine State Park, a 117-acre park with campgrounds and RV sites, offers sandy beach access along the lake shore. The state park also has a hiking trail that leads to Birdseye Mountain views. Just north of the park, Lake St. Catherine Country Club offers an 18-hole course, a restaurant and a bar. The club, which is open to the public, celebrated its 100th birthday in 2025.
Lake St. Catherine flows into the smaller Little Lake, which also offers outdoor recreation. Lakeside Park sits next to the shallow 180-acre body of water, providing 13 acres of park space and hiking trail access to Delaney Woods. Little Lake isn’t deep enough for motorboats, but residents can bring their kayaks or paddleboards. Lakeside Park hosts several of Wells’ town events, including the Harvest Festival & Arts and Crafts Show. The early-summer event hosted by the Lake St. Catherine Conservation Fund includes food and raffles. Another highly anticipated community event is the Wells M.W.A. Carnival, sponsored by the Modern Woodmen of American, a fraternal financial services organization. The event is a week-long end-of-summer celebration with a tractor pool, a parade, live music and carnival food and games.
Wells Country Store and Cones Point General Store offer select market items
In the quaint and historic village area, The Wells Country Store offers a rustic atmosphere for residents looking to purchase select market items, including groceries, wines and niche gifts. The store, housed in a Greek Revival structure built in the 1830s, is also popular for its homemade foods, including donuts, pastries, flatbreads and sandwiches. Across the street, Wells United Methodist Church is one of two churches in town, the other being St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Both churches were also built in the early 1800s, with white facades that echo Federal and Greek Revival design elements.
Residents who live closer to Lake St. Catherine are close to Cones Point General Store, where the Cluckin Cafe serves breakfast plates and sandwiches for lunch and dinner. Also on-site are an ice cream stand and a miniature golf course. For more grocery and dining options, Wells locals can head just west across the New York border to Granville, where there is a Price Chopper and a variety of eateries.
Cozy cottages hide in the woods and lakefront cabins yield mountain views
While some residences sit off of the two-lane Vermont Route 30, most homes can be found tucked away from the main road. Narrow country back roads lined with pines, maples and birch trees weave up and down the town’s mountainous landscape, featuring vintage log cabins and historic farmhouses. Many properties are situated along the shores of Lake St. Catherine or Little Lake, providing seclusion and water views. Contemporary chalets and lake houses often include multi-level balconies and private docks. Buyers can find a range of home options, from a 500-square-foot cottage with one bedroom and one bathroom for around $150,000 to a 2,500-square-foot lakefront cabin with six bedrooms and five bathrooms for upwards of $915,000.
Killington Resort and Okemo Mountain Resort are 35 miles away
In addition to its lakeside location, seasonal visitors and second homeowners may choose Wells for its proximity to two major ski resorts. About 35 miles northeast of town, Killington Resort offers winter sports recreation from seven mountaintops and more than 2,000 acres of skiable terrain. The resort also hosts the Stifel Killington Cup, a stop on the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Tour. For summer fun, Killington has 90 miles of hiking trails, a mountain biking park, an alpine coaster, a ropes course and a golf course. Residents can also drive about 35 miles east to Okemo Mountain Resort, another winter sports destination with 123 ski and snowboard trails. The resort features an indoor swimming pool and summertime adventures, including an alpine coaster, mini golf and scenic chairlift rides.
Students begin at Wells Village School before venturing out of town
Students who live in Wells can begin at Wells Village School, a kindergarten through sixth-grade school with around 85 students that receives a C rating from Niche. Learners can then advance to either Granville Junior/Senior High School in Granville, New York, or Poultney High School, just north of town, both of which serve seventh through twelfth-grade students and receive a C from Niche. Poultney High boasts a championship-winning competitive cheer program.
Commuters use Vermont Route 30 to drive into Rutland or Whitehall
Wells is a car-dependent community, given the lack of public transportation options in the area. Vermont Route 30 weaves north-south through the car-dependent community of Wells, connecting residents to the surrounding towns and cities. “If you live in Wells, you probably work in Rutland, Whitehall or Queensbury,” Cummings says. Rutland is about 25 miles north of town, while Whitehall is a 20-mile commute and Queensbury is a 30-mile drive into New York. For further destinations, Albany International Airport is about a 70-mile drive south.
Written By
Mary Beth Greene
