Northern VT-100 & Jay Peak

The northern stretch of VT-100 and the climb past Jay Peak: from Morrisville you ride north through Hyde Park, Eden and Lowell to Troy, cross to Jay and take VT-242 over the shoulder of Jay Peak to drop into Montgomery Center. It's 46 miles one way, with open valley at first and mountain bends at the end. Don't take VT-58 over Hazen's Notch: it's dirt. The pavement on VT-242 is uneven, and Canada is a few miles from Troy. Fuel in Morrisville.

VT-100 is the longest highway in Vermont, about 217 miles from the Massachusetts line in Stamford to Newport, and this route rides its quiet northern end. Past Eden the road crosses into Lowell, where 21 wind turbines on the Lowell Mountains ridge, running since 2012, stand a mile or two off the highway. At Troy you're a few miles from Canada, and the Missisquoi River nearby drops over Big Falls, described as the state's highest undammed waterfall.

From Jay, VT-242 climbs past Jay Peak Resort and over to Montgomery Center. The pavement on VT-242 is uneven, so keep it calm. Montgomery has six covered bridges within the town and one more on the line with Enosburg, a good reason to linger before heading home. Don't take VT-58 from Lowell or Montgomery Center: over Hazen's Notch it's a dirt road. The route ends here, so fuel in Morrisville before you go and plan your way back.