Family RVing: Discovering the Hidden Gems of Southern Vermont

RV Life

My family and I recently visited southern Vermont. We were only heading to the area to see my mom and didn’t really expect much else. Boy, were we pleasantly surprised! There are tons of unique things to do in Vermont.

The thing is, most of the best things to do in southern Vermont aren’t really advertised. They are secret little adventures you have to seek out, and honestly, that’s part of the fun. Now, I’m not going to say we found these hidden gems in Vermont all on our own. We had some help from the internet. But we certainly did have to scour the web to find them and then hunt them down. And, we had an absolute blast doing it!

If you’re looking for things to do in Vermont, I highly recommend you check out the spots listed below. These were our favorite Vermont finds, and I’m sure you’re going to love them too!

Unique Things to Do in Vermont

Everett Cave

Cave Trail sign. Photo: Chelsea Gonzales.

One of the very best hidden gems in Vermont, Everett Cave provided my family with our very first non-guided cave exploring adventure, and we absolutely adored it.

We started our adventure in the parking lot of an antique and craft store. Some say you can also park at the nearby Southern Vermont College, but we didn’t try this route. From either location, you have to hike to the cave. There was a map at the trailhead where we started that shows where to go. You will want to stop and take a good look at this map or check this map before you head in.

The trail to Everett Cave was easy enough. Even our 2-year-old was able to keep up. The problem we had was that the trail system in these woods is not well-marked. We took a wrong turn or two and ended up caught in a sudden storm, but we did eventually find the cave.

Exploring Everett Cave. Photo: Chelsea Gonzales.

Going In

Entrance to the cave is super simple. We only had to crouch a little to get through the tunnel to the first room. It was crazy to see the steam coming from the cave because of the temperature difference and the moisture in the air. It was also nutty how quickly the cave became pitch black. Be sure to bring good flashlights—or better yet, headlamps!

Once we were in the first rooms, the kids had a blast exploring all the nooks and crannies, climbing things, and sliding down the sloped walls. There were two spots where you could climb up and keep exploring, but since we had the toddler in tow and no helmets, we decided to skip that .

That said, if you’re in good shape and have the right gear and a good caving buddy, I see no reason you couldn’t give it a try. Just do so safely!

Pikes Falls Swimming Hole

My kids love swimming. I think most do. Unfortunately, our campground didn’t have a swimming pool and we were there during a pretty intense heatwave. The solution? Find a swimming hole, of course!

There are tons of excellent creeks, streams, and swimming holes in the northeast, but this hidden gem in Vermont was perhaps the best swimming hole we found all summer. It’s called Pikes Falls Swimming Hole and is located in Jamaica, Vermont.

Here, a waterfall flows over a sloped rock in just such a way that it can be used as a natural water slide to plunge right into the pool below. The pool itself is 40 feet by 25 feet wide—plenty big enough for everyone to enjoy on a hot summer day. While the water does offer zero-depth entry (ideal for my little one), it gets up to 10 feet deep at the side nearest the waterfall. This is fantastic because the big kids and some adults were having a grand old time jumping into the deep, cool water from the rocks.

There is no official parking (or even signage) for this swimming hole. You really just have to follow your GPS and your gut (or the other swimmers). That said, we didn’t have any trouble figuring out where to park on the side of the road and then finding the wide trail through the tall grass. We did have to hike a tiny bit in order to reach the swimming hole, but it was fairly easy aside from a couple of short, steep sections.

This is definitely one of the more unique things to do in Southern Vermont, and makes for a wonderful summertime family outing.

Old Jelly Mill Falls

We visited a lot of waterfalls and streams while in Vermont. One of the last ones we visited was Old Jelly Mill Falls. Located in Dummerston, this is a series of step-like falls in a wooded setting. It’s an excellent place for wading and nature exploration, and we took full advantage of it one hot summer afternoon.

This was a favorite spot of our kids for a variety of reasons. None of the falls are very tall (maybe 8 feet at the tallest), which meant the kids could climb and play pretty freely without fear of falling. Some of the rocks under the falls are smooth enough that they can be used for sliding, something my son did for quite some time. There are also plenty of large, dry rock surfaces right next to the creek—where we actually laid down and took a short nap.

One of the activities that held our kids’ attention the longest was building a rock dam at the bottom of one fall to create a tiny swimming hole. This was a project someone else had started, but my son was bound and determined to finish it … and that he did. Funny enough, the resulting swimming spot entertained him for only a fraction of the time it took to build the dam.

Like so many other hidden gems in Vermont, this spot doesn’t have a designated parking area. Everyone was just parking on the side of the road, and we did as well. There was a bit of gravel for us to pull off onto, so we weren’t blocking the path and the road wasn’t very busy anyway.

More Unique Things to Do in Vermont: Green Mountain National Forest Dry Camping

Want even more unique things to do in Vermont? If so, you’re going to love the idea of dry camping in Green Mountain National Forest. I really wanted to check out some of the dispersed camping in the forest while we were there, but we never made it. It also looked like our rig might not do great in many of the dispersed camping spots.

If you’re worried about whether your RV would fit in the dispersed camping spots in the national forest, you might prefer dry camping in one of the low-cost forest campgrounds below instead.

Grout Pond Recreation Area

Grout Pond Campground is run by the US Forest Service. It’s open year-round and campsites can be reserved online. Since there are only four drive-in sites available, we highly recommend booking in advance. Keep in mind, these sites are only big enough for small RVs. There is a handpump that provides potable water for filling your tanks, and vault toilets are available. The cost for this campground is $16 per night.

Hapgood Pond Campground

Another Forest Service spot, Hapgood Pond Campground is located right next to a lovely pond. It is open late May through early October. Sites cost $20 a night. While the sites don’t have any hookups available, there are a number of amenities in the campground, including flush toilets, drinking water, and showers.

Have Another Campground in Mind?

Choosing the right campground is important. It can be the difference between a simple Vermont RV trip, and a great Vermont RV trip. RV LIFE Campgrounds is the most trusted source of campground information in the industry. Millions of RVers use and trust RV LIFE Campgrounds, which also provides the exclusive resources available in RV LIFE Pro, the best tool for planning and navigating your RV trips. Give it a try, and make it easier than ever to discover unique things to do in Vermont.