The Mad River Valley includes Warren, Waitsfield, Fastyon, and Moretown.  Waterbury is about a thirty minute drive and Burlington is about an hour, great for day trips.  The Mad River Valley is a beautiful area surrounded by mountains and filled with meandering rivers and brooks.  Known for its four seasons and scenery that cannot be beat.  Visitors come to the valley for a variety of events including craft fairs, weddings, farmers markets, concerts, brew fests, marathons and cycling events. A great place to learn about the Mad River Valley is madrivervalley.com.  It features excellent detail into the activities listed below and much more!

Winter

The Green Mountains provide excellent terrain for skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, cat skiing, backcountry skiing, cross country skiing, sledding, ice skating, snowmobiling, and winter biking.  Skiing, snowboarding, and cat skiing is offered at Sugarbush Resort. Check out Mad River Glen, the only skier-owned mountain in America, and features the Single Chair. Cross country skiing are provided at Ole's Cross Country Ski Center and Blueberry Lake Cross Country and Snowshoeing Center.  Try some backcountry skiing or snowshoeing on many of the area's awesome hiking trails or the Catamount Trail with over 300 miles of trails.  Ice skating is available at The Skatium in Waitsfield Village.  For snowmobiling in the area, check out Vermont Association of Snow Travelers.  Mad River Riders maintains many biking trails around Blueberry Lake which is a prefect place for fat biking. Fat bike rentals available through Fitwerx in Waitsfield.

 Spring

Spring skiing is a great way to end the ski season.  Local mountains have pond skimming and end of season parties.  Just think skiing in t-shirts or your best 80's gear and goggle tans! Spring here in the Mad River Valley offers a wonderful display of every shade of green.  Enjoy watching the scenery come to life as the trees fill in with leaves, the ground sprouts with grass, and beautiful flowers bloom everywhere.  Head to a sugar shack to see how maple syrup is made. This is a great time for kayaking.  The rivers are high from the melting snow, the air is crisp, and the signs of spring are popping up left and right.  

Summer

From sunny days by the water to cruising down the mountainside on your mountain bike, the Mad River Valley is the ultimate place for outdoor activities:  hike, road bike, mountain bike, canoe, kayak, standup paddle board, swim, fish, tube, golf, tennis, glider rides, bird watching, and so much more!  Hikes in the area include Sunset Rock, Mt. Abraham, Camel's Hump, General Starks Mountain and Burnt Rock, just to name a few.  The scenic roads of Vermont make for a breathtaking bike ride.  For a challenging road bike ride try one of the gap roads going up and over the mountains, or for a more leisurely ride try Route 100.  For a ride through the woods try mountain biking on the many trails right here in the Valley.  Go to madriverriders.com for a map of trails in the area.  The Mad River provides a vast amount of excellent swimming holes such as Warren Falls, Warren Riverside Park, Punch Bowl, Lareau swimming hole, Great Eddy swimming hole, and the Mad River Greenway swimming hole.  For water sport rentals and tours, check out Clearwater Sports.  Golfing can be found at Sugarbush Resort Golf Club and offers a challenging mountainside course, designed by infamous Robert Trent Jones. For those tennis players out there, The Family Bridges Resort has what you need.  Like to soar over the Green Mountains?  Sugarbush Soaring will take you on a glider ride to see the beautiful Vermont landscape.  

Summer in the Mad River Valley is full of outdoor events.  Warren is famous for its Fourth of July parade.  The town's main road shuts down and people and handmade floats fill the streets.  Dance in the street until dark, swim in the Mad River to cool off, and then head to Sugarbush for fireworks.  The area is well known for its local breweries and distilleries. Check out Lawson's Finest Liquids Brewery in Waitsfield. Try to get tickets to Siptemberfest or Brewgrass Festival to meet and taste the local selection.  The Waitsfield Farmers Market is also well known for its variety of local crafts and food.  Vermont craft fairs feature the skilled craftsmanship of the area's artisans.  The Vermont Festival of the Arts is held in the area and brings the artists of Vermont together.   

FALL

Fall foliage in Vermont is well worth the trip.  The mountains change color from deep green to fiery reds, oranges, and yellows.  Leaf peepers come from near and far to drive along the scenic roads.  Picture a long dirt road with crops being harvested, cows roaming the fields, watercolored mountains, and brilliant, bluebird skies.  Check out one of the many harvest festivals or country fairs that are held at this time of year.  Vermont is well known for the Champlain Valley Fair and Tunbridge Worlds Fair but most towns have one too.  Head to the mountains, Sugarbush or Mad River Glen, for a colorful foliage chairlift ride.  Many cycling races are held in Autumn including the Green Mountain Stage Race and Mad River Century Ride.  Local farms have a great selection of pumpkins for your Halloween festivities.  It is hard to beat the views that Vermont has to offer in peek foliage. Optimal viewing times are between September and October.