Welcome to Huntington
July 25, 2026
When you think of Vermont towns known for outdoor adventure, Stowe, Warren, Stratton, and Killington probably top your list. But Huntington deserves a spot, too.
My husband and I almost bought a home in Huntington nearly 20 years ago. We opted for Underhill instead (and then decided to move to Burlington a few years later.)
While visiting Huntington a few days ago, I felt a pang of regret. I imagined what our lives might have been like for us in this small and beautiful community.
Not only is Huntington home to Camel’s Hump, it’s also where you’ll find the Green Mountain Audubon Center, Camel’s Hump Ski and Bike Center, and the Huntington River.
You’ll also find dirt roads, farm stands, and plenty of of small-town charm.
Huntington sits about 30 minutes south of Burlington. The town runs along the Huntington River and along the western slopes of the Green Mountains.
Originally called New Huntington, it once covered a much larger area, including the southern half of Richmond and extending to the Winooski River near the Old Round Church.
Home to Camel’s Hump
-Hiking trails to the summit of Camel’s Hump.
Camel’s Hump is Vermont’s most iconic and beloved mountain. Glaciers during the last Ice Age carved its distinctive shape.
The mountain is also Vermont’s third-highest peak, tied with Mount Ellen, and is the state’s highest undeveloped summit.
The Abenaki people called the mountain Tawapodiiwajo, meaning “place to sit in mountain,” “saddle mountain,” or “mountain seat/resting place.”
On early maps, Camel’s Hump appeared under different names, such as “Resting Lion” and “The Camel’s Rump.”
-Most roads in Huntington are dirt roads.
Fires and Heavy Logging in the Past
In 1859, entrepreneur Samuel Ridley opened the Green Mountain House, a mountain resort about a third of a mile below the summit. The business struggled financially and was destroyed by fire in 1875.
Then in 1903, a major fire swept across Camel’s Hump, burning thousands of acres. The damage from the 1903 fire, combined with years of heavy logging, alarmed environmental conservationists like Joseph Battell, who owned land on the mountain.
In 1911, Battell donated 1,147 acres—including the summit of Camel’s Hump—to the state, ensuring it would remain protected forever.
Today, Camel’s Hump State Park covers more than 21,000 acres of forest, wildlife habitat, and rare alpine plants.
The Burrows and Forest City hiking trails, both located off Camel’s Hump Road, offer scenic routes to the summit.
Huntington at a Glance
-The Huntington Public Library in the heart of town is located in the Union Meeting House, a converted church.
Population: Around 1,800
Place names:
Hanksville, which got its name from a former postmaster’s last name, according to Esther Swift’s Vermont Place Names: Footprints in History.
Forest City, which was a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp named after the former Forest City Lumber Company (or Forest Mills) saw mill complex.
Miles of dirt roads: 34 (source: State of Vermont)
Best road name (in my opinion!): Happy Hollow Road
Places of interest:
Camel’s Hump Nordic Ski Center
Crouching Lion Maple Sugar Farm
-The Green Mountain Audubon Center in Huntington includes five miles of public trails wind their way through 255 acres of northern hardwood forest, hemlock swamp, meadows, and a bird-friendly sugarbush.