Stir crazy? Here's more than a dozen scenic drives you can explore without leaving Vermont

The long-awaited reopening of the Mountain Road through Smugglers Notch — Vermont 108 — not only marks the defeat of winter but talso he opening of one of the state's most postcard-worthy drives. 

What other routes are worth the seeking just for the sights? What roads are more eye candy than commute fodder? The tough part of creating that list is deciding where to start. Or end.

By no means a definitive list, here are some options for staycation road-tripping around the Green Mountain State: 

Keep it 100

Arguably the most famous stretch of blacktop is picturesque Vermont 100. It winds more than 200 miles from Stamford, on the Massachusetts border, to Newport, near the Canadian border, making Route 100 the longest numbered highway in the state.

And it's hard to go wrong any of it.

The bottom 146 miles are designated the Scenic Route 100 Byway. The portion from Waitsfield to Morrisville is also well-known to the ski and beer-seeking crowd. My favorite bit, though, is the least-populated: From Pittsfield to Warren, through tiny Hancock and Granville.

Smugglers Notch

Infamous Vermont 108 takes motorists from Stowe to Jeffersonville through Smugglers Notch. 

Why is it infamous? Well, in addition to being closed to vehicular traffic during the winter — but a one-of-a-kind commute for those on skis — it routinely sees large trucks get snarled in its narrow bends. Trucks, it should be noted, that they are warned not to use the pass, which is so tight and treacherous that it can't fit the double-yellow line!

Oh, and the Notch is also gorgeous.

The Islands

Whether crossing the causeway from Colchester to South Hero or skipping from Swanton to Alburgh and points south from Vermont 78, the islands are a laid-back, low-slung ride through the middle of Lake Champlain. The state's most westerly miles of US 2 are your main artery here.

Surrounded by water, with mountains in the distance to the east and west, Isle La Motte, North Hero and Grand Isle feel like a different world from much of the rest of Vermont.

Pick your Gap!

All of the east-west crossings through the Green Mountains have breathtaking views. All are worth the adventure — as long as your engine and brakes are up to the task. The big four between US 4 and I-89 are: 

► Brandon Gap: The furthest south of the four options is scaling Vermont 73 from Brandon to Rochester, each mile east growing more and more remote — or less and less if driving west from Route 100.

► Middlebury Gap: Vermont 125 snakes from US 7 in East Middlebury through Ripton, Middlebury's yellow-clad Breadloaf campus, the Snow Bowl ski hill in Hancock and down to Vermont 100. The winding, riverside portions on either side, with trees hanging overhead, are particularly special.

► Lincoln Gap: The highest elevation of the four at more than 2,400 feet, it is not plowed in the winter and only partially paved.

► Appalachian Gap: The App Gap on Vermont 17 takes you from Route 116, a beautiful ride in its own right, to 100 in the Mad River Valley.

US 2 — Plainfield to St. Johnsbury

The main thoroughfare from Montpelier to St. Johnsbury is US 2, which really hits its stride from Plainfield to Danville. Landscapes flow from pastoral to wilderness, with small rivers and well-known, simply named Joes Pond at the road side before the view opens up in Danville as the road descends toward the hub of the Northeast Kingdom.

US 7 — Bennington to Manchester

Climbing onto the western slopes of the Green Mountains, US 7 allows a high-speed option to get from Bennington to Dorset with only a handful of entrances and exits. high-elevation perspective offers sweeping views and ample wildlife sighting — I maintain I saw a large, wild cat near Glastenbury several years ago (everyone else says it was impossible).

An alternative to the limited-access highway is the Historic 7A, which offers a close-up view of Manchester, Arlington, Shaftsbury and Bennington as it links the lot.

Route 105 — Richford to North Troy

From Richford, Vermont 105 ascends and rounds Jay Peak before tumbling down into North Troy. The route hems close to the Canadian border before unfurling into the heart of the Northeast Kingdom.

Route 5A — Derby to Lake Willoughby

Sparsely populated, the Northeast Kingdom — Orleans, Essex and Caledonia counties — is chock full of scenery. The only question is how far out there do you want to go? 

Vermont 5A between West Burke and Derby meanders past a number of lakes and ponds, including Vermont's deepest, glacial Lake Willoughby. A fun tangent to take is Vermont 58 to the west, through Orleans and Irasburg to Vermont 100.

Route 30 — Middlebury to Dorset

The northern half of Vermont 30 rolls from one valley to the next between Manchester and Middlebury.

It includes the quaint, trim village of Dorset with its pocket-sized green and historic golf course hugging the road side. After that comes the Mettawee River valley and a string of lakes and ponds that press right up to the shoulder — Lake St. Catherine, Lake Bomoseen, Beebe Pond and Lake Hortonia — between fields, meadows and forest.

Route 11 — Manchester to Chester

The best part of this east-west route comes after it splits from Vermont 30 after the climb eastward from Manchester. With Bromley to your left, the valley splays out to your right with multiple ski areas visible, including Stratton's sprawling slopes. Route 11 links up with 100 in Londonderry, but continuing east to Chester is worth the mileage.

For the most adventurous souls, detour and seek out Kelly Stand Road south of Stratton. The rugged dirt road descends to Arlington was washed out completely during Tropical Storm Irene.

Don't forget the back roads, or the big roads

Mile for mile, the state's two biggest highways, I-89 and I-91, boast scenic delights to rival any road of their kind in the US. The pair unfold along and over rivers, up and down hillsides, through mature forests and open fields, and offer impressive vistas at regular intervals.

If a slower pace suits you better, there are no shortage of smaller roads, too. Take a turn and see where they take you.

Pomfret, just north of Woodstock, has its fair share, including Cloudland Farm Road. In the Northeast Kingdom, Town Highway 1 past Lake Caspian is the heart of a network of roads to get you from Craftsbury to Greensboro and Hardwick.

Closer to Burlington, Pleasant Valley Road is a favorite back road from Underhill to Jeffersonville, and Jericho, Richmond and Huntington are rich with diversions from the beaten path. 

Contact Austin Danforth at 651-4851 or edanforth@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @eadanforth.

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