Located in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, this mountain is a utopia for dogs and dog lovers. The place is filled with so much joy and playfulness that your heart will want to explode as you're taking it all in.
Set on 150 acres of mountaintop in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, Dog Mountain features hiking trails, meadows, dog ponds, a dog chapel, and an art gallery/gift shop with all things dog. The grounds are open to the public at all times and dogs are welcome to run off-leash. Throughout the year, Dog Mountain hosts free outdoor concerts and dog parties, plus a Sunday evening summer music series presented by Catamount Arts. These playful community events attract hundreds of people and their dogs, many returning year after year.
This dog heaven was created by the late Stephen Huneck, an artist who clearly adored his dogs. He also gave them wings in many of the dog sculptures placed throughout the property.
Stephen Huneck was a woodcarver, artist and author of a NY Times best-selling children's book series inspired by his black lab, Sally. After recovering from an illness that left him in a coma for two months, Stephen was inspired to build a Dog Chapel, "a place where people can go to celebrate the spiritual bond they have with their dogs." When the Dog Chapel was completed in 2000, Stephen invited all visitors to put up a photo of their departed dog and write what their dog meant to them. Today, every space of the Dog Chapel walls are covered with photos and messages of love to cherished dogs.
Visiting Dog Chapel is a moving experience. As we entered the building modeled after an 1820s Vermont church, I was enveloped by the love that dogs bring into our lives and the inevitable sadness of losing a cherished pet. Walking past the thousands of joyful dog photos and love letters written by family members, it's hard not to get emotional. This chapel is truly a special place and I can imagine I'll be leaving my own photos here someday, hopefully many, many years from now.
You can experience Stephen Huneck's work by wandering through his gallery and shop, housed in a renovated farmhouse on the property. Here you will find original wood-cut prints, furniture, gifts, cards - all whimsical depictions of dogs. I could have spent a fortune here, but limited myself to some t-shirts for our boys and a couple of small holiday gifts. It was an exercise in restraint as Stephen's artwork would fill any home with endless pleasure.
There are fields, ponds, agility courses, and dog ponds at Dog Mountain. We decided to explore the 1.5-mile Yellow, Green and Blue Trail Loop listed on All Trails. Here is a trail map from the Dog Mountain website. This easy, wooded loop begins with the Angel Dog Overlook, which isn't included in the All Trails map, but it's an easy spur trail that is well worth the visit since it includes an open grassy area, views, and sculptures.
From here, you'll wind along quiet trails that eventually lead back to the start of the loop. On your return to the trailhead, take the trail to the left, which leads down to the dog play area and pond. If you have a social dog, this is where the party's at.
Dog Mountain is just 30 minutes from the Burke Mountain Hotel, which is where we stayed during our visit. I would highly recommend this hotel because it's family-friendly, reasonably priced (off-season anyway), includes a pub and restaurant, and also offers some dog-friendly rooms. Our room was modern, clean, and surprisingly large with a kitchenette to boot. The food was meh, but you can't beat the convenience of a quick elevator ride to your dinner and breakfast.
We also hiked Mount Pisgah while here, which is just a 20-minute drive from the hotel. This hike was glorious, but I haven't written about it yet, so you'll just have to wait for next week's post. I hope you and your dog make it to Dog Mountain and enjoy the pristine beauty of the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont!
"I’ve received inspiration to accomplish certain things in life, and that figures into a bigger equation. You have to give to get."
- Stephen Huneck