When one man’s dream to bring inn to inn hiking to the United States becomes reality and is kept alive by a team of dedicated people for nearly 50 years, that is something truly worth celebrating! Our last two posts have highlighted people who created inn to inn hiking routes in California and Colorado. Today we’re celebrating Inn to Inn of Vermont, the oldest continually operated route in the US.
A brief history
In the early 1970s, inn to inn hiking did not exist in the US. Mike Shonstrom wanted to change that so in 1975 Mike and a group of six Vermont innkeepers created Country Inns Along the Trail. Since then the name has changed to Inn to Inn, innkeepers have come and gone and trip itineraries have evolved, but they are still operating as a cooperative group.
Interesting Fact #1: The inns are located near the Long Trail, Vermont’s 250 mile “footpath in the wilderness.” The Appalachian Trail was modeled after Vermont’s Long Trail.
Meet the tour director of Inn to Inn hiking in Vermont
Seth Hopkins and his wife Olia are the fourth couple to be stewards of Inn to Inn in Vermont since it spun off as its own entity about forty years ago. The couple is in their 18th season working with Inn to Inn and 16th season as the directors.
We reached out to Seth with some questions and he was happy to oblige.
What prompted the founder to create this route?
Seth: Mike Shonstrom wanted to replicate in America the hut-to-hut hiking he had enjoyed in Europe back in the days of “Europe on $5 a day.” He found that Vermont offered the necessary ingredients in the proper concentration:
- celebrated hiking trails and footpaths appealing to beginning and serious hikers
- hospitality and comfort at the antique country inns that dot the valleys below the ridgeline
- outstanding meals prepared by creative chefs
- local climate supportive of sustainable low-impact tourism
How much work goes into creating and maintaining an inn to inn route?
Seth: At the beginning, the Long Trail was the central feature and it had already been in service for more than 50 years. This was just a way to experience it without camping or carrying all manner of gear with you. The trail is primitive and rugged, so bed-and-board at a country inn with high-quality meals is exceedingly welcome.
As time went on, conversations by hikers over dinners and breakfasts revealed a desire to have other options than the Long Trail. This is where a significant amount of effort was expended in identifying, scouting and creating trail notes (before AllTrails and similar apps). We wanted to allow a menu of options for those seeking less challenge, different distances than LT trailheads allow and more varied scenery. Innkeepers and hikers alike were involved in this collaboration to expand the program.
Now very few of our hikers actually hike several days in a row of the Long Trail. They’re usually on the more interesting side trails, though at least one Long Trail day is still a goal for many.
What advice would you give to someone trying to develop a new inn to inn hike?
Seth: It would be good to bear in mind the differing level of abilities of individual hikers/walkers and try to accommodate them by offering more than one choice for distance/challenge if possible. Hiking and walking are great lifelong activities, but as we age our stamina and other considerations might suggest a different trail or portion of a trail than at an earlier point in our hiking career. This idea has informed our “best trail for the day” format and allows us to help hikers and walkers of all ages and skill level enjoy the outdoors here in Vermont.
What do you like about walking holidays?
Seth: The pace is a good match to Vermont because it is a very human pace, unadulterated by mechanical enhancements like a bicycle or a car. It’s your feet and the trail working together to make a memorable experience. There may have been no better time to s l o w y o u r s e l f d o w n after 2+ years of pandemic and with all the technological marvels to distract us from just breathing fresh air and being people. This is a great way for couples and even intergenerational families to reconnect.
Do you have a favorite walking holiday?
Seth: In 2018 my two brothers and I flew to Ireland and walked portions of the Wild Atlantic Way in the Gaeltacht, where we visited three villages our ancestors had lived, including one house and farm where distant cousins of the same last name still tended the land. In typical American fashion (American amounts of available vacation time), we had to cram as much as we could into 10 days, starting at the northern tip of County Donegal and ending up in County Kerry in the southwest.
Do you have a cautionary tale you'd like to share about inn to inn hiking?
Seth: There are innkeepers/hosts who have a sparkle in their eye. Sometimes you can believe what they’re telling you and sometimes not, and you never really know until you set out whether you’ve been given some education or been given some Blarney. 🙂
Interesting Fact #2: The innkeepers of Inn to Inn have offered some unique tour activities over the years, including skiing, snowshoe hiking, llama trekking, canoeing and a steam train ride.
Read our review of Inn to Inn Vermont and find out why they may be a great choice for your next walking holiday.
