Smugglers’ Notch Backside

The backside of Smugglers’ Notch isn’t the tourist-friendly paved road—it’s the gnarly rock scramble that bootleggers used during Prohibition to haul Canadian whiskey into Vermont. This technical 4×4 route climbs the north face of Mount Mansfield through a maze of granite boulders and root-bound ledges, with obstacles like ‘Whiskey Rock’ and ‘Revenue Agent’s Revenge’ that’ll test your spotter’s nerves. The payoff is accessing some of the state’s most remote camping spots above treeline, with views across the Champlain Valley that made this smuggling route legendary.

Expert-level wheeling only—lockers, skid plates, and 35-inch tires minimum, plus a capable spotter who knows Vermont granite. The route is impassable from November through May due to snow, and even summer attempts require dry conditions since wet granite becomes ice-slick. No official permits, but respect private land boundaries near the base. This isn’t about mileage—it’s about conquering Vermont’s most technical terrain and camping where few dare to tread.