Vermont Route 108 Smugglers’ Notch

The boulder field at the top of Smugglers’ Notch earned its name from Prohibition-era rum runners, but today it challenges overlanders with one of New England’s tightest mountain passes. Route 108 climbs 2,162 feet through Stowe State Forest, threading between massive granite boulders that scrape anything wider than a standard pickup. The King Rock and Elephant Head formations create natural gates that have claimed mirrors and roofracks for decades.

This moderate route demands patience over clearance—stock vehicles handle it fine, but the 15% grades and hairpin turns require low gears and careful spotting. Closed from late October through May, summer months offer the best conditions with multiple pullouts for camping in Green Mountain National Forest. The payoff is quintessential Vermont wilderness and bragging rights for conquering the state’s most infamous pass. Fuel up in Stowe or Jeffersonville before the climb.