Vermont Route 65 Kelley Stand Road

Route 65, known locally as Kelley Stand Road, follows an 1800s turnpike through the heart of the Green Mountains, climbing over 2,500 feet to reach Kelley Stand – a windswept clearing where an old hotel once served travelers crossing between valleys. The road punches through dense hardwood forest before emerging onto exposed ridgelines with views stretching to the White Mountains. At mile 8, you’ll pass the stone foundations of Somerset Reservoir’s construction camp, where crews built the dam that flooded the original valley settlement.

This is high-clearance territory with some steep, rocky sections that’ll test your approach angles, especially the final climb to Kelley Stand itself. The state closes it November through April due to snow, making May through October your window. Stock SUVs can handle it in dry conditions, but rain turns the clay sections treacherous. No camping allowed along the route, but Arlington and West Wardsboro offer resupply. The reward is legitimate New England backcountry and a connection to Vermont’s logging and farming heritage that most tourists never see.