Fairlee: Discover the lake, forest and nature

Fairlee combines an expansive lake with forest trails, scenic viewpoints and special natural areas. The town also offers cultural events and winter activities. You can decide whether you would like to spend most of your time by the water, on longer trails, in nature areas or enjoying cultural experiences. This personal preference can also be a good starting point when looking for a vacation rental in Fairlee.

Lake Fairlee and mountain views

The natural Lake Fairlee is 2 miles long and covers 462 acres. It extends across Thetford, Fairlee and West Fairlee. Its size and location across several towns make it a defining feature of the local landscape. If you are interested in nature around Fairlee, Bald Top Mountain also offers a viewpoint with panoramic views of the surrounding Vermont hills and the White Mountains in New Hampshire. The lake and mountain offer different perspectives on the landscape: the expansive body of water here, and views across hills and mountains there.

A waterfall is another distinctive natural feature: Glen Falls Brook has an 80-foot cascade and waterfall just above its inlet into Lake Morey. Lake Morey and Lake Fairlee are two different lakes. Together with the view from Bald Top Mountain, they offer a range of different landscape features without requiring a single shared route.

Trails in Fairlee Forest and on Morey Mountain

Fairlee Forest has about 25 miles of walkable forest roads and hiking trails. Another notable route is the 36-mile Cross Rivendell Hiking Trail, which crosses Fairlee Forest from east to west. These two figures describe different aspects of the trail network: the approximate total length of the walkable forest roads and hiking trails in the forest, and a named, longer-distance hiking trail. If you enjoy exploring on foot, these distances can help you decide how much room to give hiking in your travel plans.

The Morey Mountain Conservation Area has four miles of loop trails that pass through most of the area. The trail network allows you to take a self-guided tour through its diverse natural areas. The area also includes parts of a Hemlock-Sphagnum Acidic Basin Swamp, a natural community that is rare in the state of Vermont. Fairlee therefore offers different ways to experience nature: longer forest routes, loop trails in the conservation area, and distinctive natural features such as the rare swamp habitat.

Culture at the town hall and on the Common

Fairlee Town Hall is listed on the register of historic places. Upstairs, there is a hall with a historic painted curtain that is available for events. The curtain is an unusual detail that gives the event space its own historical character. Fairlee Community Arts holds winter events in the town hall auditorium.

In summer, Fairlee Community Arts holds a concert series on the Common in Fairlee. The summer concerts and winter events take place in different seasons and venues. This lets you include cultural interests in your travel plans, without limiting Fairlee to hiking or scenic experiences.

Winter and wildlife watching

In winter, Fairlee and the Lake Morey Resort host the Skating Trail. This is a distinct seasonal highlight alongside the summer offerings. Nearby, the “LoonCam” monitors nesting loons—for everyone’s enjoyment and to help protect them. It adds the opportunity to observe nesting birds to the area’s nature experiences.

Whether you want to focus on the lake, trails, special habitats, viewpoints or cultural events during your stay, Fairlee offers several distinct interests to guide your trip. When choosing a vacation rental, you can start by considering which of these aspects of the town matters most to your plans for exploring the area.

Discover more destinations on the pages for Newbury and Corinth.

For the regional travel overview: Orange.