maple syrup factory tour vermont

Visit These 13 Vermont Sugar Houses to Learn How Maple Syrup is Made

By Author Tara Schatz

Posted on Published: February 5, 2024

If not for maple syrup, March in Vermont would be all about mud season.

Thank goodness that the grey days and muddy roads of early spring go hand-in-hand with one of Mother Nature’s most wonderful inventions!

Drive any back road in Vermont during February and March, and you will undoubtedly come across metal buckets hanging on roadside maple trees and lines of plastic tubing running from sugarbush to sugar shack, where clear maple sap is magically converted into pure maple syrup.

Vermont’s 600+ sugarmakers produced 2.5 million gallons of maple syrup in 2022, leading the country in production.

What’s even more exciting is that many Vermont sugar shacks open their doors to the public so that the rest of us can learn how maple syrup goes from tree, to tap, to table each spring.

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2024 Vermont Maple Open House Weekend

The sweetest weekend in Vermont will celebrate the 2024 crop of maple syrup. Visitors will dig into pancake breakfasts, try sugar-on-snow, enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides, and learn about the maple sugaring process with sugarhouse tours.

This is an ideal weekend to visit Vermont, celebrate a time-honored tradition, and stock up on maple syrup and maple products for the coming year.

This year’s two Maple Open House Weekend will be March 2t3h and 24th, 2024. The Vermont sugar shacks listed below are all taking part in the festivities, and you can find even more participants at Vermont Maple Sugar Makers .

What’s more, many of these Vermont sugar houses are open to the public during maple sugaring season (outside of Maple Open House Weekend).

Ready to take advantage of Vermont’s sweetest season? Put these 12 Vermont sugar shacks on your must-visit list!

Vermont Sugar Shacks Map

There are Vermont maple syrup farms and sugar shacks to visit all over the state, but the ones listed below are generally open to the public for tours and farm visits.

Stop in during Vermont Maple Open House Weekend, or anytime you’re visiting Vermont!

The Sugar Shack in Arlington, Vermont

Not only can you witness maple sugaring in person at The Sugar Shack in Arlington, but you can also indulge in delectable maple creemees (or maple waffle sundaes!), purchase real maple syrup and other goodies, and check out the onsite Norman Rockwell exhibit.

The Hawley family has more than 90 years of experience producing award-winning maple syrup, which they sell in four different grades. Samples are available every day, and you can also purchase Vermont products and souvenirs, cheddar cheese, jams, jellies, and fudge. Fresh-baked goodies, including cider donuts, pies, and maple-frosted cookies, are created daily.

During Maple Open House Weekend (March 23 and 24), The Sugar Shack will be giving tours and free samples, as well as free silver dollar pancakes from 10 am to 2 pm. There will be syrup giveaways and plenty of maple products for sale.

The Sugar Shack is currently open Thursday through Saturday, from 9 am to 4 pm. Visitors are welcome to pop into the sugar house to watch the maple-sugaring process firsthand.

Green Mountain Sugarhouse in Ludlow, Vermont

Located on beautiful Vermont Route 100 in North Ludlow, Vermont, Green Mountain Sugarhouse is open year-round. The red-roofed sugarhouse is perched on the edge of Lake Pauline, and there’s no better place to relax with a maple creemee.

In addition to pure maple syrup, Green Mountain Sugarhouse produces other maple specialties including maple cream, maple candy, and maple nut brittle.

Green Mountain Sugarhouse will participate in Vermont Maple Open House Weekend on March 23 and 24, 2024. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., they will serve sugar on maple creemees and donut holes with maple cream.

Outside of Maple Weekend, the Sugarhouse is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm.

Merck Forest & Farmland Center in Rupert, Vermont

A visit to Merck Forest & Farmland Center is an experience that can’t be duplicated. This nonprofit working farm and forest in Rupert, Vermont includes sixty acres of farmland that are managed using low-impact, ecologically sensitive practices.

Visitors to the farm can say hi to the animals and purchase farm products, including pick-your-own blueberries (in the summer), pastured pork, grass-fed lamb, fleece products, and of course, real maple syrup.

Merck Forest is comprised of more than 3,100 acres surrounding the farm, with 30 miles of trails in the Taconic Mountains. The terrain is perfect for snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer.

This forest also provides an abundance of maple syrup. Merck Forest taps approximately 2,900 trees and invites the public to learn more about the process.

Merck Forest & Farmland Center will celebrate Maple Open House on Saturday, March 23, from 11 am – 3 pm. Visitors will be treated to tapping and boiling demonstrations, storytelling, children’s activities, farm animals, and more. A $5 suggested donation per person is appreciated.

Read Next: Delightfully Rustic Cabin Camping at Merck Forest & Farmland Center

Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks in Montpelier, Vermont

Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks , Vermont’s oldest sugarhouse, is an 8th-generation farm in Montpelier that loves visitors.

They offer free sugar house tours and tastings throughout the season, as well as multimedia displays, a nature trail, a country store, and an outdoor Vermont farm life museum.

Morse Farm is open daily year-round. Visitors can walk the “maple trail’ winding through the sugarbush and visit Rex and James, the Morse Farm goats.  Pieces of folk art and antique farm implements can be found throughout the property.

Be sure to try one of Morse Farm’s famous maple creemees, which are available all year long.

Sugarbush Farm in Woodstock, Vermont

Sugarbush Farm is located on 550 beautiful acres outside of Woodstock, Vermont. Not only does the Luce family make wonderfully rich maple syrup, but they also specialize in award-winning cheese, including extra sharp cheddar and smoked maple cheese.

Sugarbush Farm is open every day from 9 am to 5 pm. During sugaring season, you can visit the sugar house and learn more about the art of making maple syrup. During other times of the year, you are free to walk the sugarbush and watch a short video about how maple syrup is made.

You will likely find delicious cheese samples to savor and farm animals to visit with. The views are gorgeous no matter what time of year you choose to visit.

During Maple Open House Weekend, Sugarbush Farm will be offering tours and providing samples.

Read Next: Plan a Fall Weekend in Woodstock, Vermont

Bragg Farm Sugarhouse and Gift Shop in East Montpelier, Vermont

With more than 2,200 traditional sap buckets and a wood-fired evaporator, Bragg Farm Sugarhouse and Gift Shop in East Montpelier has been making syrup the old-fashioned way for eight generations.

The Bragg Farm sugarhouse is open year-round, not to mention the enticing maple ice cream parlor and gift shop, which carries a large selection of Vermont crafts, gifts, and specialty foods.

During Maple Open House Weekend, Bragg Farm will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Stop in for a maple creemee or milkshake, maple-frosted donuts, or sugar-on-snow sundaes before visiting the farm goats.

Take a free guided tour of the sugarhouse and sample Vermont’s finest maple syrup before choosing a bottle to bring home for your pancake breakfasts and maple lattes.

Baird Farm in North Chittenden, Vermont

Established in 1918, Baird Farm encompasses 560 acres of forest and fields in North Chittenden. This Vermont farm is known for its certified organic maple syrup, as well as maple syrup infused with either mint or spruce tips (great for cocktails).

Baird Farm is participating in Vermont Maple Open House Weekend on March 23 and 24 from 10 am to 4 pm with free sugarhouse and sugarbush tours, maple tastings, free rosemary waffles, outdoor maple activities and giveaways, and tree tapping demonstrations at 1 pm.

Mount Holly Beer Co. will be serving maple-themed beer, and the farm store will be open to purchase all of your maple goodies.

Outside of Maple Open House Weekend, Baird Farm is open year-round from Wednesday to Monday, 9 am to 5 pm. Free tours must be booked in advance.

Bread Loaf View Farm in Cornwall, Vermont

Bread Loaf Farm maintains a 30-acre sugarbush in Cornwall, Vermont, just three miles from Middlebury College. Head sugar maker Kenn Hastings manages the sugarbush and produces intensely flavorful maple syrup and maple products for all to enjoy.

Bread Loaf Farm is dedicated to combining time-honored maple sugaring practices with cutting-edge technology to produce the richest, most delicious syrup imaginable.

Throughout the year, Bread Loaf View Farm hosts numerous community-wide gatherings including pancake breakfasts, group tours, and special events.

Mahar Maple Farm in Middletown Springs, Vermont

Welcome to Mahar Maple Farm, where the Durfee and Mahar families have created a small Vermont maple sugar farm together in the beautiful, picturesque mountains of Middletown Springs. Mahar Maple Farm combines traditional sugaring techniques with modern technology to make flavorful, award-winning Vermont maple syrup.

The Sugarhouse will be open for Vermont Maple Open House Weekend. Visitors are welcome to visit the state-of-the-art, wood-fired evaporator in a spacious sugarhouse. There will be free samples, maple snacks, and specialty maple products for sale.

You are welcome to visit Mahar Maple Farm outside of Maple Weekend, but appointments are suggested as boiling times and days are weather-dependent.

Silloway Maple in Randolph Center, Vermont

Silloway Maple , located just off Interstate 89 in Randolph Center, Vermont, has been boiling sap into syrup since the 1940s. Their award-winning Vermont maple syrup is made using solar power and a traditional wood fire.

Visit Silloway to witness the process of boiling sap into syrup, or visit year-round to learn about the history of maple syrup, tour the sugarbush, enjoy maple creemees, and stock up on maple products.

Judd’s Wayeeses Farms in Morgan, Vermont

Formerly the Wayeeses Boys Camp that operated from 1923 until World War II, Judd’s Wayeeses Farm in Morgan is a fourth-generation sugaring operation specializing in pure maple syrup and maple sugar.

You can visit the farm anytime and purchase syrup at the onsite cannery or strap on snowshoes to trek about a mile to the sugarhouse. To find out if they are boiling in the spring, give them a call at (802) 895-4418.

Want to spend more time in the region? Rent the nearby cottage on Seymour Lake in the summer months for $125 a night.

Shelburne Sugarworks in Shelburne, Vermont

Shelburne Sugarworks is a third-generation operation that started during World War II when Marjorie Palmer began making maple syrup when traditional cane sugar was rationed.

Since those humble beginnings, the Palmer family has expanded the sugarhouse and incorporated new technology, including a natural gas-fired evaporator, expanded tubing and vacuum systems, and a reverse osmosis system for more efficient processing.

Shelburne Sugarworks opens the doors to its post-and-beam sugarhouse every weekend from early March to early April, from 12 – 5 pm.

During Vermont Maple Open House Weekend, they will offer free samples, maple cotton candy, maple ice cream, and guided tours. Don your snow boots (or snow shoes) for a walk in the sugarbush.

The 170 acres of woodland trails around Shelburne Sugarworks are open for hiking and mountain biking all year.

Trapp Family Lodge Sugarhouse in Stowe, Vermont

In the early 1940s, the von Trapp family toured the United States as the Trapp Family Singers before eventually settling in Stowe, Vermont. Today, visitors are welcome to come stay in their Austrian-style lodge on 2,600 acres. Trails crisscross the property, and there are several restaurants and a brewery onsite.

Every March, when the days become longer and warmer, maple sugaring begins at Trapp Family Lodge , where 800 gallons of maple syrup are produced the old-fashioned way, using sap buckets and a wood-fired evaporator.

Visitors can book a Maple Sugar Tour during their visit. It’s a casual, one-mile hike around the property where you learn about maple sugaring before enjoying a tasty treat. While you’re there, you can visit with the lambs and cows, hike or bike a trail, or dine in one of the fantastic restaurants or the Von Trapp Brewery.

Read Next: Easy and Moderate Day Hikes Near Stowe, Vermont

More Vermont Maple Events to Check Out in 2024

Vermont Maple Open House Weekend may be the most anticipated maple event of the year, but it’s not the only one! Here are a few more ways to indulge in and learn about Vermont’s liquid gold!

• March 11, 2024: Governor’s Annual Tree Tapping : Join Governor Phill Scott at  Buck Family Maple Farm  in Washington County for this year’s tapping to kick off the maple season. The ceremony begins at 11 am.
• March 23, 2024 : 16th Lunenburg Maple Festival : Enjoy a pancake breakfast, a student sugaring demonstration, raffles, door prizes, maple cotton candy, tours of six sugarhouses, and pie!
• March 30, 2024: Lambing and Maple Sugaring at Shelburne Farms : Shelburne Farms invites you to their spring event! Visit the sugarhouse and taste this year’s syrup, then visit the new lambs. Ages 6 and up. $5.
• April 20, 2024: Kingdom Maple Festival in St. Johnsbury : Celebrate St. Johnsbury’s history as the “Maple Center of the World.” The festival will showcase local maple history and producers, along with delicious treats and fun activities for the whole family.
• April 26-28, 2024: 57th Annual Vermont Maple Festival in St. Albans : This huge celebration of all things maple includes live entertainment, tours of Vermont sugar shacks, an annual sap run, a maple parade, maple photography and cooking contests, and a Fiddler’s Variety Show.

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Tara Schatz is a freelance writer and the founder and editor-in-chief of Vermont Explored and Back Road Ramblers , an American road trip blog. She is also the co-author of the 3rd edition of AMC’s Best Day Hikes in Vermont, released in May 2023, and the author of 100+ Wonderful Ways to Experience Vermont.

Saturday 9th of March 2024

Hi everybody! This year between 8/16; 17(my 59th Birthday); 18/24, I'm planning on visiting the best Vermont Sugar Shack! Out of the 12 Vermont Sugar Shacks that's listed on this website, which is the best one to visit that has all the amenities? Thank you.

Wednesday 13th of March 2024

@Tara Schatz,

I understand!

I Googled Merck Forest as well as Shelburne Sugarworks.

What I'm seeking is the best near by hotel lodging; tour of the grounds on what it has to offer to give the best experience possible; a decent breakfast, lunch and dinner restaurant as well as a souvenir shop. If possible, all close to the proximity of each establishment!

I'm just looking for a complete package to give my Birthday the most enjoyable experience as possible!

Tara Schatz

This is a hard question to answer as they are all so different! Merck Forest is has a great sugaring operation, plus they have farm animals and hiking trails, so that would be my pick in Southern Vermont. I love Shelburne Sugarworks up north and Baird Farm. So hard to choose!

Haunted Vermont, Folklore & much more…

Vermont’s World Famous Maple Syrup and Sugar Houses to Visit

Vermont is known for its high-quality maple syrup , which has been an important part of the state's culture and economy for centuries. The history of maple syrup production in Vermont dates back to the indigenous peoples who inhabited the region. These early inhabitants, including the Abenaki, Iroquois, and Algonquin tribes, discovered that maple trees produced a sweet sap that could be collected and transformed into syrup or sugar. They used the syrup as a sweetener and as a trade item with other tribes and European settlers.

Famous Vermont Maple Syrup

Maple syrup production became more widespread in Vermont in the 19th century, as settlers learned how to tap the trees and collect the sap. The process of making maple syrup involves drilling a hole into a maple tree and inserting a spout, or tap. The tap is connected to a bucket or a plastic tubing system that collects the sap as it flows out of the tree. The sap is then boiled down to reduce its water content, resulting in maple syrup.

Vermont's maple syrup industry has grown significantly over the years, and today the state is one of the largest producers of maple syrup in the United States. Vermont's maple syrup is known for its high quality and distinctive flavor, and it is enjoyed by people around the world.

Vermont maple syrup is known for its rich, smooth flavor and high quality

It is produced in the state of Vermont, which is known for its maple trees and maple syrup production. Vermont maple syrup is made by tapping maple trees and collecting the sap, which is then boiled down to create the syrup. Vermont is known for producing some of the best maple syrup in the world, and many people consider it to be a specialty product. The flavor of Vermont maple syrup is often described as being rich and complex, with notes of caramel, vanilla, and nuts. It is often used as a sweetener and flavor enhancer in a variety of dishes, including pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, and other breakfast foods. Many people also enjoy using Vermont maple syrup as a topping for ice cream, yogurt, and other desserts.

These are a few popular Vermont maple syrup farms in northern Vermont for you to visit this Spring

In no particular order, these are five of the best Vermont maple farms that you will find while driving around northern Vermont. To be fair, there are many others including some small, family farms such as the Thompson Family Farm in Colchester which is certainly one of the best! We will be expanding this article to feature more sugar makers in the future but for now, these truly are some of the best places to visit. An older article about Vermont maple sugaring and maple syrup can be found here .

Here are just a few of the Vermont maple syrup farms that offer a wide range of maple products, gifts and fun things to do for the entire family.

Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks

Visit the Morse Sugarworks a few miles on the outskirts of Montpelier, Vermont for walk-through tours, tasting, multimedia displays, a nature trail, an authentic country store, and outdoor activities on the grounds of a rural farm experience. Visit an outdoor Vermont farm life museum making up the Morse Farm experience. Sprinkled throughout the property, are whimsical carved folk life characters created by Burr Morse.

Morse Farm is open daily year round, but their hours do vary with the seasons. June 12 – August 29 open 10 AM to 7 PM August 30 – December 31 open 10 AM to 5:00 PM New Years Day – June 11 open 10 AM to 5 PM

Goodrich's Maple Farm

Nothing tastes better than the taste of True Vermont Maple Syrup . This is the most loved natural sweetener from the Green Mountains of the state. Checkout maple syrup and maple recipes at Goodrich’s Maple Farm Facebook Page .

A 40,000 tap operation. Enjoy free educational tours of the maple process & their sugarhouse. Bus tours welcome. Large groups welcome. Learn all about Vermont maple from their trees to your table. Gift shop, taster's table. Retail, Wholesale & Mail order. Maple syrup, candies & confections. Local Crafts & Gifts. Conveniently located on US RT 2, in Cabot, VT, just minutes from other local Northeast Kingdom attractions. Handicapped accessible. Sugar on snow parties in season.

Bragg Farm Sugar House & Gift Shop

Visit their Maple Ice Cream Parlor, Gift Shop, and Tasting Table to view a great selection of Vermont items and specially selected maple products and cheese. Shop their retail gift shop and ice cream parlor.

Vermont Maple Syrup Recipes

You can order Vermont maple syrup here and get started with some of the following recipes below, which are from the May 3, 1922, issue of the Orleans County Monitor : Courtesy of the Vermont Northland Journal

• Maple Candy Two cups maple honey, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoonful soda, lump of butter half as big as an egg. Boil until brittle when dropped in water and then take off and cool on plates. When cold, pull and cut up.
• Maple Cream Two cups of maple sugar, one-half cup of cream. Let it boil until it hairs [forms threads off the side of the spoon] and then stir in one cup of nuts, butternuts preferable. Pour into buttered tins and when nearly cold cut in squares.
• Maple Sugar Fudge Two cups of white sugar, one cup of maple sugar, two-thirds cup of sweet milk. Cook 12 minutes after it begins to boil. Remove from stove and add a piece of butter the size of a walnut and 1 cup of walnut meats. Stir until it thickens then pour into a buttered tin. When nearly cold cut in squares.

A few More Maple Syrup Recipes – Order Vermont Maple Syrup here

• Maple syrup pudding: Combine 1 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Pour into individual serving dishes and chill in the fridge until set.
• Maple syrup cookies: Cream together 1/2 cup of butter, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup of brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 egg and 1/2 cup of maple syrup. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined. Drop spoonfuls of the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
• Maple syrup ice cream: In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of heavy cream, 1 cup of whole milk, 3/4 cup of maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool. Once the mixture has cooled, churn it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm.
• Maple syrup granola: Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups of rolled oats, 1 cup of chopped nuts (such as almonds or pecans), 1/2 cup of maple syrup, 1/4 cup of melted coconut oil, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Spread the mixture out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the granola is golden brown and fragrant. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
• Maple syrup bread pudding: Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together 4 cups of stale bread cubes, 2 cups of milk, 1/2 cup of maple syrup, 1/4 cup of butter, 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the pudding is set and the top is golden brown.
• Maple syrup fudge: In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of maple syrup, 1 cup of sugar, and 4 tablespoons of butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of mini marshmallows and 1 cup of chocolate chips until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour the fudge into a greased 8×8-inch pan and refrigerate until set.

A Sweet Bit of History – Making Maple Syrup in Vermont

The following article is from the December 20, 1873, issue of the Essex County Herald:

Maple Sugar Making

The manufacture of Maple Sugar is an important interest to farmers in this vicinity, and the idea of making a superior article is getting to be of greater moment every year.

Now is a good time to think and get ready to act. The first requisite is neatness or cleanliness, in everything pertaining to the business.

Harvesting Maple Sap

In tapping the tree one-half inch hole is big enough, cut with an instrument that will cut as smooth and with as little bruising as possible so as to leave the grains open. As to the depth, the outside grains are the best, but the sap circulates freely so far as the wood is white some time during the season.

To bore through to where the wood is colored is injurious. Some kind of spout or conductor with a small aperture fitting the hole nicely so as to make tight without marring the tree unnecessarily and prevent the hole from seasoning, which very quickly checks the flow of sap. Catch in wooden buckets, kept clean and sweet by washing and scalding. Tin buckets will make white sugar, but as the season advances sugar made from sap caught in tin buckets will have terribly repulsive and disagreeable taste, caused by the action of the sun on the tin. If one wishes to make a nice article be must gather often, even if sap runs slowly. Boil quickly in shallow pans with skimmer in hand; have a hand to stand right over it and give his or her whole attention to it, and you can have the sap in your boiling pan quite shallow and boil very rapidly, putting in cold sap often and skimming continually.

Boiling Maple Sap

Boil small batches, washing your boiling pan often. The heater with tubes is saving of wood, does the work rapidly, but boils in the scum and so colors the sugar. We prefer fine even threaded cotton cloth for strainer, running it through before it gets so sweet as not to go through readily.

Now for some of the things we have to contend with. One of the worst is silex or silicia [silicic] acid, more or less pervading the sap as it comes from the tree, colorless and kept nearly so if you are particular; if careless, a black gritty substance on the boiling pan and in the sugar. This substance is not discernable till near the granulating point or very thick molasses. It can be got rid of in this state by settling. Another difficulty is the grit or dust blown from the bark and lichens on the trees, some of which will go through almost any filter or strainer; the remedy for this is skimming and settling.

Another thing to contend with is rinsing from maple bark in stormy weather, which not only colors but is better when it is very bad. I throw it away sometimes and sometimes boil it but do not put it into the market. After all, sourness or acidity is the most troublesome thing in the manufacture of sugar to contend with. Washing and scalding are my remedies. Those using the patent evaporators, so far as I have been acquainted, come very short of making as white sugar as we are able to with the common pan. When the Vermont State Fair met at St. Johnsbury , the specimens presented there from the evaporator were decidedly inferior to what we are able to manufacture with common pan. Cooling and heating have a tendency to color the syrup.

If there is anything in the sap before it is boiled that can be filtered out, it is well to do so. If these few hints shall help anyone to improve the quality of their sugar the desired object of the writer will be gained.

Lunenburg, Vt., Dec. 15, 1873

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• Visit a real-life sugarhouse on these Vermont maple syrup tours

Each fall, thousands of travelers journey to Vermont for its rolling hills dappled with autumn colors. Much of the vibrant foliage belongs to the sugar maple, Vermont’s state tree and the source of its famous maple syrup. From the first metal sap spout in the 19th century to the local sugarhouses still thriving today, the tradition of harvesting maple syrup every spring is deeply woven into Vermont’s history. Be sure to experience it with a sugarhouse tour when you book one of our Vermont vacation rentals.

Baird Farm – Chittenden

Tucked away on 560 acres, Baird Farm harvests some of Vermont’s finest syrup. The farm produces certified organic syrup via strict USDA and VOF (Vermont Organic Farmers) guidelines. Learn about the process on a guided tour, which you can schedule on their website.

Baird’s gift shop is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, and the sugarhouse offers free samples anytime. It’s a family operation in a gorgeous corner of the state!

Vermont vacation rentals near Baird Farm

K. Ruane Maple Farm – Tinmouth

K. Ruane Maple Farm is a small, family-run operation where guests are welcome year-round. They love giving tours of their farm and produce a whopping 3,200 gallons of maple syrup every year. If you make it out during open house weekend, you’ll be treated to fresh pancakes topped with their signature syrup.

Sugarbush Cheese and Maple Farm – Woodstock

Around 8,500 trees produce the Luce family’s famous maple syrup at Sugarbush Farm , open to tourists nearly every day of the year. Taste four different grades of syrup as you learn about the sugaring process, and sample some homemade cheddar while you’re at it.

A nature trail winds through the woods, taking you past the farm’s animals and trees. Every part of the year offers something different here, from peak sugaring season to the bustling summer months to enchanted snowy holidays.

Green Mountain Sugar House – Ludlow

Make Green Mountain Sugar House a destination on your quest for the best maple syrup. This down-home operation educates visitors about sugaring and, of course, offers samples.

Visit the gift shop for all manners of maple products, including a crowd-pleasing pancake mix and syrup combo package. Order a maple creemee—Green Mountain’s signature maple soft serve in a cone—and enjoy it on the spacious lawn.

Vermont vacation rentals near Green Mountain Sugar House

Mitch’s Maples – Chester

A sugaring staple for over 70 years, Mitch’s Maples opens their sugarhouse daily to the public, selling their wares and showing off the sugaring process. During the harvest season in the spring, they offer tours on the weekends while the syrup is boiling.

Maple syrup isn’t the only treat to come from trees here—maple candy and maple cream fill the shop’s shelves, too. If you’re craving their sweets after a visit, Mitch’s products can be purchased online, so you can restock your maple stash from anywhere.

Goodrich’s Maple Farm – Cabot

Ever been to a sugar on snow party? Goodrich’s hosts them during the sugaring season when there’s snow on the ground. Here, hot syrup (231 degrees, to be exact) meets fresh snow and instantly caramelizes, turning into chewy taffy candy.

Goodrich’s offers group tours of the farm, too. Just be sure to call in advance to make your reservation. Pick up some of their maple products on the way out as a souvenir for anyone who wasn’t lucky enough to come along.

Merck Forest & Farmland Center – Rupert

Merck Forest and Farmland Center teaches visitors the importance of sustainable farming and forestry, which includes the production of their delicious organic maple syrup. Tour the farm’s 40-acre sugarbush, where about 3,000 taps produce syrup yearly.

Visitors can explore the grounds and even hike on-site. Family-centered events are available year-round, so stick around for farming demonstrations, hiking opportunities, festivals, and more. Of course, sweet syrup can be purchased in their gift shop on your way out.

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Visit our farm, open year round., come see us.

We invite you to come visit our farm! ​ 

Located at: 65 West Road North Chittenden, VT 05763. 

Hours:  Open Wed - Mon : 9:00 - 5:00 Closed Tuesdays. 

Tours: By appointment only - please click  here to schedule a tour or learn about the tour experience

What to expect upon your visit: 

We offer free samples of all four grades of our pure Vermont maple syrup as well as samples of our three unique infused maple syrups in our sales room attached to our sugarhouse. 

Eat Pure. Stay Wild. 

Experience our farm year round

Maple tours, giant pumpkins, and enjoying the scenic views. 

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Vermont Maple Syrup Tours and Activities

Posted on Oct. 31, 2022

Come spring, as the days get warmer and the snow turns to corn, Vermonters start to boil the sap from maples into sweet syrup.

Vermont Maple Sugaring: A Community Tradition

Find vermont maple syrup tours.