Our History

In the early 1970s, our founder had a vision: to enhance and introduce in America the hut-to-hut hiking system long popular in Europe. In bringing his idea to Vermont, he pioneered the concept of the inn-to-inn vacation. In few other regions does one find all of the requisite ingredients in the proper concentration: celebrated hiking trails and footpaths appealing to beginning and serious hikers; hospitality and comfort at the antique country inns that dot the valleys below the ridgeline; outstanding meals prepared by creative chefs; and a local climate supportive of sustainable low-impact tourism.

"Country Inns Along the Trail" was born as a cooperative endeavor among six Vermont innkeepers, organized by the Churchill House. The first self-guided trips ran in the summer of 1975. That same year, the first of the guided hiking tours made their debut, using the same inns and starting every other Sunday all summer long. A key feature of all trips was (and remains) the ability to hike with just a small knapsack, as "bed and board await the hiker at trail's end" each day.

The Country Inns format quickly proved popular, and the company, soon an independent enterprise, began offering other ways to enjoy Vermont inn to inn: road biking for a true door-to-door experience, complete with luggage transfer; cross-country skiing; snowshoeing; and mountain biking. Each of these was available in both a guided and self-guided option. Three of the more intriguing offerings of the past (none of which has stood the test of time, unfortunately) were "Vermont's Original Llama Trekking" adventures; a three-day canoe tour staying at inns near the Otter Creek; and a "Steam Train Excursion to Vermont Country Inns." At times, we have operated tours outside Vermont, on a guided and self-guided basis in Maine, New Hampshire, and the United Kingdom.

In 2007, Country Inns Along the Trail was named one of the "50 Best Girlfriends Getaways in North America" as published by National Geographic, and as one of the seven best affordable adventure trips by Smarter Travel.

Today, guests of Country Inns Along the Trail benefit from our 33 years of experience as Vermont's premier vacation planners. We invite you to experience Vermont in the best possible way: up close, and at your own pace.