Lodging FAQs
What styles of accommodations are available?
We offer a wide array of lodging styles. Cedar Lodge offers traditional dormitory style rooms with a mixture of twin and full sized beds. We also have two suites and one private bath available. The Lakeside Cottages offer rustic private accommodations and are only a stone’s throw from both Hosmer Pond and the dining hall. The newly built Hillside Cabins have flexible sleeping arrangements and mini kitchens in each unit. Check out availability and additional lodging info using our new online reservation portal.
How do I reserve?
During the pandemic, reservations are phone only. Call now.
I hear the Outdoor Center has great food. Are meals included in my lodging fee?
Yes! The price of your room includes three wholesome all-you-can-eat meals. Meals are served buffet style and include fresh local produce, some of which is from our own gardens. The dining hall is a member of the Vermont Fresh Network program, which means we are part of a consortium of farmers, chefs, and consumers dedicated to eating more locally grown food. In our dining hall, breakfast consists of several hot options, as well as toast, granola, cereals, and fresh fruit. Lunch and dinner include an entrée, a vegetarian entrée, several side dishes and a fully stocked salad bar. A delicious dessert is always available.
Is the kitchen accommodating of food preferences or dietary restrictions?
A hearty vegetarian option is offered at each meal. With notice, the kitchen can accommodate only the following dietary needs: vegetarian, lactose intolerance, dairy free, vegan, gluten free, and life threatening allergies, such as tree nuts. Unfortunately, the kitchen is unable to cater to non-life threatening allergies/sensitivities/intolerances, and is unable to cook for individual needs. Please notify the office of any life threatening allergies prior to your arrival. The kitchen will do its best to avoid life threatening allergens, however it is a whole foods based kitchen that prepares food with many common allergens, such as tree nuts, soy, wheat, and dairy, and therefore we cannot be 100% sure of the potential for cross contamination.
Can people not staying at the Center eat at the Dining Hall?
Do you have friends in the area who want to join you for a meal? Or are you in town and want to enjoy the great food you sampled during your last stay? We’d love to welcome you to a meal. Simply call 802-586-7767 within 24 hours of the meal you hope to attend and meet COVID requirements.
Can my pet join me?
We offer limited options for pet-friendly accommodations. During Winter, you can bring your dog along if you’re staying in Cottage B and C. During the warmer months, dogs are welcome in Cottage B. Tamarack House is available all year-round. Talk with the front office for more details.
More generally, read about dogs during the summer months and how to ski with your dog at Craftsbury.
Can I see a campus map?
How can I stay in touch with others while in Craftsbury? Is there cell service?
Though cell service is spotty in the Northeast Kingdom and virtually nonexistent at the Center, a landline is available for guest use and all accommodations have wifi. Check to see if your phone supports wifi calling before arrival.
Additionally, most communal buildings have wifi too, except the dining hall, which provides an excellent place to relax and unplug.
When can I check-in? When’s check-out?
Check-in is 2:30pm. Check-out is 10:30am for general guests and week long programs. Weekend programs is 11:00pm.
Where can I charge my EV?
We have a couple of EV Chargers to support houseguests and day-users who need to charge. Read more.
Is there laundry on-site?
There is laundry for houseguests in Pine Cabin and Cedar Lodge, accessible by donation.
What can I do at Craftsbury during the summer months?
Nearly anything you can imagine! Run, scull, walk, bike, rollerski or stand up paddleboard. Play volleyball, badminton, swim, paddle canoes or kayaks. Join in on the Tuesday Night 5k trail running and mountain biking series, fitness and yoga classes, or Community Rowing. Instructional (and relaxing) camps are offered throughout the summer and fall for running and sculling. For new and experienced bikers alike, the Center has about 35k of singletrack to explore and is surrounded by miles and miles of quiet dirt roads. Honestly, the bigger issue may be finding time to sit still.
What about in the winter?
We offer cross-country ski rentals or you can bring your own skinny skis to explore our 100k trail system, groomed for both classical and skate skiing. Trail access is included for all houseguests, summer or winter, as part of your lodging. Learn how to ski, or brush up on your skills with lessons from our highly qualified ski instructors. Put your speed and endurance to the test with our weekly races. Snowshoe rentals are also available and offer a relaxed pace for expeditions. A pond is also maintained for pickup hockey and skating when weather allows. Sticks and skates are available to borrow.
What if I choose to exercise indoors?
In 2014, the Outdoor Center built the Activity Center, which houses a gym/fitness center. The gym has weights and lifting platforms for Olympic lifting, ample floor space for core exercises, and other gym accessories. Additionally, the gym has an assortment of Concept2 SkiErgs, BikeErgs and RowErgs. Several yoga classes are offered each week, as well as a wide variety of fitness options - read all about them in the Fitness section.
What else is there to do around Craftsbury?
Craftsbury and the surrounding areas offer plenty of activities and entertainment to supplement your stay at the Center. Less than ten minutes from the Outdoor Center is Craftsbury Village, which has local shopping opportunities, including two small stores: the C Village Store which has gas, excellent creemees, grocery items, a deli, and many other essentials and the General Store which has local food, crafts, a small selection of clothing, and a deli among other useful and delicious options. Pete’s Greens is a four season organic vegetable farm that operates under the motto of "Vermont Can Feed Itself." The Pete’s farmstand, open May - October, is right on the edge of the Village, about a two minute walk from both stores.
Just under a mile past the farmstand is Blackbird Bistro, home to delicious cocktails, Vermont beers on draft and a solid menu of New American style cooking. Sterling College is located on the Craftsbury Common, and is a small liberal arts college focused on environmental stewardship. They frequently host public lectures with an environmental focus. A little farther from the Outdoor Center are other local attractions, such as Bread and Puppet Theater in Glover, a politically radical theater and puppet museum. The Museum of Everyday Life is also in Glover. If you want to continue your athletic endeavors, Kingdom Trails in East Burke offers extensive mountain biking, Alpine skiing is an option at Burke Mountain Resort, Jay Peak, Smugglers Notch, and Stowe Mountain Resort. For more information, see our local attractions page.
Part of the mission of the Craftsbury Outdoor Center is about sustainability and land management, how does lodging fit in to the mission?
An important part of our non-profit mission is to implement and model sustainable practices in our day-to-day operations. Our hope is to reduce our organization’s environmental impact and operate as an educational institution for all users of the Center. This is evidenced in our lodging, which is largely heated by a system fueled by wood, solar hot water, and waste heat from the snow-making generator. Our new Hillside Cabins are designed with environmentally focused design principles in mind, including a dedication to incorporating renewable energy systems. Much of the food served in the dining room is locally sourced, minimizing fossil fuel emission because of minimal transportation as well as supporting local farmers and businesses. The Center is part of the Green Hotels in the Green Mountain State program; this designation reflects a commitment to pollution prevention and environmental management through a set of standards participants must adhere to.