Rabbit’s Nest

Rabbit’s Nest is a shack hidden in the woods on the Stowe side of Mount Mansfield that can only be found if one has been there before or the trail has already been hiked.

The shelter was built back in the early days of the resort, with the inscription on the structure itself bearing the date 1953. The shelter is not a Green Mountain Club construction and has maintained its informal status throughout its seventy years of existence.

The structure is an old "secret spot" that has circulated through Stowe’s ski community primarily by word of mouth. Its modest amenities include a cast iron stove and bunks for three, along with a worn "Welcome to Rabbit’s Nest" sign. The identity of its builder remains unrecorded, and its history survives largely through oral transmission among local skiers and hikers rather than through formal documentation or club records.

By the time Rabbit’s Nest was built in 1953, Stowe had already established itself as a major ski destination, with lift-served skiing operating for over a decade and the resort actively expanding its terrain and infrastructure. The shelter’s construction in that context reflects the informal culture of backcountry sheltering that existed alongside the commercial resort development. The shelter still stands today, continuing to serve those who know the way to find it.

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