Green Mountain National Forest

Permit Information

Under the 2026 USFS EXPLORE Act rule: no permit needed for groups of 5 or fewer, free de minimis authorization for 6 to 8, Special Use Permit for 9+. Most elopements fall in the no permit tier.

Planning Your Day at Green Mountain National Forest

One-Spot Day

Green Mountain one spot days work best at a waterfall like Moss Glen or a rocky overlook like Rattlesnake Point. The waterfall gives you a contained, intimate setting with running water as the soundtrack. The overlook gives you scale and a sweeping valley view. Pick based on whether you want close and green or wide and open.

Ceremony + Portraits Split

The forest spreads across a long spine of Vermont from Manchester up to Middlebury, roughly 90 minutes end to end. Most couples pick a base out of Warren, Stowe, or Middlebury and build the day around one zone. A waterfall ceremony in the morning and an overlook portrait session in the afternoon is realistic within a single region.

A Note on Light

Moss covered waterfalls like Moss Glen shoot best in overcast or early morning shade, direct sun blows the greens and the water loses its silky quality. Overlooks like Rattlesnake Point face west to the Champlain Valley, so late afternoon and sunset are the golden windows. Fall foliage in Vermont peaks early to mid October and holds about 10 days.

Ceremony Spots at Green Mountain National Forest

• Moss Glen Falls (Granville) — Intimate moss covered waterfall cascading through a lush Vermont forest gorge
• Rattlesnake Point, Moosalamoo National Recreation Area — Rocky overlook with sweeping views of Lake Dunmore and the Champlain Valley framed by Vermont mountains