Look at a map of the Northeast. It’s a mess of jagged coastlines and tiny states. But right there, tucked between New York and New Hampshire, is a perfect little wedge. That’s Vermont. Honestly, if you’re looking for Vermont on a map, you’re looking for the only New England state that doesn't actually touch the Atlantic Ocean. It’s landlocked. It’s stubborn. It’s shaped like a lopsided "V" for Vermont, which is a lucky break for anyone who struggled in third-grade geography.
People get it mixed up with New Hampshire all the time. It’s a classic mistake. New Hampshire is the one that’s wider at the bottom; Vermont is the one that’s wider at the top. They fit together like a puzzle piece. But while they look like twins, the vibe changes the second you cross the Connecticut River.
Where Vermont on a Map Actually Sits
Geography is weirdly political. Vermont is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west. Then you’ve got Canada—specifically Quebec—sitting right on top of it. The border with New York isn't just a line in the dirt; for a huge chunk of it, the border is actually the middle of Lake Champlain.
If you’re scanning Vermont on a map and following the western edge, you’ll notice that blue streak. That’s the lake. It’s huge. It’s deep. It’s got a legendary lake monster named Champ that locals swear is real, though scientists are a bit more skeptical. To the east, the border with New Hampshire is defined by the Connecticut River. Fun fact: New Hampshire actually owns the river. If you’re standing in the water, you’re technically in New Hampshire, even if you’re only two inches from the Vermont shore. Courts had to settle that one because people kept arguing about who had to pay for the bridges.
The state is small. Really small. You can drive from the southern border at Brattleboro to the Canadian border in Derby Line in about three to four hours, depending on how many tractors you get stuck behind on Route 100. It’s roughly 9,600 square miles. For context, you could fit Vermont into Texas about 28 times.
The Green Mountain Spine
The defining feature of the state—the thing that literally gives it its name (Vert Mont means Green Mountain in French)—is the mountain range running right down the middle. If you look at a topographical version of Vermont on a map, you’ll see this wrinkled spine. These aren't the jagged, scary peaks of the Rockies. They’re old. They’re rounded. They’re covered in thick sugar maples and evergreens.
The Long Trail follows this ridge. It was the inspiration for the Appalachian Trail. Benton MacKaye, the guy who dreamed up the AT, actually got the idea while sitting on a peak in Vermont. The Green Mountains divide the state into the "East Side" and the "West Side," and locals will tell you there’s a massive cultural difference between the two, even if they’re only thirty miles apart as the crow flies.
Finding the Major Spots
Most people looking for Vermont on a map start with Burlington. It’s the biggest city, but "city" is a strong word for a place with maybe 45,000 people. It sits right on the edge of Lake Champlain. If you go further south, you hit Rutland, then Bennington.
Then there’s Montpelier. It’s the capital. It is also the smallest state capital in the entire United States. Seriously, it has fewer than 8,000 residents and doesn't even have a McDonald's. It’s basically just a gold-domed building surrounded by trees and a very good independent bookstore. If you find a tiny dot in the middle-north of the state, that’s it.
- The Northeast Kingdom: This is the top right corner. It’s wild. It’s remote. If you’re looking at Vermont on a map and see a big empty space with very few roads, that’s where the moose outnumber the people.
- The Champlain Valley: This is the flat-ish (for Vermont) fertile land out west. This is where the big dairy farms are.
- The Southern Shires: Down near the Massachusetts border. It feels a bit more "discovered" and refined, with towns like Manchester and Bennington.
Why the Map Doesn't Tell the Whole Story
A map shows you coordinates ($44.0^{\circ} N, 72.7^{\circ} W$), but it misses the elevation. Vermont is vertical. You’re either going up a hill or down a hill. There is almost no flat ground. This is why the roads on a map look like a bowl of spilled spaghetti. Engineers couldn't build straight lines because there was always a mountain in the way.
The weather also changes what the map "feels" like. In October, the whole state turns neon orange and red. In January, it’s a white void. In "Mud Season" (which is what we call Spring), the dirt roads—which make up more than half of the state's total mileage—become impassable bogs. If you’re using a GPS to find Vermont on a map and it tells you to take a "Class 4 road," don't do it. You will get stuck. Your SUV is not as tough as you think it is.
The Mystery of the "Missing" Coastline
Technically, Vermont has a "Coast Guard." People find this hilarious because, again, no ocean. But Lake Champlain is so big that it requires federal maritime oversight. When you look at the map, notice the islands in the north of the lake. Grand Isle, North Hero, South Hero. These are literal islands connected by drawbridges and causeways. It feels more like the Caribbean than the North Woods, at least until the wind kicks up and it hits negative twenty degrees.
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Mapping the Economy: Cows and Software
Vermont’s map is dotted with tiny villages. Many of them were built around a central "Green" where the militia used to train. Today, those villages are the backbone of the state's brand. You’ve got the Ben & Jerry’s factory in Waterbury. You’ve got the Cabot Creamery (though the big plant is in Middlebury now).
There's a weird tension here. On one hand, the map shows a rural paradise. On the other, it’s a hub for high-tech manufacturing and "remote" workers who moved here during the 2020s to escape the cities. You can find a world-class software developer living in a cabin that doesn't have reliable cell service.
How to Actually Use This Information
If you are planning a trip or just trying to win a trivia night, here is how you should approach Vermont on a map:
- Stop looking for highways. There are only a couple. I-89 and I-91. Everything else is a winding two-lane road. If the map says it will take an hour to go forty miles, believe it.
- Focus on the gaps. The best parts of Vermont are the "Gaps"—the mountain passes like Smugglers' Notch or Brandon Gap. These are the steep, winding roads that cut through the Green Mountain spine.
- Check the "Kingdom." If you want to see what Vermont looked like fifty years ago, look at the very top right of the map. St. Johnsbury, Newport, and Lyndonville. It’s rugged and beautiful.
- Identify the Water. Don't just look for the lake. Look for the swimming holes. Vermont's map is crisscrossed with the Winooski, the Lamoille, and the White River. These are where locals spend their summers.
Vermont is more than just a shape on a piece of paper. It’s a place that has fought to stay small. It’s the first state to outlaw slavery in its constitution. It was its own Republic for fourteen years before it even joined the U.S. When you look at Vermont on a map, you’re looking at a piece of land that prides itself on being "different."
Check the scale at the bottom of the map. It looks small, but once you’re on the ground, between the granite peaks and the deep valleys, it feels massive.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Download offline maps before you enter the state; cellular dead zones are frequent in the Green Mountain National Forest.
- Locate Route 100 on your map if you want a scenic drive; it is widely considered one of the best "foliage" roads in the country.
- Identify state park boundaries rather than just town lines; Vermont's state park system (like Mt. Philo or Smugglers' Notch) offers the best geographical vantage points for seeing the state's layout.
- Cross-reference your map with a "Cheese Trail" guide; Vermont has more artisanal cheesemakers per capita than any other state, and they are usually tucked away on the backroads you're currently looking at.