History Tours of the Property
As Maria von Trapp once said, "Our life is like a beautiful story that happens to be true." The von Trapp family's journey is a remarkable story. In 1938, just before World War II, the Baron and the Baroness von Trapp left all their possessions and estate near Salzburg. With nine children and one on the way, they fled Austria and were granted asylum in this country. Arriving with only $4.00, they settled in Philadelphia, and through their music, turned a family hobby into a profession as the Trapp Family Singers.
They soon bought a small farmhouse in Stowe, Vermont, because the landscape reminded them of home. Here, the family lived peacefully and continued to travel the world singing. They rented out rooms at their farmhouse to skiers and ran the Trapp Family Music Camp. Maria wrote an autobiography that inspired the play and movie, The Sound of Music, and her story became an American legend.
What was once a modest farm grew into a world-renowned resort, and is now overseen by Johannes, the youngest of the singing von Trapp children, and his family.
Bird Watching Walk
Please join us for an early morning Bird Watching Walk at 7:30am with Karen Nielsen, who has 35 years of birding experience. Karen received a Bachelor's Degree in Zoology from the University of Vermont and a Masters Degree in Applied Biology, teaching Ornithology for the University of New Hampshire.
Sign up in advance is required by 7pm the night before the tour and can be made at our Fitness Center x-5722.
Meet at our Fitness Center at 7:30am and please have sturdy foot ware as we may be walking the meadows and forests on property.
Meet the Cows Tour
Join our Vermont farmers on a property hike to meet our friendly Scottish Highlander herd. We have extensive history with this herd, so don’t be shy in asking questions. Come and see all the new cute calves in the Spring months! Please meet at the Outdoor Center a few minutes early. . Proper footwear and weather appropriate clothing required. The herd may be located up to a mile away from the Outdoor Center depending on which of our 7 pastures they are grazing so it may require using your vehicle to get there.
Learning the Forest
Sitting on 2,500 acres of pure Vermont, Trapp Family Lodge is home to numerous wildlife and plant life species. Take a guided hike through our picturesque forests this afternoon to learn what makes these woods unique and sustainable. Please be prepared with sturdy footwear and proper clothing.
Maple Sugaring Tours
Join us at the Trapp Family Lodge sugarhouse as we renew the centuries-old tradition of making pure Vermont maple syrup. Every March, when the days become longer and warmer, we start the process of maple sugaring. We still sugar the "old-fashioned" way, using buckets to collect sap, and we now have taps connected to plastic tubing in the "new-fashioned" way! Then, we boil the sap down to syrup in our sugarhouse in a very large, wood-fired evaporator. The sap and the sugaring process are completely organic; we do not use any chemicals, pesticides, or herbicides.
Our Maple Sugar Tour is a casual, 1-mile hike around the property where you learn about our process and enjoy a tasty maple treat. Meet at the Outdoor Center 15 minutes prior to your tour time.
Hike to the Chapel
Enjoy a short (but steep) hike to the chapel that Werner von Trapp and other members of the family built. We’ll head into the lovely woods behind our Lodge to explore this important von Trapp landmark. Meet at the Outdoor Center, arrive a few minutes early. Proper footwear and weather appropriate clothing required.