Vermont Huts Association

What Vermont Huts Association does

Vermont Huts Association, doing business as Vermont Huts & Trails, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2016 and headquartered at 87 S. Main St., Waterbury, Vermont (with the website listing Stowe, Vermont). The organization operates a network of backcountry huts, cabins, and yurts — including Chittenden Brook Hut, Grout Pond Hut, Spikehorn Yurt, Meadowlark Yurt, and Nulhegan Confluence Hut — across the Green Mountain National Forest and partnering private lands. The core product is overnight accommodation for year-round outdoor recreation: each dwelling is a self-contained backcountry structure with solar power, propane heating/cooking, composting or vaulted privies, and sleeping capacity of 4-10 guests. The technology layer is a direct-to-consumer reservation stack running on CheckFront, with seasonal booking windows (third Thursday of January for spring/summer, June for fall/winter) and a membership program providing 15% discounts and seven-day early reservation access.\n\nRevenue is generated through four streams: nightly hut reservation fees ($79-$169 depending on property and season), recurring annual memberships ($35 individual / $65 family), donations processed via GiveLively, and corporate sponsorships. Direct, granular revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. The customer base is a long tail of individual outdoor enthusiasts, families, and underserved youth served through the F.O.R.E.S.T. Program (Fostering Outdoor Recreation, Education, Sustainability and Teamwork); corporate and grant funding is concentrated on capital projects rather than core operations.\n\nThe strategic centerpiece is the Velomont, a planned 485-mile, hut-supported multi-use trail spanning Vermont from Massachusetts to Canada, punctuated by 30 new huts and 5 downtown hostels and with stated potential to conserve up to 214,000 acres. The Heart of the Greens, a ~39-mile first segment, opened in 2024; the U.S. Forest Service approved 72 miles for Velomont in 2025. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, led by Executive Director and co-founder RJ Thompson, and operates with 1-10 employees supplemented by volunteer build crews and design partners such as the Yestermorrow Design/Build School.

Name

Vermont Huts Association

Legal name

Vermont Huts Association Ltd

Website

https://vermonthuts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vermont Huts & Trails is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a network of 11 backcountry huts, cabins, and yurts across Vermont for year-round outdoor recreation, serving hikers, mountain bikers, backcountry skiers, families, and underserved youth through D2C reservations, memberships, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Recreation Lodging

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (72121), Bed-and-Breakfast Inns (721191)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Wilderness & Backcountry Lodges (Remote/Off-Grid) (THAGAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cabins & Cottages (THAMADAA), Cabin & Cottage Campgrounds (THAMAJAD)

Keywords

• Backcountry hut accommodations
• Hut-to-hut trail network
• Nonprofit outdoor recreation
• Backcountry lodging services
• Trail system development

Headquarters

HQ city

Stowe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Hut Reservation Fees: Nightly rental fees for exclusive use of huts, cabins, and yurts ranging from $79-$169 per night depending on property and season
2. Membership Dues: Individual memberships at $35/year and family memberships at $65/year, providing 15% discount on reservations and early booking access
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations to support mission of outdoor recreation access and land conservation
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partnership program with various sponsorship levels for businesses supporting outdoor recreation

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Vermont Huts & Trails operates a nonprofit network of backcountry huts, cabins, and yurts across Vermont for nightly rental, including Chittenden Brook Hut, Grout Pond Hut, Spikehorn Yurt, Meadowlark Yurt, and Nulhegan Confluence Hut. Guests book year-round accommodations through the organization's website for outdoor recreation activities including hiking, mountain biking, backcountry skiing, and snowshoeing. The organization is also developing The Velomont, a planned 485-mile hut-supported trail network spanning the length of Vermont from Massachusetts to Canada.

Product overview

Vermont Huts & Trails is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates a network of backcountry huts, cabins, and yurts throughout Vermont for year-round outdoor recreation. The core offering consists of overnight accommodations including Chittenden Brook Hut, Grout Pond Hut, Spikehorn Yurt, Meadowlark Yurt, Nulhegan Confluence Hut, and partner properties. The organization is also developing The Velomont, a planned 485-mile hut-supported mountain bike trail network spanning the length of Vermont. Additional offerings include the F.O.R.E.S.T. Program for outdoor education and inclusivity, membership program with booking discounts, and corporate sponsorship opportunities. The portfolio also includes The Stable Inn accommodation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Velomont: A planned 485-mile hut-supported, multi-use mountain bike trail network spanning the length of Vermont from Massachusetts to Canada, including 30 new huts and 5 downtown hostels.

Products and services

• Backcountry Huts, Cabins, and Yurts Network Year-round overnight accommodations in backcountry Vermont including huts, cabins, and yurts for hikers, mountain bikers, backcountry skiers, and snowshoers. Available for nightly rental on a per-property basis.
• Chittenden Brook Hut Year-round backcountry hut on a semi-remote campground in Green Mountain National Forest. Sleeps 10 guests with propane stove, cookstove, and vaulted privies. Access varies by season via vehicle or human-powered travel.
• Grout Pond Hut Year-round hut in Green Mountain National Forest. Sleeps up to 10 guests with kitchen, propane stovetop, propane stove for heat, common room, reading nook, and vaulted privy. Summer rates $99 weekday / $119 weekend; winter rates $119 weekday / $169 weekend/holiday.
• Spikehorn Yurt Summer and early fall yurt in Rochester, Vermont between Rochester Valley and Green Mountain Trails Networks. Sleeps up to 6 guests with kitchenette, wood stove heat, and outhouse facilities. Weekday $109/night; Weekend $129/night.
• Meadowlark Yurt Year-round yurt located in Moretown Family Forest on a 623-acre private parcel at the base of Mt. Cobb. Sleeps 4 guests with indoor/outdoor kitchen, wood stove heat, and enclosed outhouse. Weekday $79/night; Weekend/holiday $99/night.
• Nulhegan Confluence Hut A 14x18 timber-framed cabin at the confluence of the Nulhegan River and its East Branch along the Northern Forest Canoe Trail in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. Sleeps 6 with kitchen, wood stove, composting privy, and deck. Weekday $85/night; Weekend/holiday $95/night.
• The Stable Inn

Quantifiable outcome

• 485 miles of trail planned spanning Vermont
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with VMBA to develop the Velomont Trail - a 485-mile hut-supported mountain bike trail spanning Vermont from Massachusetts to Canada. This is a flagship partnership driving the organization's major expansion initiative.
• Green Mountain ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in trail development and outdoor recreation coordination. Listed as partner organization supporting Vermont Huts' mission.
• Catamount Trail AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to connect huts along Vermont's 300-mile Catamount Trail - the state's premier cross-country ski trail from Canada to Massachusetts.
• U.S. Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreen Mountain National Forest partnership for hut installations on federal land and trail development approvals including 72 miles approved for Velomont Trail.
• Trust for Public LandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for land conservation and property acquisition. Previously worked on South Pond cabin project before it was destroyed by fire.
• Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and RecreationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partnership for Goodell House restoration project and general outdoor recreation planning.
• Yestermorrow Design/Build SchoolmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBuilt first hut (Chittenden Brook Hut) with students. Built Nulhegan Confluence Hut with over 40 volunteers.
• Vermont River ConservancymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwner of Nulhegan Confluence Hut property; partnership for hut operations along Northern Forest Canoe Trail.
• Outdoor Gear ExchangemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerHut-level corporate sponsor and early supporter. Hosted launch party events and provided prizes for photo contests.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Appalachian Mountain Club: AMC operates the well-known White Mountain hut system in New Hampshire with eight backcountry lodges serving hikers and backcountry skiers. It is the most established nonprofit hut network in the Northeast and the most direct functional analog to Vermont Huts & Trails.
• Catamount Trail Association: Manages Vermont's 300-mile cross-country ski trail from Massachusetts to Canada and is a core VHT partner. Directly aligned mission around backcountry trail networks in Vermont.
• San Juan Hut System: Operates multi-day hut-to-hut mountain bike and backcountry ski routes in Colorado and beyond. Closest direct analog to Vermont Huts & Trails' planned Velomont mountain bike + hut experience.
• Green Mountain Club: Maintains the 272-mile Long Trail and associated shelters in Vermont; listed as a core VHT partner. Comparable because it operates backcountry overnight infrastructure and trail stewardship in the same Vermont geography.
• Maine Huts & Trails: Maine Huts & Trails operates a 40+ mile hut-to-hut trail system with similar backcountry cabins in western Maine. Closest business-model and product parallel: nonprofit, member-supported hut network catering to year-round outdoor recreation.
• Tenth Mountain Division Hut Association: Runs a backcountry hut system in Colorado's Rocky Mountains serving backcountry skiers and mountain bikers. Highly comparable hut-to-hut network model, though focused on a single user discipline and different geography.

Regional players

• Smugglers' Notch Resort: Established Vermont family ski and outdoor recreation resort. Comparable as a Vermont-based outdoor recreation and lodging operator serving similar regional visitor segments, though it is a commercial resort versus a nonprofit hut network.

Others

• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit focused on land conservation and parks; VHT partner on conservation easements and the South Pond cabin project. Adjacent rather than competing — a conservation funding and policy counterpart.
• Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA): Statewide mountain bike advocacy and trail-building organization; VHT's flagship Velomont partner. Comparable as a co-developer of Vermont's mountain bike trail infrastructure but not a lodging operator.

Emerging players

• Baldface Lodge: Backcountry ski lodge in British Columbia offering guided hut-based experiences. Comparable niche: backcountry hut lodging for high-end adventure travelers, though commercial rather than nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/VermontHutsAssociation
• Facebookfacebook.com/vermonthuts
• Instagraminstagram.com/vermonthuts
• Xx.com/vermonthuts

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vermont Huts Association