Quechee

Quechee is a village in central Vermont where the Ottauquechee River carves through layers of rock, creating a dramatic gorge that defines the landscape. A covered bridge crosses the river, and mill buildings line its banks, now converted into shops and galleries.

Native people of the Abenaki nation settled along the river thousands of years ago, leaving traces of villages in the region. European settlers later harnessed the river's power for mills, transforming the landscape into an industrial center during the 1800s.

The Simon Pearce glass studio preserves traditional hand-blowing techniques in a restored mill next to the covered bridge spanning the Ottauquechee River. Visitors watch artisans at work and can purchase pieces made using time-honored methods.

The village sits along U.S. Route 4, making it accessible by car from nearby towns, with ample parking near the river and gorge area. Fall offers the most crowded visiting conditions when leaf colors peak, but spring through summer provide pleasant walking weather.

Quechee Lakes, a planned residential development created in the late 1960s, added ski slopes and homes to the surrounding landscape, reshaping how the area developed. This neighborhood exists alongside the older mill district, showing two different eras of growth.