The end of the road
Essex County is the wildest, least-populated corner of Vermont — fewer than 6,000 people spread across a vast expanse of the northeastern Kingdom, most of it forest. There are no ski resorts or outlet malls here; there are logging roads, moose, loons and silence.
For travelers who want true remoteness within New England, this is as far as Vermont goes.
Island Pond & the towns
The railroad village of Island Pond is the county’s hub and only real service center; beyond it lie tiny historic towns along the Connecticut River.
Island Pond — the walkable village on its pond, gateway to the Nulhegan.
Guildhall — the small 1764 shire town on the river.
Canaan — the far northeast, near Quebec and New Hampshire.
Maidstone — remote Maidstone Lake and its old-growth park.
The Nulhegan wilderness
At the county’s core lies the Nulhegan Basin, the Vermont unit of the Silvio O. Conte National Wildlife Refuge — a boreal bowl of spruce-fir forest, bog and beaver ponds that feels closer to Canada than to New England. It is prime habitat for moose, black bear, spruce grouse and Canada jays, threaded by logging roads open to walkers and cyclists.
Wildlife & dark skies
Essex is Vermont’s best county for two quiet thrills: moose-watching at dawn and dusk along Route 105, and stargazing under some of the darkest skies in the East, far from any city glow.
Getting there & staying
Essex is remote — plan on a car, fuel up before the backcountry, and base in Island Pond or drive in from Newport, about 45 minutes west. Lodging is simple: cabins, camps and a handful of inns.
Good to know
Where is Essex County?+
The far northeastern corner of Vermont, bordering Quebec and New Hampshire — the wildest part of the Northeast Kingdom, about two hours from Burlington.
What is there to do?+
Moose-watching, paddling and fishing remote ponds, hiking the Nulhegan Basin, stargazing, and snowmobiling in winter.
Is there much lodging?+
It is limited and rustic — cabins, camps and small inns around Island Pond — so book ahead, especially in foliage and sled season.