West Dover sits in a green valley under Mount Snow, and in the summer it is a different place from the ski village it becomes in winter. The mountain was developed in the 1950s by a skiing enthusiast who wanted a big area close to the cities, and it grew into one of the largest in southern Vermont, with a base area, lodges, restaurants and lifts. In the warm months, the hills are green, the lifts are mostly still, and the roads are a pleasure.
The road that matters is Route 100, which runs through the valley and follows the line of the Green Mountains north for the length of the state. Here it is a smooth, winding road that runs between wooded hills and open meadows, with the Deerfield River nearby and old farmhouses set back from the verge. North of the village, it climbs through forest in broad, gentle curves, and the traffic is light on weekdays. Roads that lead off it, such as the one toward Somerset Reservoir, are narrower and quieter, with gravel patches and a more remote feel.
The landscape of the Green Mountains was shaped by ancient mountain building and by glaciers, and the soil on the slopes is thin and stony, which is why so many of the hill farms were abandoned in the nineteenth century when farmers headed west. The forests that have taken their place are mixed, with maple, beech and birch in the lower woods and spruce above, and they are among the most colourful in the country in the first two weeks of October. The Long Trail and the Appalachian Trail share a route over the ridge to the north, and hikers often stop in the villages for supplies.
West Dover has a few restaurants, a general store and small inns, but fuel is a different matter. The village of Dover, a few kilometres away, has the basics, and Wilmington, ten kilometres off, has more, so fill up there before you head north into the mountains. Brattleboro is the larger town to the south-east. In winter, the road is plowed and well maintained, though ice is a hazard, and summer weekends bring occasional crowds for festivals.