Welcome! Curious about Highland Lodge? You’ve come to the perfect spot. Highland Lodge isn’t just any ordinary B&B—it’s so much more. HILO is a place you’ll fall in love with, a destination you’ll want to revisit time and time again, and a retreat made to share with your favorite people.

From our cozy accommodations to our Farm to Table cuisine, there’s no shortage of delights here. But the adventure doesn’t stop there! Whether you’re gliding along our world-class cross-country skiing trails, hiking through breathtaking landscapes, biking scenic routes, or enjoying our private beach on the crystal-clear, spring-fed Lake Caspian, the opportunities for fun are endless. Swim, sail, fish—or simply relax and soak in the beauty around you.

When the sun sets, the magic continues. Our inviting in-house restaurant and bar welcome both guests and the local community, offering a menu crafted with love and featuring the finest local and seasonal ingredients. We take pride in showcasing the incredible talent of regional artisans and producers.

What keeps people coming back? It’s the relaxed, welcoming vibe that feels like a true escape from the hustle and bustle. Elsa and Chad, the devoted caretakers of Highland Lodge, are delighted to share this little slice of heaven with you. They can’t wait to welcome you into this special place and make you feel right at home.

Highland Lodge has a rich history as a cherished Bed & Breakfast, welcoming guests since the mid-1900s. In 2016, the Lodge entered a new chapter when it was lovingly purchased from David and Willhemina Smith by three couples who had come to adore this special place in every season. Today, those same owners, who reside just a stone’s throw away in Norwich, VT, remain deeply connected to Highland Lodge. You’ll often find them skiing the trails in winter, clearing paths during the off-season, or soaking up the summer magic on the beach and in the cabins.

To keep the spirit of Highland Lodge alive, they’ve entrusted Elsa and Chad with the wonderful task of revitalizing this treasured getaway. Under their care, the Lodge has flourished, becoming a beloved retreat for both new and returning guests.

Together, this close-knit team is wholeheartedly invested in the Lodge, the surrounding community, and the abundant natural beauty of the Northeast Kingdom. Whether you’re here to relax, explore, or make memories, you’re part of something truly special at Highland Lodge.

At Highland Lodge, our friendly and dedicated team works tirelessly to create a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for every guest. We believe everyone deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, and genuine warmth—no exceptions. All are invited to soak in the beauty of Greensboro and the surrounding Northeast Kingdom, a place where connections are made, and everyone is free to simply be themselves.

Highland Lodge is more than a getaway—it’s a gathering place. Here, community members and visitors come together to enjoy lively music, savor delicious locally sourced food, sip expertly crafted cocktails, and share a Vermont craft beer or two. It’s a vibrant, joyful space where memories are made side by side.

We’re also deeply committed to sustainability, ensuring the Lodge is set on an environmentally conscious path for the next 60 years and beyond. Every update and addition to the Lodge is thoughtfully designed to blend our historic charm with fresh, forward-thinking innovations—focusing on renewable energy and sustainable practices. While some of these updates might feel new for our longtime guests, rest assured, the heart and soul of Highland Lodge remain unchanged. We’re confident you’ll still feel right at home.

Our team is the heartbeat of Highland Lodge—a hardworking, versatile group of individuals who keep everything running smoothly. You might spot our maintenance manager whipping up cocktails behind the bar, breakfast staff lending a hand with housekeeping, or waitstaff tending to the garden. Everyone pitches in to make the magic happen, and we couldn’t do it without them. If you see a team member hard at work, feel free to give them a kind word—they deserve it, and we couldn’t agree more!

ABOUT THE MANAGEMENT- Elsa & Chad

We’re “from away,” as the locals would say—Harrisonburg, Virginia, to be exact. But we come with a different frame of mind. In 2017, we decided to relocate to a more mountainous place—one that reflected our values, supported the lifestyle we wanted to live, and brought us closer to the incredible culture this bountiful state provides.

When we first moved to Vermont, we settled in Groton State Forest, where we operated Seyon Lodge State Park—an 8-bedroom, B&B-style lodge situated on Noyes Pond. From there, we found ourselves on the doorstep of Highland Lodge, just as the Covid pandemic began. It was a challenge in every way, but one we embraced and overcame with the support of our wonderful community. Since then, we’ve welcomed each season with fresh eyes, meeting a variety of amazing guests along the way.

We like to think we have good taste in food, beer, music, recreation, and people. Our favorite meal? One we don’t have to cook! We enjoy camping, snowboarding, mountain biking, spending time on the water, traveling, attending music festivals, and making memories with family and friends.

Our outlook on life is simple: treat others the way you want to be treated and leave every place better than you found it. Hopefully, you’re picking up what we’re putting down. We can’t wait to host you on your next visit!

Cheers,

Elsa & Chad 

Current Owners of Highland lodge pictured after a long day of feng shui with Elsa & Chad. From left to right: James, Rebecca, Tim, Peter, and Ashley. Not pictured: Laurel! 

The History of Highland Lodge:

To understand why so many guests return year after year, generation after generation, to this lakeside retreat, it helps to learn a little about the history of Highland Lodge, the town of Greensboro, and the geography of this wild, remote corner of Vermont known as the Northeast Kingdom.

Highland Lodge sits on 132 acres overlooking Caspian Lake and Barr Hill in Greensboro, Vermont. "The Northeast Kingdom," or "NEK," was a name coined by former Vermont Governor (and U.S. Senator) George D. Aiken, inspired by the area’s stunning beauty. This region is often considered Vermont's most fiercely independent yet economically poorest area. Its terrain varies dramatically, featuring swampy bogs framed by dense pine forests, deep fjord-like lakes, rolling mountains, and hillside pastures lined with majestic stands of maple trees.

The Kingdom boasts many picturesque spots—Lake Willoughby, Island Pond, Jay Peak—but few have captured the imagination of writers and artists as intensely as Greensboro. Since the late 1800s, this town has served as a summer refuge for creatives. Among its notable admirers was Pulitzer Prize-winning author Wallace Stegner, who modeled the town in his novel Crossing to Safety after Greensboro. The book includes a subtle nod to the establishment of what is now Highland Lodge, a treasured mainstay of the community.

Interestingly, the name "Highland Lodge" carries a bit of myth, as the main “Lodge” was not originally a lodge at all. It began as a farmhouse built in the 1860s by the Simpson family. Later owned by the Goodrich family, the property was sold to developers in 1926. These developers envisioned a grand vacation community with over seventy cabins and designated the farmhouse as the Lodge. They managed to build only the kitchen wing of the main house and four small cabins before the stock market crash of 1929 forced them to abandon their ambitious plans.

Despite this rocky start, Highland Lodge was born in the 1920s and managed to endure the Great Depression and World War II. In 1954, during a particularly rainy summer, an energetic family of ten—Carol Smith, her sister Narcissa Boyd, their children, mother, and Carol’s husband Dave Smith—purchased the Lodge after a spur-of-the-moment dinner discussion. The property thrived under their care and remained in the Smith family for over sixty years.

Throughout the 20th century, Greensboro became a coveted summer retreat, with professors from Yale, Princeton, and other institutions bringing their families to vacation along Caspian Lake. Highland Lodge grew into a cornerstone of the community, offering lodging and serving as a gathering space. The Smiths expanded the property, adding rooms, building the Ski Hut and additional cabins, creating a game room, raising the roof, and constructing an additional dining room, which is now the House Bar.

In 1979, Carol and Dave Smith, Sr., passed the Lodge to their son, David Smith, and his wife, Wilhelmina. David and “Willie” expanded Highland Lodge’s appeal by carving ski trails through their forested land and collaborating with neighbors to create a world-class Nordic trail network. This addition allowed the Lodge to remain open year-round for winter recreation. Today, these trails connect with the renowned Craftsbury Outdoor Center network, which grooms and maintains them, offering unparalleled Nordic skiing opportunities.

By 2015, the Smith family decided to list Highland Lodge for sale. A few families from Vermont’s Upper Valley, who had long loved visiting the Lodge, teamed up with New York-based entrepreneur Heidi Lauren Duke to invest in the property. In 2016, they purchased Highland Lodge and began its revival as a classic New England bed and breakfast. Over the next three years, Ms. Duke infused the Lodge with new energy and artistic vision, breathing fresh life into this historic retreat.

In 2019, Ms. Duke transitioned to pursue her artistic endeavors, entrusting the Lodge’s future to Elsa and Chad. As the current managers, they continue to honor Highland Lodge’s legacy while ensuring it remains a welcoming and vibrant retreat for all who visit.

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"I wonder if I have ever felt more alive, more competent in my mind and more at ease with myself and my world, than I feel for a few minutes on the shoulder of that known hill, while I watch the sun climb powerfully and confidently and see below me the unchanged village, the lake like a pool of mercury, the varying greens of hayfields and meadows and sugarbush and black spruce woods, all of it lifting and warming as the stretched shadows shorten." - Wallace Stegner