One thing that is nice about being in the Northeast is the easy access to a lot of beautiful hiking trails. I am no Adirondack 46’er, but I do enjoy hiking, and one of my favorite hikes is Indian Head (in the fall the foliage is INCREDIBLE)!

Another great location for picturesque hikes is Vermont. In the winter I head up to northern Vermont to Smugglers Notch and Stowe Mountain to go snowboarding. Which is why when Mike and Melissa reached out about their session in the mountains I was all in!

The locations referred to as “The Mansion in the Woods” it’s currently only accessible via the Vermont the Bennington Area Trail System (BATS). The trail system is designed for mountain biking and hiking, and leads to some of the most picture perfect places in Vermont that are not accessible by car.

We took the Carriage Trail up to the Mansion which is the former home of the Southern Vermont College. Even before you get to the Mansion there are beautiful points to stop, which we took full advantage of! Once we reached the summit, the grounds have beautiful views of the mountains, intricate stone work on the surrounding buildings and well maintained gardens. I am already looking forward to going back!

Mike and Melissa are a very special couple. Not only are they Bennington, Vermont locals. But Melissa is my best friend and getting to take pictures for them was a great joy for me! It’s been an eventful year for them both, and being able to capture their joy in a place they both love is a highlight for me as their friend and photographer.