Vermont's highest summit rises to 4,393 feet along a rocky ridgeline whose profile, viewed from the east, traces the contours of a human face. The Abenaki knew this mountain as Mozdebiwajo, or Moosehead Mountain. Hikers today recognize The Chin, The Nose, The Forehead, and Adams Apple as distinct highpoints strung along roughly 1.5 miles of near-continuous alpine tundra, the longest such exposed zone in Vermont and among the rarest ecosystems in the northeastern United States.
Several routes approach the summit from different directions. The Maple Ridge and Sunset Ridge Loop from Underhill State Park (8.8 miles round trip, about 2,700 feet of gain) is the most popular challenging option, combining a rugged open-ridge ascent with a wide-angle descent; the route crosses a narrow, unbridged rock gap on Maple Ridge that may stop dogs and young children. The Sunset Ridge and Laura Cowles Trail combination offers a more moderate alternative. From the east, the Long Trail enters from Route 108 near Smugglers' Notch and reaches The Chin in roughly 2.3 miles one way. An auto toll road reduces the hiking distance to about 1.3 miles and 600 feet of gain for those seeking a shorter approach.
The open ridge demands caution in thunderstorms, which develop quickly in summer. Alpine plants grow in shallow soils across The Chin and surrounding rocks; staying on bare rock helps protect this fragile tundra. Summit views extend across Lake Champlain to the Adirondacks to the west and deep into the Green Mountains to the south.
