Vermont Business Magazine Scenic VT-108 (Smugglers’ Notch or the Notch Road) has reopened for the 2026 season as of 12:00 PM on Monday, May 4, 2026. Crews will open the gates on either side of the mountain, and message boards will be illuminated, indicating the reopening. The Notch Road is famous for its waterfalls, boulder-hugging narrows, and semi-tractor trailer trapping angles.
Vehicles over 40-feet and combination vehicles over 45-feet in length are NOT permitted through this section of roadway per 23 VSA § 1006b.
With increased signage, use of chicanes and steep fines, fewer semis are getting stuck in the Notch in recent years, but it still occasionally happens and requires the State Police to shut down the road.
Motorists are advised to exercise caution and patience at the Stowe and Cambridge sides of Smugglers' Notch as traffic control devices have been installed again this season. These devices, known as chicanes, recreate the configuration of the roadway geometry at the top of the Notch. The objective of the chicanes is to allow overlength vehicles the ability to turn around before causing obstructions in the Notch.
VSP photo from 2022.
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Vermont Business Magazine