Anne Pace had heard about Dog Mountain for years, but it wasn’t until earlier this month that she finally made the journey to the unique Vermont destination. Accompanied by her one-year-old border collie, Tam, she walked the grounds with purpose.
“I really wanted to see this place,” Pace said, adding that she left a note in memory of her previous border collie. “He was my best buddy.”
Located on 150 scenic acres nestled on a hillside in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, Dog Mountain has become a beloved destination for dog enthusiasts who want to enjoy the outdoors, experience art, or remember a cherished pet. The park offers hiking trails, swimming ponds, an art gallery, and the heart of the property—a Dog Chapel filled with photos and heartfelt notes dedicated to pets, covering nearly every inch of the chapel walls.
“It is absolutely breathtaking,” said Vanessa Hurley, visiting from Ohio with her husband and two dogs. “That’s a lot of love when you think about each picture that’s here. Dogs and cats both, they just bring so much enjoyment to our lives.”
The park was founded 25 years ago by Vermont folk artist Stephen Huneck and his wife, Gwen. Inspired by the deep connection he felt with his own dogs, Huneck envisioned a space where others could honor the animals that brought joy and meaning to their lives, said gallery manager Pam McCann.
“Dog Mountain is really a place of pilgrimage and sanctuary,” McCann explained.
Huneck’s artwork, which includes sculptures, prints, and hand-crafted furniture, is featured throughout the park and in the chapel itself. Inside the chapel, black labs and golden retrievers are carved into the ends of each pew, and stained-glass windows portray his beloved dog, Sally—clear reflections of his devotion to dogs in every corner.
Travelers Scott and Julie Ritchie, currently exploring the country in their RV with their three large dogs, found Dog Mountain so peaceful and inviting that they returned for a second visit the very next day.
“It’s very rare you see something like this anywhere,” Scott said. “We’ve been traveling all over the U.S. for five and a half months. Just a beautiful area.”
McCann noted that the park was created exactly for visitors like the Ritchies—people who care deeply about their pets and feel connected to the world around them.
“That’s what it’s for,” she said. “People who really care, and people who are very connected to everything around them—including the animals they are the guardians of.”
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