Lakeside Cottage

Crystal Lake sits at the edge of a state forest in northern Vermont, and the Lakeside Cottage sits at the edge of Crystal Lake. Sixty feet of private frontage, a wooden dock that was built to last, two kayaks and a canoe tied up and waiting. This is not a lake-adjacent property. It is a lake property in the truest sense.

The cottage itself is a classic New England structure — cedar shingles, a stone chimney, a screened porch that runs the full lakefront length of the house. The interior is relaxed and warm: wide-plank pine floors, a gas fireplace in the sitting room, an open kitchen with a butcher-block island and a window that watches the water while you cook.

Three bedrooms spread across two floors. The master has a lake view that rewards early risers — the mist at 6am on a September morning is something we can't quite put into words. Two additional bedrooms on the upper floor share a full bath and are ideal for families or groups of friends.

In summer, the swimming is excellent and the evenings on the dock with a cold beer are unimprovable. In fall, the sugar maples turn the far shore into a painting. In winter, the frozen lake draws ice skaters and the fireplace earns its place. Come in any season. Leave in a better state of mind.