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Written on Oct 26, 2024
Have you ever thought about just running away to a distant mountaintop with a bunch of dogs and never looking back? Well, it turns out there’s a place you can do just that — for a day or two, anyway.
On a high hilltop near the town of St. Johnsbury, Vermont is a refuge for dog lovers and their pups where they can roam freely, go for a hike, take in an art gallery, or just sit and appreciate the scenery with their fellow dog devotees.
If you’ve got a dog, or just love them a lot like so many of us do, Dog Mountain should be on your bucket list. Set on 150 acres of mountaintop property about three hours north of Boston, Dog Mountain is home to tons of hiking trails, lakes, and gorgeous scenery, all with a leash-optional policy that celebrates man’s best friend.
It’s a place where, in the words of TikToker @hellorubydoodle, “dogs are not just welcomed, but cherished.” The story behind the location gets to the heart of, not only the joys of pet ownership, but the ways they can transform our lives and leave a lasting legacy.
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In 1994, Huneck took a fall down a flight of stairs that left him battling a rare and usually deadly disease called Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome. He soon lapsed into a coma and doctors were not at all hopeful that he would make it.
But when Huneck, a wood-carving and woodcut artist, did awaken, his first thought was of his beloved lab Sally and the woodcut painting of her he’d been working on before his accident. He had to learn to walk again and start life over from scratch, but during that process, he had the spark of an idea.
Soon after he got back to work on his art, he had a vision for a Dog Chapel — “a place where people can go and celebrate the spiritual bond they have with their dogs,” as Huneck put it, whether they had passed on, or were still alive and had inspired their owners to keep on living, as Sally had for Stephen.
Stephen went on to build that chapel himself, complete with dog wood carvings and even a dog angel atop the chapel’s steeple — along with a cleverly worded sign out front that reads, “Welcome, all creeds, all breeds, no dogma allowed.” Huneck called the chapel “the largest artwork of my life and my most personal.”
Now, the Dog Chapel is the centerpiece of Dog Mountain and the part many visitors seem to find the most moving. Loss is inherently a part of pet ownership, after all, and having a place to mourn, revisit, and honor that bond has made Dog Mountain and its chapel a pilgrimage of sorts for pet owners all over the world. And don’t feel left out, cat lovers: There are tributes to felines, too.
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Amid the Great Recession that began in 2008, Huneck became distressed that he was going to lose the Dog Mountain property, especially after he was forced to lay off much of his staff. This, combined with a lifelong battle with depression, led him to take his own life in 2010.
Gwen became determined to continue Dog Mountain as a tribute to her husband’s legacy, but she sadly followed her husband in 2013. Now, Dog Mountain is managed by a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring everyone — human and animal alike — who made this incredibly moving and whimsical refuge possible.
The basin in the gallery restroom at Dog Mountain, Vermont pic.twitter.com/CU91FIXgVv
— Toilography (@toilography) December 23, 2023
Dog Mountain never closes and has become a beloved meeting spot in the area, with its 150 acres of ponds and trails for dogs to scamper about, the chapel, and Angel Dog Overlook, a beautiful spot where owners can spread their passed dogs’ ashes or just take in the view.
The place also features Huneck’s studio, which is full of his artwork and the many children’s books he wrote about Sally. There’s even a real-life Sally who lives on the property, too, so kids who love the books can meet their heroine.
Aww! My friend T visited the dog chapel in Vermont on Dog Mountain and left a tribute for Chubs and I 🥹💔https://t.co/1DFNsdWbZJ
“If it wasn’t clear, the Dog Chapel is completely full of tributes to beloved doggos… and their slogan is “no creeds, no breeds, no dogmas”, so… pic.twitter.com/HT3MCSbBQg
— Jenny King (@jennyalaking) June 8, 2024
For all its melancholy, Dog Mountain stands as a tribute to Stephen and Gwen, the dogs that lit up their lives for so long, and the incomparable bond we all feel for our pets, whether they’re still by our sides or over the rainbow bridge. A fitting salute to one of the best parts of being alive.
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John Sundholm is a news and entertainment writer who covers pop culture, social justice, and human interest topics.
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