Welcome to Adorable Living Spaces. Today we are featuring an unusual recreational property at 399 Dunbar Road in Sheffield, Vermont, combining an off-grid cabin with more than 62 acres of pasture, woods, trails, a private pond, and impressive long-range mountain views.
Listed for $250,000, the property includes approximately 62.3 acres and an existing 720-square-foot cabin with 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. The cabin is powered by solar energy with generator backup, providing an established base for enjoying this large rural property.
The land offers a remarkable variety of features, including fenced pasture, extensive trails, wooded acreage, wetlands, a private pond, and views extending from Burke Mountain to Mount Washington. Direct VAST trail access further strengthens its appeal as a recreational getaway.
An important consideration is that the existing cabin is not currently permitted as a year-round residence, even though the seller reportedly used it as a primary residence for 6 years. For buyers interested in a Vermont getaway, off-grid homestead, recreational retreat, horses, gardening, or potentially building a permitted full-time home, the land is the real centerpiece of this property.
| Property Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Price | $250,000 |
| Address | 399 Dunbar Road, Sheffield, VT 05866 |
| Bedrooms | 2 |
| Bathrooms | 1 |
| Living area | 720 sqft |
| Lot size | 62.3 acres |
| Year built | 1950 |
| Property type | Manufactured Home |
| Utilities | Solar with generator backup |
| Views | Long-range mountain views |
| Water feature | Private pond |
Off-Grid Cabin With Solar and Generator Backup
The existing structure provides approximately 720 square feet of space, with 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom, creating a relatively simple base from which to enjoy the surrounding acreage.
The cabin operates off-grid using solar power with generator backup, allowing the property to function without a conventional electrical connection.
Although relatively small, the existing cabin could be particularly useful for someone primarily interested in the land, outdoor recreation, gardening, hunting, exploring, or spending extended periods in a remote setting.
Buyers should understand that the listing identifies the structure as a manufactured home built in 1950, while the description refers to it as a cabin. Its exact construction, condition, systems, and legal status should therefore be independently verified.
62.3 Acres of Pasture, Woods and Wetlands
The property encompasses approximately 62.3 acres, giving a future owner considerably more land than is typically included with a recreational cabin.
Rather than consisting entirely of one terrain type, the acreage offers a combination of open pasture and woods, creating different environments across the property.
Wetlands are located toward the rear portion of the land. While wetlands can limit certain construction or agricultural activities, they can also provide valuable habitat and increase the ecological diversity of a large rural parcel.
Anyone considering development should identify the precise location and extent of the wetlands and determine how state and local regulations could affect future building, roads, septic systems, agricultural improvements, or other land alterations.
Private Pond, Trails and Mountain Views
A private pond adds another attractive element to the property and contributes to the overall recreational character of the land.
Extensive trails run through the acreage, giving owners opportunities for walking, exploring, wildlife watching, and other outdoor activities without leaving their own property.
The listing highlights impressive long-range views stretching from Burke Mountain to Mount Washington, potentially making elevated areas of the property particularly appealing.
At night, the secluded location and limited surrounding artificial light reportedly create excellent conditions for viewing star-filled skies, adding another dimension to the property’s remote Vermont setting.
Fenced Pasture and Homestead Potential
A substantial portion of the acreage is already fenced for pasture animals, which could be valuable for buyers interested in horses or other livestock.
The combination of open ground, fenced areas, woods, water, and existing trails creates several possibilities for someone interested in establishing a rural homestead.
Around the cabin, the seller has also developed a distinctive botanical landscape that complements the surrounding natural environment.
Gardeners, homesteaders, foragers, and nature enthusiasts may find this especially interesting, although buyers planning agricultural or commercial uses should verify applicable zoning, environmental regulations, and land-use requirements.
Direct VAST Trail Access and Four-Season Recreation
One of the property’s more unusual advantages is direct access to the VAST trail system, adding significant recreational appeal.
Vermont’s trail network can make properties with direct access particularly interesting to snowmobile enthusiasts and buyers looking for a four-season recreational base.
The extensive private trails, woods, pond, open acreage, mountain views, and wildlife habitat provide additional opportunities even without leaving the property.
Together, these features could make 399 Dunbar Road attractive as a seasonal getaway, recreational retreat, nature property, or base for exploring Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.
Dual Road Frontage and Future Building Possibilities
The property benefits from dual road frontage, potentially providing greater flexibility for access and future planning.
One of those roads is Hod Brooks Road, which according to the listing is maintained as a Class III town road until shortly before reaching this parcel.
Another notable detail is that electrical power reportedly ends just before the property along Hod Brooks Road. This may create an opportunity to investigate extending conventional electrical service if a future owner wants to establish a permitted residence.
The listing suggests that a buyer could potentially construct a full-time home while retaining the existing cabin as a recreational base. This should be considered a possibility rather than an approved development plan, and buyers should verify access, power-extension costs, zoning, wastewater permits, building permits, and other requirements before purchasing.
Cabin Status and Development Considerations
The most important limitation is that the existing cabin is not currently permitted as a year-round residence.
The seller reportedly lived there as a primary residence for 6 years, but past occupancy does not establish current legal approval for permanent residential use.
A buyer intending to live on the property full time should contact the appropriate local and Vermont authorities to determine exactly what permits would be required for the existing structure or for construction of a new residence.
The cost of bringing power onto the property, installing or upgrading water and wastewater systems, improving access, and meeting building requirements should be investigated before assigning value to the possibility of future residential development.
Due Diligence Before Buying
Buyers should first establish the legal status and physical condition of the 720-square-foot cabin, including its foundation, roof, framing, electrical system, solar equipment, generator, plumbing, heating, water source, wastewater arrangement, moisture protection, and structural condition.
The solar system deserves a detailed evaluation covering panel capacity, batteries, inverter equipment, generator integration, expected output, equipment age, and replacement costs. Buyers should determine whether the existing system is sufficient for their intended level of use.
For the land, due diligence should include a survey, boundaries, both road frontages, legal and practical access, Class III road maintenance limits, wetlands, pond, drainage, flood considerations, existing fencing, trails, easements, timber resources where relevant, and the feasibility of extending grid power.
Finally, buyers planning a full-time home, homestead, horses, livestock, additional cabins, short-term rental, or subdivision should verify zoning and permitting before closing. The property’s photographs reportedly include both current images and photographs from previous years, so current conditions should also be confirmed during an in-person visit.
Final Thoughts
At $250,000, 399 Dunbar Road is primarily an opportunity to acquire an unusually diverse 62.3-acre Vermont property with an established off-grid base.
The existing 2-bedroom, 1-bath cabin provides approximately 720 square feet and already operates with solar power and generator backup, although its lack of current year-round residential permitting is an important consideration.
The land is the real attraction: open pasture, woods, fenced areas, wetlands, a private pond, extensive trails, direct VAST access, dual road frontage, botanical plantings, wildlife habitat, and long-range views from Burke Mountain to Mount Washington.
For someone searching for a Vermont off-grid property, 60+ acre homestead, recreational retreat, horse property, private acreage with a pond, or land where a future full-time home might be developed, this Sheffield property offers an uncommon collection of possibilities.
If you need more info, contact the listing agent from the Zillow link below the photos.
Listed on Zillow