Hay Bale Art in Vermont

When I read Vermont Living's article about hay bale art in Killington, Vermont, I knew that I had to see these hay creations during my mid-October 2008 stay at Amee Farm, a newly opened, eco-friendly lodge in nearby Pittsfield. The hay bale sculptures were more impressive than I'd even imagined, and we had fun searching for them as we drove through town.

The towering hay bale animals and other imaginative sculptures were scattered along Killington Road and Route 4.

My favorites were the bee and owl. My daughter loved the caterpillar. In this photo tour, you'll be wowed by more than a dozen of these amazing hay bale sculptures in Vermont and perhaps be inspired to build your own this fall.

Although the Killington Hay Festival is no longer celebrated, there are plenty of other reasons for an autumn visit to Killington including fall foliage gondola rides that whisk you to the top of Killington Peak, where you can dine and mountain bike.

Call the Killington Pico Area Association for more information: 802-422-5722,

Wish you could still travel to see hay bale art? You can! Follow the Montana Bale Trail.

More Hay Bale Art Inspiration: 2010 Killington Hay Festival Photos

This photo of my five-year-old daughter with the hay bale bee will give you a perspective of just how enormous the hay sculptures in Killington were. Giant, huh?

This hay bale bear was located at the Water Wheel Trading Company on Route 4 in Killington, Vermont, where the hay creature phenomenon got its start in 2007.

This giant panda at the Pasta Pot in Killington (now closed) was wonderfully detailed. He was even munching on leaves.

"Hay, man!" Can't you hear Bart Simpson's distinctive voice just looking at this hay art creation? So much thought and effort went into creating this larger-than-life hay art exhibit.

This hay bale teddy bear was the first of the hay bale sculptures we spotted during our fall 2008 visit to Killington, Vermont. We knew we were in for a treat.

Located, appropriately, at Casey's Caboose Steak & Seafood, this hay train had plenty of kid-appeal. Looking back, it's a shame Instagram hadn't yet been created when these hay art creations took over the town of Killington. 

This grinning cat was among the amazing hay art sculptures.

Did you know that beavers—North America's largest rodents—attracted some of Vermont's earliest settlers? These trappers were after the critters' pelts. In 2008, this buck-toothed hay bale beaver was certainly an attraction... but for an entirely different reason.

Although not the Big Bird of Sesame Street fame, this oversized, traffic-cone-beaked bird with bat-like wings sure made his presence known in the neighborhood when Killington hosted its 2008 Hay Festival.

The apple is a nice touch on this pig created with pink-painted hay bales. Of course, it means this piggy is probably destined for roasting. Oh, wait... hay isn't as tasty as horses make it look.

This hay bale sculpture is a real hoot! It must have taken quite an effort to build this towering owl.

Each hay bale animal and character was completely one-of-a-kind. This caterpillar, painted autumn orange, looked ready to wander through town.

I'm actually not 100% sure that this hay art sculpture is a penguin. When my husband spotted its black wings on the ground, he declared it a bat. But I've never seen a bat with an orange beak. Since there's no doubt it is flightless, I'm going with penguin... even though penguins certainly aren't native to Vermont.

A vegetable among the animals? Vermonters are known for marching to their own beat, and this sculpture's creator must have felt called in a direction all his or her own.

Again, the detail on this dog—a Saint Bernard—is nothing short of a marvel. Although Killington's hay art installations were designed to be roadside attractions, each and every one was worthy of pulling the car over.

This cat-like hay animal in Killington was a bit of a mystery. We decided the hay sculpture reminded us of the Sphinx, but that's a bit of a stretch.