Best Dispensary Near Me Highgate VT: St. Albans Shops 15 Minutes South (2026)

Highgate is a small Franklin County town in Vermont's far northwest corner — best known as the location of the Highgate Springs–St. Armand/Philipsburg border crossing on I-89, where Vermont begins for anyone arriving from Québec. As of the Vermont Cannabis Control Board's mid-2026 licensee list, Highgate has no CCB-licensed cannabis dispensary of its own.

The nearest shops are in Saint Albans City, roughly 15 miles south — the first significant city you pass after crossing the border and clearing Swanton. Saint Albans has two licensed adult-use dispensaries, and the drive from the Highgate Springs crossing takes about 12–15 minutes on I-89.

TL;DR: Highgate's Closest Dispensary by Situation

Why There Are No Dispensaries in Highgate

Vermont's adult-use cannabis law gives municipalities the ability to authorize retail cannabis sales through a local option vote. Highgate has not taken such a vote, which means no dispensary can legally open within the town's limits. This is the same situation as neighboring Swanton, as well as Colchester, Williston, and dozens of other Vermont towns. It can change; the CCB updates its licensee list as new permits are issued.

MothaPlant — 398 Highgate Commons Rd, St. Albans

Hours: Daily 7:30 AM–8:00 PM
Phone: (802) 782-8623 | Website: mothaplant.com
License: Adult-Use Retail

MothaPlant is a craft dispensary in the Highgate Commons commercial area on the north side of Saint Albans City — the side closest to Swanton and Highgate. Owned and operated by Anthony and Ashley Sorrentino, it is one of the first dispensaries to open in Franklin County and remains a daily destination for the north Vermont cannabis market.

The shop's main differentiator is the flower bar: cannabis is available in custom quantities starting from half a gram. For visitors who want to try a strain before committing to a full eighth, this is the format. The full menu covers flower, pre-rolls, edibles, vapes, concentrates, tinctures, topicals, and accessories. MothaPlant also carries CBD pet products — tinctures and treats — for customers with dogs.

Hours are daily 7:30 AM–8:00 PM. The 7:30 AM open is among the earliest of any Vermont dispensary. Coming from the Highgate Springs border: take I-89 south from Exit 22 to Exit 19 (St. Albans), then follow US-7 north a short distance — MothaPlant is on the right in the Highgate Commons area, the first dispensary you reach heading south into the city.

See MothaPlant's full listing, menu link, and current hours.

Mary Jane Junction — 120 Swanton Rd, St. Albans

Hours: Daily 8:00 AM–8:00 PM
Phone: (802) 503-9780 | Website: maryjanejunctionvt.com
License: Adult-Use Retail

Mary Jane Junction is a woman-owned cannabis dispensary at 120 Swanton Road in Saint Albans City. Swanton Road is the local name for US-7 as it heads north from downtown St. Albans toward Swanton village and the border — it is the same road that connects St. Albans to the corridor you're traveling from. The shop emphasizes relationships with local Vermont cultivators, keeping its product selection regionally focused. Online ordering through the Dutchie platform is available for pickup orders.

Hours are daily 8 AM to 8 PM — consistent seven days a week. From Exit 19 (St. Albans), follow US-7 north; Mary Jane Junction is a few minutes south of MothaPlant on the same road through the city's commercial corridor.

See Mary Jane Junction's full listing, menu link, and current hours.

Hours Comparison

Both shops close at 8 PM. Neither has Sunday-reduced hours — both run the same schedule every day.

Getting from Highgate Springs to St. Albans

The drive from the Highgate Springs border crossing to the St. Albans dispensaries is straightforward.

Via I-89 south (recommended): From the Highgate Springs port of entry at Exit 22, take I-89 south. You will pass Exit 21 (Swanton) — Swanton has no cannabis dispensaries. Continue south and take Exit 19 (St. Albans). From Exit 19, follow US-7 north a short distance into the city. MothaPlant (398 Highgate Commons Rd) is on the right, in the Highgate Commons commercial area on the north side of St. Albans — it is the closer of the two shops to the exit when coming from the north. Mary Jane Junction (120 Swanton Rd) is a few minutes further south on US-7. Total drive from the border: approximately 12–15 minutes.

Via US-7 south (no interstate): US-7 runs directly from the Highgate area south through Swanton and into Saint Albans City, where it takes the name Swanton Road. This route passes through Swanton village and adds a few minutes over the interstate. Free parking is available at both dispensaries.

The Border: What You Need to Know

The Highgate Springs–St. Armand/Philipsburg crossing on I-89 is Vermont's busiest U.S.–Canada international border crossing — tens of thousands of vehicles move through it each year in both directions, including substantial tourist traffic from Montréal and southern Québec.

Cannabis is illegal to transport across the U.S.–Canada border in either direction. This is a federal matter, not a state one. Vermont's adult-use law has no bearing on border regulations. Canadian federal law permits cannabis, and Vermont state law permits it — but the border itself is governed by federal law, under which cannabis remains a controlled substance.

CBP officers have authority to search vehicles for contraband, and cannabis — regardless of which side you bought it on — is considered contraband at the border. The consequences include seizure, fines, potential criminal charges, and for non-citizens, possible admissibility issues on future trips.

Buy cannabis in Vermont for in-Vermont personal use. Consume it in Vermont, in a private space where the property owner permits it. Do not bring it to the border on your way back to Canada.

Vermont Cannabis Law in 2026

S.278, effective July 1, 2026, updated Vermont's public possession limits: adults 21+ may carry up to 2 ounces of cannabis flower and 10 grams of concentrate in public. A valid government-issued photo ID is required at all dispensaries.

Cannabis tax at the St. Albans City shops is 21% total: Vermont's 14% cannabis excise tax, the 6% state sales tax, and St. Albans City's 1% local option sales tax. On a $100 pre-tax purchase, expect about $21 in tax. Highgate itself has no dispensaries and therefore no local cannabis tax to factor in.

Consumption is prohibited in all public places — streets, parking lots, parks, and all vehicles. Legal consumption requires a private space where the property owner permits it. Vermont does not allow retail cannabis home delivery.

See also: Best Dispensary Near Me St. Albans VT — full comparison of Mary Jane Junction and MothaPlant; Best Dispensary Near Me Swanton VT — same shops, Swanton approach; MothaPlant full listing — flower bar, 7:30 AM open, Highgate Commons; Mary Jane Junction full listing — woman-owned, Swanton Rd, daily 8 AM–8 PM; All St. Albans dispensaries; Best Dispensary Near Me Alburgh VT — Vermont Alter-Native on the Champlain Islands; Vermont Cannabis Law Changes 2026 (S.278) — possession limits and S.278 detail; Full Vermont dispensary directory; Vermont Strain Match — find the right product by effect.