Hiking Information

Northwest:

Burton Island, Knight Island, Knight Point, Lake Carmi, Niquette Bay, Underhill, Woods Island

Northeast:

Brighton, Elmore, Kettle Pond, New Discovery, Ricker Pond, Little River, Seyon Lodge, Smugglers' Notch, Waterbury Center

Southwest:

Bomoseen, Branbury, Button Bay, Emerald Lake, Half Moon Pond, Lake Shaftsbury, Lake St. Catherine, Mt. Philo, Woodford

Southeast:

Allis, Camp Plymouth, Fort Dummer, Gifford Woods, Jamaica, Lowell Lake, Molly Stark, Mt. Ascutney, Quechee, Townshend, Wilgus

Branbury State Park

Located on the shores of Lake Dunmore, Branbury State Park abuts the 400,000 acre Green Mountain National Forest and the 20,000 acre Moosalamoo Recreation Area.  There are over 70 miles of trails in this region of mountains and lakes traversing the western slopes of the Green Mountains.

Some popular trails are the “Falls of Lana” which leads to a series of cascading falls carved out of rock, “Rattlesnake Point”, which has breeding peregrine falcons and panoramic views of Lake Dunmore, and “Silver Lake”, a hike to a small, scenic mountain lake.

Camel's Hump

On the Duxbury side of Camel's Hump State Park, the Monroe Trail is somewhat challenging, but there's also a universally-accessible loop with its own parking area.  This loop is 8/10 of a mile long, is wide and flat, and has three viewing spots to the summit of Camel's Hump - it's perfect for small kids and elders.

On the Huntington side, the Burrows Trail is a bit shorter and attracts lots of hikers.  Always a good idea to get there early (8AM) on a good weather weekend day to get parked and on the trail.

All trails get more rugged as they get closer to the summit.

Gifford Woods State Park

Gifford Woods State Park is an important hiking crossroads where two major hiking trails meet.  The Appalachian Trail, which runs from Georgia to Maine, and the Long Trail, which runs the length of Vermont meet in the park.  If you were so inclined, you could literally hike from the park south to Georgia or north to Maine.

Nearby Green Mountain National Forest and Coolidge State Forest also offer numerous loop hikes. There are spectacular views from the Deer Leap Mountain trail and lovely waterfalls along Thundering Brook Trail. The proximity to all these great hiking opportunities make Gifford Woods State Park a popular pass through location for hikers.

Mt. Ascutney

We know today that Mount Ascutney is a monadnock and is not related geologically to surrounding hills. Rather, it stands alone and shares a geological history more closely with the White Mountains of New Hampshire. There are four trails that run from the base of the mountain to the summit that are connected by a relatively level trail that follows the ridgeline and crosses the summit. They are:

• The Weathersfield Trail. The trail runs 2.9 miles along the south face of the mountain, passing Cascade Falls, the largest waterfall on the mountain.
• The Windsor Trail. The trail runs 2.7 miles to the summit, passing a small waterfall and the remains of an old stone shelter.
• The Brownsville Trail. This trail is 3.2 miles and follows an old logging road, passing an old granite quary and offering great views from the north and west.
• The Futures Trail. This 4.6 mile trail is the longest on Mt. Ascutney. It can be accessed at two points along the state park mountain road.

The Mt. Ascutney Parkway is a 3.7 mile paved road leading to the summit, revealing many excellent scenic views. Additionally, there is a .7-mile side trail to an observation tower on the summit with a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside.

Mt. Mansfield East Side (Underhill State Park)

Underhill State Park is a part of Vermont’s 34,000-acre Mount Mansfield State Forest.  The park is on the western face of Mt. Mansfield, nearly half way up the state’s highest peak.Over the summit ridge is the Stowe Mountain Resort, one of North America’s original ski areas.

From Underhill State Park there are four hiking trails to the summit ridge of Mt. Mansfield. The Sunset Ridge trail (3.2 miles to the summit) is the most popular.

Vermont’s Long Trail traverses the summit ridge and, with several trails up both sides of the mountain, many loops are possible.  The ridgeline is almost entirely above tree line, so on clear days you have unobstructed views of the surrounding peaks and valleys, even to Lake Champlain in the distance, and New York’s Adirondack mountains far beyond.Mount Mansfield is one of the two spots in Vermont where you will find true alpine tundra, a vegetative type more common in arctic zones far to the north.

Mt. Mansfield West Side (Smugglers' Notch State Park)

On the other side of Mount Mansfield from Underhill State Park, lies Smugglers' Notch State Park.  Smugglers' Notch is a narrow pass through the mountain with spectacular 1,000 foot cliffs on either side. The pass was once used as a smuggling route between Vermont and Canada.  Today, it is a favorite haunt of nesting peregrine falcons, ice climbers and hikers.

The road is passable by vehicles only in summer and is very narrow and winding with many switchbacks and hairpin turns.  The Notch is also a favorite of hikers.

The most popular trail up the mountain is the Long Trail, which can be accessed from the Notch.  Heading north, the Long Trail leads past Elephant’s Head to Sterling Pond, a beautiful and serene mountain lake.