Hiking & Biking
Hiking Trails
State Park Hiking TrailsBrighton | Elmore | Groton Forest Trails | Kettle Pond | New Discovery | Ricker Pond \ Little River | Seyon Lodge | Smuggler's Notch | Waterbury Center
Gnome Steps & Wheeler Mtn.Barton, VT
Website Located on the edge of Wheeler Pond on Wheeler Mountain Road. An easy and beautiful hike. Mt. PisgahWestmore, VT
Website Mount Pisgah overlooks scenic Lake Willoughby. Lake Willoughby is a long narrow lake with steep cliffs on much of two of its long sides. There is a South trail and a North trail. The whole trail is 6.9 miles and is moderate/difficult. Green Mtn. Club - The Long TrailVermont's "footpath in the wilderness"
The oldest long distance hiking trail in America Built by the Green Mountain Club between 1910 and 1930, the Long Trail is the oldest long-distance trail in the United States. The Long Trail follows the main ridge of the Green Mountains from the Massachusetts-Vermont line to the Canadian border as it crosses Vermont's highest peaks. It was the inspiration for the Appalachian Trail, which coincides with it for one hundred miles in the southern third of the state. |
St. Johnsbury Municiple ForestSt. Johnsbury, VT
Website Our free hiking trail guide resource offers everything from short, easy, nature walks to challenging mountain climbs above timberline in the alpine zone. The detailed trail reports with hike descriptions, trail maps, photos, and driving directions serve as a great planning tool. Many of the trail guides are based on hikes in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire. Camel's HumpDuxbury, VT
Website On the Duxbury side, the Monroe Trail is somewhat challenging, but there's also an 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. |
Mt. HorWestmore, VT
Website Near Willoughby Lake in VT. It is not often that in a small community, the lower elevation mountain with the less exciting views deserves praise, but in this case I think it does. Mounting Hor is significantly easier than Pisgah, thanks to a CCC road that knocks nearly 600 feet off the ascent, which itself is shorter by about 100 feet as well, cutting the elevation gain of the Pisgah hike in half. Mount ElmoreElmore, VT
Website Mount Elmore is a favorite among local hikers because of the view from its fire tower. With the Lake Elmore beach at the base, it is a perfect destination on a summer day. From the parking area, the trail heads uphill on a fire road. At 0.5 mile, at the end of the fire road, it takes a sharp right onto the Mount Elmore Trail (blue blazes). At 1.0 mile, the trail reaches a lookout on the left, the site of the old fire watcher’s cabin. The view to the east over Lake Elmore stretches as far as Mount Washington. If hiking with young children or old dogs, this is good place to have a picnic and turn around. From here the trail becomes rougher and steeper until you reach a “T.” Turn left to reach the fire tower, which affords phenomenal views. For an interesting side trip, return to the “T” and head in the other direction toward Balanced Rock, a boulder about 20 feet long and 6 feet high, perched at an angle on a rock outcropping. It's worth the extra half mile to see this giant rock appear to defy gravity. For a complete listing of hiking trails in the NEK check out Travel The Kingdom
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"Open their eyes to the beauty of all that surrounds us"-Julie Hale
Biking Trails
Kingdom Trails
East Burke, VT
Website Established in 1994, the Kingdom Trails Association offers recreational trails for the outdoor enthusiast. East Burke, where Kingdom Trails is based, is “… home to the best mountain biking in the United States,” according to Dirtrag Magazine. http://www.burkevermont.org/ |
Northeast Kingdom LoopWest Charleston, VT
Website 33 Mile Loop - Moderate Rating This quiet road biking trip through Vermont's sparsely settled areas begins on SRs 5A & 105 heading to Derby Center where it continues on for 5.5 miles, traveling onto US Route 5 North all the way to Derby Line - a convenient place to cross the border into Canada. The tour bears right onto Holland Road 0.5 miles past the elementary school and continues to the Town of Morgan Center, where it turns right onto SR 111 and travels four miles before turning South at the second intersection onto an unmarked road, which returns to the starting point. |
Online Resources:Vermont State Parks
New Hampshire State Parks Travel The Kingdom Kingdom Trails Northeast Waterfalls For tips on getting kids outdoors, camping with kids, how to choose the right tent & more visit Outdoors.org. |