Wilgus State Park (Blog Hike #961)

Trails: Pinnacle, Ridge, and Nature Trails
Hike Location: Wilgus State Park
Geographic Location: Ascutney, VT (43.38923, -72.40750)
Length: 2 miles
Difficulty: 7/10 (Moderate/Difficult)
Date Hiked: September 2023
Overview: A double loop with Connecticut River views from both near and far.
Park Information: https://vtstateparks.com/wilgus.html
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=946864
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: In southeastern Vermont, take I-91 to SR 131 (exit 8).  Exit and go east on SR 131.  Drive SR 131 east 0.5 miles to US 5 and turn right on US 5.  Drive US 5 south 1.1 miles to the signed park entrance on the left.  Turn left, pay the park entrance fee, and park in the gravel lot just south of the entrance.

The hike: Often overshadowed both literally and figuratively by nearby Mount Ascutney State Park, tiny Wilgus State Park protects 100 acres along the Connecticut River.  The park came to be in 1933 when William J. Wilgus, an engineer best known for designing New York's Grand Central Terminal, donated the land to the State of Vermont.  The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked here in 1935 and 1936, and they built the park's contact station and its famous Pinnacle Trail among other things.

            Today Wilgus State Park remains the only developed Vermont state park directly on the Connecticut River, which is amazing considering that the river forms the entire eastern boundary of Vermont.  The park's only amenities are a small developed campground, a group camp, river access, and 3 hiking trails.  The route described here uses all 3 of the park's trails, but it combines them in a clever way so as to visit all of the park's points of interest while minimizing distance and difficulty.

Crossing US 5 to start the hike

            To do the hardest part of the hike first, walk to the contact station and then angle left to cross US 5 and begin climbing on the Pinnacle Trail.  The trail climbs on a gradual to moderate grade via a single broad switchback to reach a trail intersection at 0.3 miles.  Both options here are marked with blue rectangles, but the Ridge Trail goes straight while the Pinnacle Trail goes right.  We will hike the Ridge Trail later, but for now turn right to stay on the Pinnacle Trail.

Intersecting the Ridge Trail

            After crossing a broad level shelf on the side of the hill, the north arm of the Ridge Trail exits left.  We will go that way on our way down, but again stay on the Pinnacle Trail by continuing straight.  Next comes the steepest and hardest part of the climb: the trail gains almost 150 feet of elevation in only 0.1 miles.  As I looked around at the surrounding terrain, I could see some ways this trail could be re-routed to lessen the grade, but for now it goes the way it goes.  Step carefully on this short but steep and rocky section.

Climbing the Pinnacle Trail

            At 0.5 miles, you reach the Pinnacle Trail's main viewpoint.  Although this viewpoint is uninspiring compared to others in New England, a narrow window through the trees allows you to look all of the way down to the Connecticut River, which is now roughly 300 vertical feet below you.  There is no comfortable place to sit up here, but you should still take a few minutes to enjoy the best view of the hike.

Viewpoint on Pinnacle Trail

            The Pinnacle Trail continues past the viewpoint and heads back downhill before ending at the park's campground.  While you could go that way, I also wanted to hike the Ridge Trail, so I backtracked to the first Ridge Trail junction I came to going this direction and angled right to begin the Ridge Trail.  The Ridge Trail forms a short and fairly level loop around the edge of the hillside shelf you hiked across before.  The forest here contains some maple and beech trees, but pine seems to be the most common tree in this park.  No additional views emerge due to the dense forest.

Hiking the Ridge Trail

            At the end of the Ridge Trail, continue straight to retrace your steps down the Pinnacle Trail and across US 5 to the contact station, which you reach 1.3 miles into the hike.  You could end your hike now.  Yet this park's claim to fame is its status as the only Vermont state park directly on the Connecticut River, and you have not yet hiked along the Connecticut River.  To address that oversight, walk around the contact station and descend slightly to reach the park's Nature Trail, which does indeed follow the bank of the river.  Turn right to begin hiking downstream with the river on your left.

Connecticut River overlook platform

            Soon you reach the wooden platform that is this park's main river overlook.  While a couple of trees grow between the platform and the river, this is a very peaceful spot to watch a relatively young and narrow Connecticut River.  I was hoping to do some bird and wildlife viewing here, but nothing seemed to be moving on the cloudy morning of my visit.  Continuing downstream, you pass beside the park's group camp just before the Nature Trail splits to form its loop.  For no particular reason, I chose to turn right and hike the short loop counterclockwise.

Hiking the Nature Trail

            The trail comes within sight of US 5 as it continues south.  As steep as the Pinnacle Trail was, the Nature Trail is equally flat, and the wide dirt treadway makes for easy going.  Upon reaching the park's south boundary at a shallow but steep ravine, the trail does a sweeping 180 degree turn to begin heading north with the river immediately to your right.  At 1.9 miles, you close the Nature Trail's loop.  Proceed through the group camp and angle left to return to your car and complete the hike.

Green Mountain National Forest: Little Pond Trail (Blog Hike #539)

Trail: Little Pond Trail

Hike Location: Green Mountain National Forest

Geographic Location: east of Bennington, VT (42.89479, -73.05930)

Length: 4.8 miles

Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)

Date Hiked: August 2015

Overview: An out-and-back, mostly on jeep road, to secluded Little Pond.

Area Information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/gmfl/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=64973&actid=50

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=941466
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: The Little Pond trailhead is located on the north side of SR 9 9.2 miles east of Bennington, VT.  National forest signs for “Little Pond” mark the parking area.  Park in the gravel parking area, taking care not to block the gravel forest road that leaves SR 9 at this site.

The hike: Often overlooked in favor of its larger counterparts (such as Stratton Pond some 8 miles to the northeast), 23-acre Little Pond lies in the southern part of Vermont’s Green Mountain National Forest.  The pond is located on the edge of the national forest’s Glastenbury Wilderness.  The area’s wilderness status protects the pond from development and overuse, and it also ensures that access to the scenic and tranquil pond is only by foot travel.

            Another reason Little Pond sees few visitors is because most of the 2.4 mile hike required to get there uses a two-track jeep road.  Thus, while the pond makes for a scenic destination, the hike to get there is rather uninspiring.  Truth be told, I originally planned to hike to Stratton Pond until I decided I wanted an easier day of hiking after the rough time I had in the White Mountains the previous day.  When I got done, I was happy with my decision to hike to Little Pond.

Forest Road leaves SR 9

            The hike starts at the east side of the parking area where the road that serves as the trail enters the woods.  The road had recently been re-graveled on my visit, and it also doubles as the driveway for some private residences.  Some maps call this road Forest Road 275, but nothing on the ground identifies it as such.

            Several private driveways exit either direction, but they are all labeled as private.  Thus, one way to stay on the right path is to choose the only route that is not designated as private.  As you approach the last of the private residences, you need to angle left to start a rougher two-track dirt road.  At 0.4 miles, you top a small hill and reach a power line easement that doubles as a snowmobile trail in the winter.  Nice views of Haystack Mountain and Mount Snow open up to the east across the power line clearing.

View east across power line clearing

            The trail continues its gradual ascent as it pushes further north and alternates between sunny field and shady forest.  A couple of old stone walls beside the trail remind you that all of this land has been farmed and logged in the past.  A few mudholes large enough to contain frogs need to be negotiated, but overall the jeep road makes the going quite easy.  Also, almost all of this hike lies between 2400 and 2800 feet in elevation, while Bennington sits at less than 800 feet above sea level.  Thus, the temperature will generally be a few degrees cooler on this trail than down in Bennington.

Hiking the jeep road

            Just over 2 miles into the hike, you pass some yellow reflective signs that remind you that this jeep road doubles as a snowmobile trail in the winter.  At 2.1 miles, the jeep road curves sharply right.  Though no signs indicate such, the trail going left here past three large rocks is the final segment to Little Pond.  Thus, you need to angle left and walk between the rocks, which are strategically placed to block vehicles and snowmobiles.

Starting the final segment

            The final 0.3 miles to Little Pond follows a single-track dirt trail that enters the Glastenbury Wilderness.  In accordance with its wilderness status, the trail is unblazed and unsigned.  A brief moderate descent brings you to an established campsite on the west bank of Little Pond.  The pond was an amazingly peaceful and quiet place on my visit.  I did not get lucky enough to see any moose, but I saw a few common songbirds including sparrows, cardinals, and robins.  In spite of the somewhat ugly trail required to get here, Little Pond is a fantastic destination.

West corner of Little Pond

Little Pond

            After some rest, snacks, and pond admiration, there is only one way out: the way you came in.  Thus, you now need to turn around and retrace your steps 2.4 miles mostly on jeep road to return to your car and complete the hike.

Fort Dummer State Park: Sunrise and Sunset Trails (Blog Hike #537)

Trails: Sunrise and Sunset Trails

Hike Location: Fort Dummer State Park

Geographic Location: south side of Brattleboro, VT (42.82247, -72.56469)

Length: 2 miles

Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)

Dates Hiked: August 2015, September 2024

Overview: Two short loops featuring two overlooks.

Park Information: https://vtstateparks.com/fortdummer.html

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=454034
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: In southern Vermont, take I-91 to US 5 (exit 1).  Exit and go north on US 5.  Drive US 5 north 0.2 miles to Fairground Road; there is a traffic light at this intersection.  Turn right on Fairground Road.  Drive Fairground Rd. east 0.5 miles to Main Street and turn right on Main St.  Main St. becomes Old Guilford Road, which deadends in 1.1 miles at the park entrance.  Pay the small entrance fee, then drive uphill to the T-intersection at the center of the campground.  The day-use parking area is on the left of this intersection; it is signed simply as “parking.”  There is only room for 2 cars here, but additional parking is located at a picnic shelter you passed on your way up the hill.

The hike: Not to be mistaken for the comparative of dumb, Fort Dummer State Park occupies 217 acres of wooded land on a bluff overlooking the Connecticut River.  The park’s name comes from the historic Fort Dummer, which in 1724 became the first permanent English and European settlement in present-day Vermont.  The fort was initially established to protect settlers from Indian attacks, but it later protected the Massachusetts Colony to the south against French attacks from the north.

            The actual fort was situated on the banks of the Connecticut River, a site that was submerged by the construction of the Vernon Dam in 1908.  The park’s origins lie with the construction of I-91, which cut off this land from the rest of the Town of Guilford in the 1950’s.  In the early 1960’s, the land was transferred to Vermont’s Department of Forests and Parks, and the park was established in 1962.

            The park’s main attraction today is its 50-site campground, which is open Memorial Day to Labor Day.  The park has three hiking trails, and the two that lead to nice overlooks form the double loop described here.  As the names indicate, the Sunrise Trail leads to an east-facing overlook, while the Sunset Trail leads to a west-facing overlook.  The Broad Brook Trail (not described in this blog) leads steeply downhill to a swimming hole.

Sunrise Trail trailhead

            The Sunrise and Sunset Trails form independent loops, so you can hike them in either order or just one of them if you desire.  I chose to start with the Sunrise Trail because its trailhead lies just across the road from the day-use parking area.  The single-track dirt Sunrise Trail enters the woods at a point marked by a small wooden sign.  In only a couple hundred feet, the trail forks to form its loop.  For no real reason, I chose to turn left and hike the loop clockwise.

Trail splits to form loop

            Heading north, you pass through a low-lying area full of hemlock trees.  Wooden bridges get you over the worst of the wetness, which would cover a significant area during Vermont’s late spring mud season.  Copious blue rectangular paint blazes keep you on the official trail and off of some wild trails.

            The trail curves right twice as it climbs on a gradual grade toward a small knob.  At 0.5 miles, you reach the top of the knob and the east-facing overlook for which this trail is named.  The view from here is fantastic.  The Connecticut River and the lake created by Vernon Dam sit in the foreground while New Hampshire’s Bear Mountain stands in the background.  A bench here encourages you to sit and take in the view.

Sunrise overlook

            Past the overlook, the trail descends moderately to reach its lowest elevation.  Maple trees are more numerous in this part of the forest.  Curving right, a brief climb closes the loop, after which a left turn and a short walk return you to the parking area and complete the Sunrise Trail.

            Whereas the Sunrise Trail started right beside the parking area, the start of the Sunset Trail takes more effort to find.  Head south on the gravel road into the southern part of the campground, the part containing sites 27-51.  Where the road splits to form the southern campground loop, turn right to start hiking the loop road counterclockwise.  Just after passing campsite #37, look to the right for the signed gravel spur road to the playfield.  Turn right and walk across the playfield.  The signed trailhead for the Sunset Trail is at the rear of the playfield.

Start of Sunset Trail

            Another single-track blue-blazed dirt trail, the Sunset Trail tops a small rise before descending to its west-facing overlook.  At one time this overlook provided a nice view of the rolling Vermont hills and farms to the park’s west, but now the view is largely blocked by a pair of large pine trees.  This viewpoint is the only overlook on the Sunset Trail, so make of it what you can.

Sunset "overlook"

            The trail curves right at the overlook and begins a gradual descent.  Traffic noise from nearby I-91 enters your ear as you approach the bottom of the hill.  At 1.6 miles, you reach the bottom of the hill and an intersection with a gravel road.  As directed by a sign, you need to turn sharply right to continue the Sunset Trail.  Following the gravel road in the other direction would take you to the main park road near the park entrance.

Boyden farm structure

            A couple hundred feet later, you reach the brown homestead that is the remnants of the Boyden farm.  The building is actually in decent shape considering it dates to the 1880’s.  Past the farm, the gravel road continues by climbing on a gradual to moderate grade to return you to the campground playfield, thus ending the Sunset Trail.  Turn left to get back to the main campground loop, then hike the rest of the south campground loop road to return to the day-use parking area and complete the hike.

Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site (Blog Hike #158)

Trail: East Meadow Trail

Hike Location: Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site

Geographic Location: Plymouth, VT (43.53527, -72.72075)

Length: 1 mile

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: August 2004

Overview: An easy trail through the meadows at the base of East Mountain.

Site Information: https://historicsites.vermont.gov/calvin-coolidge

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=131810
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: Take I-89 to US 4 (exit 1).  Exit and go west on US 4.  Take US 4 west to SR 100A and turn left on SR 100A.  Take SR 100A south 6 miles to the town of Plymouth, home of the Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site.  Turn right to enter the site and park in the only parking lot.

The hike: The hills of central Vermont abound with history.  It was on this site that, on July 4, 1872, the only American President to be born on Independence Day was born in a small rural cabin.  Coolidge lived most of his early life here, and his parents never moved from the Coolidge homestead now on display on these premises.  It was in this building where, in 1923, Calvin Coolidge was sworn in as the 30^th President of the United States.  Coolidge would return here after his final term in 1928 and even build an addition to the Coolidge homestead; this addition has since been removed.

In 1972, the state of Vermont built the current Visitor’s Center on the site to commemorate Coolidge’s birth.  This building not only makes the site more accessible to the public, but also houses a museum and gift shop.  Since that time, buildings have been restored and added to the historic site one-by-one to create the village that you can walk through today.  Take some time to experience the self-guided walking tour that takes you to all of the buildings on the site and see where Coolidge spent his formative years.

While you can see plenty of American history by taking the walking tour, to see the land in the more natural way the Coolidge may have seen it, you will have to depart from the village tour into the natural areas of the site.  East of SR 100A lies a section of the site called the East Meadow, an area that remains undeveloped and similar to the way it appeared 100 years ago.  The East Meadow Trail makes a loop around this area, allowing for good wildlife viewing opportunities and views of the meadow from every angle.

Calvin Coolidge homestead

            From the Visitor’s Center, turn right after exiting the front door and look for a wooden box that contains some brochures about the trail.  The trail heads downhill and crosses the road.  Just to the right of the trail crossing, a concrete tube runs under the road that looks like a drainage pipe.  Actually, this underpass was used to move cattle across the road without obstructing traffic.  This passage was once open to hikers, but weeds have grown up to block either end.

Cattle tunnel under SR 100A

            The trail forks shortly after crossing the road to form the loop.  This description continues straight and uses the route going left as the return route.  Moving counter-clockwise, the trail crosses the first of two bridges, this one called the Upper Bridge because water in this meadow drains left to the north.  A famous photo of President Coolidge casting his fishing line into the brook was taken at this site.  Unfortunately, fishing is no longer permitted at this point.

The trail curves right and heads slightly uphill.  All the way the trail passes through meadow, so the trail itself can be a bit difficult to see at times.  Fortunately, the trail is marked with wooden stakes painted white on the top, so if you should ever not be sure of the trail under your feet, just walk toward the next stake.

At 0.4 miles, the trail makes a wide 180-degree turn to the left and begins heading north along the opposite side of the meadow.  The trail here follows right along the base of 2224-foot East Mountain which rises 900 feet above you to the right.  This mountain is wooded now, but in Coolidge’s time, the mountain had been clear cut to supply logs for nearby lumber mills.  This is one occasion where you will be happy to not see exactly what Coolidge would have seen.

Meadow meets the base of East Mountain

            The trail heads gently downhill, curving left.  At 0.8 mile, arrive at Lower Bridge.  Upon my visit, this bridge had been washed out in a flood, so I had to retrace my steps back along the East Meadow Trail to finish the hike.  If the bridge has been rebuilt, cross the bridge and turn left, closing the loop at 0.9 miles.  A right turn and uphill walk back across the road will return you to the Visitor Center and complete the hike.

Mount Equinox: Lookout Rock Trail (Blog Hike #157)

Trail: Lookout Rock Trail

Hike Location: Mount Equinox

Geographic Location: west side of Manchester, VT (43.16593, -73.11761)

Length: 1 mile

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: August 2004

Overview: A short trail, rocky at first, from the summit of Mt. Equinox to a beautiful overlook.

Area Information: http://www.equinoxmountain.com/index.php

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=719306
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: Getting to this trailhead is half the fun.  From Manchester, go south on SR 7A for 4.2 miles to the beginning of the Mt. Equinox toll road on the right.  You will need to purchase a token from the gift shop to access the toll road.  Drive the toll road up Mt. Equinox to the only parking lot at the summit.  The trail begins behind the white summit building. 

The hike: At 3835 feet, Mt. Equinox is the tallest summit in the Taconic Range in western Vermont.  The mountain today is owned by the Monastery of the Carthusian Order; this has been the case since 1960.  One overlook called the Monastery Overlook along your drive up the mountain allows you to see the monastery building in the valley below.  Fortunately for us, we are allowed to share in the peace and serenity they enjoy on the mountain.  Respect their property by leaving it the way you found it.

The summit is accessible by a paved 5.2-mile road.  You are not allowed to walk the road to the summit; you must go by automobile.  Of course, that means you must drive down, which should be done carefully, stopping several times to let your brakes cool.  Also, remember to bring a jacket on this hike, even in July.  The mountain summit is usually 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the valley, so the jacket will come in handy as you tackle the trails on the higher mountain elevations.

There are three trails on Mount Equinox itself.  The Red Trail starts at the Monastery Overlook and climbs steeply for 2 miles to Lookout Rock.  The Yellow Trail is somewhat more forgiving, still rather steep but climbing for only 1 mile to reach the same destination.  This hike describes the easier Lookout Rock Trail, which starts from the summit and descends for 0.5 miles to Lookout Rock.  The descent involves a 150 foot drop in elevation.

Summit house on Mount Equinox

            Before beginning the trail, take a few minutes to take in the view from the summit.  The view extends 360 degrees, and on a clear day, you can see the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts to the south, the Adirondacks of New York to the west, the Green Mountains to the east, Mount Mansfield, the highest point in Vermont, to the north, and even Canada to the far north.  The white summit building is not open to the public, but you can climb to the porch to get yourself above the rock walls that surround the parking lot.

View west from summit house

            Continue past the summit building and pick up the wide dirt trail heading downhill to the north.  The steepest part of the descent comes first, as the trail loses 100 feet of elevation in the first 0.2 mile.  Some of this descent is over bare rock that could be slippery when wet.  Take your time, especially if you are not accustomed to mountain hiking, and choose your steps carefully.

At the bottom of a particularly rocky section, pass a transmission tower for a local television station on your right.  The damp forest consists of scrubby balsam fir and red spruce trees with a very sparse understory.  At 0.25 miles, come to the gravesite of two dogs that once belonged to members of the monastery.  The older of the two is marked by an elaborate headstone inscribed with a poem, while the more recent of the two (1997) is marked by a simple pile of rocks and a typed poem.

Past the gravesite, the trail flattens out, and the combined yellow and red trail can be seen just downhill from our trail.  An intersection with these two trails is reached at 0.35 miles, and at 0.4 miles, the Beartown Trail exits to the left to descend to Beartown Gap.  This steep trail leads into the National Forest and should only be attempted by those with appropriate gear and conditioning.

View east toward Manchester from Lookout Rock

            After a wet area, the trail ascends slightly to arrive at its destination, Lookout Rock.  A bench is provided so you can rest and look down into Manchester some 3000 feet below you.  Admire the Green Mountains in the distance, view Mount Tabor, the nearest of these mountains, or trace your way along the 36-hole golf course in the valley just south of Manchester.  While I visited this area in August, this would be a particularly compelling site to view the fall leaves in late September.  When you have finished looking, retrace your steps back uphill for 0.5 miles to return to your car and complete the hike.