Area Hiking Guide
gostowe.com/hiking
Using this Hiking Guide • Hiking distance and time are estimates for a round-‐trip journey. Directions begin from 51 Main Street in Stowe. • Hike within your ability level. These are suggested hikes and conditions change daily. Stowe Area Association assumes no
liability for any injury sustained on any of these hikes. • Trail conditions will vary according to location and weather. Please plan accordingly. Be aware of your surroundings, pack
layers, bring extra food and water as well as a cell phone, and be aware of wildlife. • No hiking on state-‐owned land above 2,500 feet prior to May 30.
Easy Hikes 1. Cady Hill Forest (woods walk)
Distance: 258 acres; 11.0 miles Time: 1 – 5 hours, depending on trails taken Climb: 0 -‐ 300’ There are two parking areas used to access the Cady Hill Forest. For access from Mountain Road (route 108), turn onto route 108 North from the historic village and continue 0.9 miles. There is a parking lot on the left, across from the Springer-‐Miller Office. For access from Waterbury-‐Stowe Road (route 100), take route 100 South out of the historic village 0.6 miles. Turn right onto River Road and bear left after the bridge. Continue about 0.5 miles, turning right onto Cady Hill Road. There will be a parking area about 0.4 miles up on the right, or you can continue to the end of Cady Hill Road to access the trails. Be aware, these trails are frequented by mountain bikers. If you hear a mountain biker approaching, try to move to the side of the trail and wait for them to pass as you will be able to stop much easier and faster than they will.
2. Kirchner Woods (woods walk) Distance: 75 acres; 0.6 – 2.5 miles Time: < 1 hour Climb: Mostly flat, 1,635’ on the Summit Loop From the historic village, take School Street for about 0.4 miles. Bear left onto Taber Hill Road and continue about 1.5 miles to the Kirchner Woods parking lot on left.
3. Moss Glen Falls (waterfall) Distance: 1.0 miles Time: 45 minutes Climb: 200’ From the historic village, take route 100 North 3 miles to Randolph Road on the right. The first road on the right is Moss Glenn Falls Road. Proceed 0.6 miles to a small parking area on the left. Follow the trail signs. This is a short, scenic hike to a spectacular waterfall. The trail is not well marked, but the route is obvious by following the brook upstream to the falls. Be aware that you may encounter mountain bikers. Also, be careful at the falls. Loose debris at the edge of the trail can be slippery and dangerous. Inexperienced hikers should stay to the left, above the falls. ***This trail connects to the VAST snowmobile trail, so be careful not to follow the wrong trail back***
4. Sterling Falls Gorge (waterfall) Distance: 0.5 miles Time: 40 minutes Climb: 150’ From the historic village, take route 100 North 1.7 miles and turn left on Stagecoach Road. After driving about 1.6 miles, turn left onto Sterling Valley Road. Continue on Sterling Valley Road about 1.7 miles to a red covered bridge on your right. Take the slight right at this intersection, not crossing the bridge, to stay on Sterling Valley Road. Continue another 2.8 miles, then turn left at the small sign for Sterling Gorge Parking. This will lead to a small parking lot less than 0.5 miles in. The trail starts across the bridge from the parking lot.
Area Hiking Guide
gostowe.com/hiking
5. Sunset Rock (short hike) Distance: 1.0 miles Time: < 1 hour Climb: 200’ From the historic village, take Sunset Street to the end. The trail starts to the left of the road. Alternate directions, shorter climb: from the historic village, take School Street for about 0.4 miles. Bear left onto Taber Hill Road and continue about 800’ to the parking lot on the left.
6. Wiessner Woods (half-‐day hike) Distance: 2.8 miles Time: 2 hours Climb: 900’ From the historic village, take route 108 North 3.5 miles. Turn right on Edson Hill Road, taking the right directly after Stowehof Inn and park on the left.
Moderate Hikes 7. Bingham Falls (waterfall)
Distance: 0.5 miles Time: 25 minutes Climb: 200’ From the historic village, take route 108 North 6.4 miles. About a half mile Stowe Vacation Rentals, the large white hotel on the left, park in one of the dirt pull-‐offs located on both sides of the road. The trailhead is on the east side (on the right as you are driving up).While the beginning part of the trail is easy to walk, the lower portion is rocky and can be slippery when wet. The trail ends at Bingham Falls, a 40-‐foot cascading waterfall with deep gorges.
8. Cotton Brook/North end of the Waterbury Reservoir (full-‐day hike)
Distance: 9.0 miles Time: 4.5 hours Climb: 1,000’ From the historic village, take route 100 South about 2.5 miles. Turn right onto Moscow Road, continuing for 2.0 miles bearing left onto Cotton Brook Road. Follow Cotton Brook Road until you reach the red gate. Parking is on the right before the gate. Use caution on these trails as they are also used by mountain bikers.
9. Nebraska Notch/Lake Mansfield Trail (half-‐day hike) Distance: 3.2 miles Time: 2.5 hours Climb: 650’ From the historic village, take route 100 South about 2.5 miles. Turn right onto Moscow Road, continuing for 2.0 miles bearing right onto Nebraska Valley Road to the Lake Mansfield Trout Club. At the trailhead there is a great view of a large glacial cirque (a rounded, scooped-‐out valley). This is a great family hike with good views along the trail, beaver dams and a waterfall.
10. Sterling Pond/Long Trail (half-‐day hike)
Distance: 2.0 miles Time: 2 hours Climb: 880’ From the historic village, take route 108 North 9.7 miles to the top of Smugglers’ Notch and park on the left in the scenic parking area. The trail starts across the road, and is a great hike on a well-‐maintained trail. Hiking around the pond adds another 1.4 miles to the distance shown above. You can also hike 0.1 miles past the pond on Snuffy’s Trail to get to a beautiful scenic outlook over Smuggler’s Notch Resort. When returning to your car, make sure you turn off of Snuffy’s Trail and back onto the Sterling Pond Trail.
Area Hiking Guide
gostowe.com/hiking
11. Stowe Pinnacle (half-‐day hike) Distance: 3.6 miles Time: 2.5 hours Climb: 1,520’ From the historic village, take School Street for 0.3 miles. Bear right at the fork onto Stowe Hollow Road, continuing straight onto Upper Hollow Road about 2.0 miles from the historic village. Parking for the Stowe Pinnacle Trail is about 0.6 miles from the beginning of Upper Hollow Road. There is a secondary parking area at Stowe Meadows, which is off of Pinnacle Road (turn left just before the Stowe Pinnacle parking lot). The Stowe Pinnacle trail is wooded with a short, steady climb to a rock summit with views of Camel’s Hump, Mt Mansfield, the Worcester Range and the Sterling Range.
12. The Chin at Mt. Mansfield via the Long Trail (full-‐day hike) Distance: 3.4 miles (Taft Lodge); 4.7 miles (Summit of Mt. Mansfield) Time: 4.0 hours (Taft Lodge); 5.0 hours (Summit of Mt. Mansfield) Climb: 2,790’ to the Chin From the historic village, take route 108 North for 7.7 miles to the Barnes Camp Information Center. Park here. This is a popular section of the Long Trail with a steady climb to Taft Lodge just below the Chin and a popular place for overnight backpackers (a nominal fee is requested to spend the night).
Expert Hikes
13. Camel’s Hump: Monroe/Alpine Loop (full-‐day hike) Distance: 6.6 miles Time: 5.0 hours Climb: 3,600’’ From the historic village follow route 100 South to the junction of route 2 in Waterbury. Turn left toward Waterbury and go 0.1 miles, then turn right onto Winooski Street. Cross the bridge and turn right on to River Road. Go 4.6 miles and turn left on to Camel’s Hump road. Stay on this road until you reach the parking lot at the end of the road. A partial loop hike of Camel’s Hump begins by following the Monroe Trail to the junction of the Alpine Trail. From here follow the Alpine Trail left (southwest) to the summit. Descend via the Long Trail north to the hut clearing and take a right (east) on to the Monroe Trail back to the parking area.
14. Harrington’s View Trail (full-‐day hike) Distance: 6.6 miles Time: 5.0 hours This isn’t a technically difficult hike, but the length of this trail makes it an advanced hike. From the historic village follow route 100 South to the junction of route 2 in Waterbury. Turn right on to route 2 and continue for 6.0 miles. Turn right onto the Bolton Notch Road. The Long Trail crossing is 3.0 miles from route 2.
15. Hellbrook Trail (full-‐day hike) Distance: 3.6 miles Time: 4.0 hours Climb: 2,590’ From the historic village, take route 108 North 8.4 miles. Look for the Long Trail signs on the left side of the road marking this trail. This is a very steep expert-‐hiking trail and is often extremely wet. As such, it should only be used for ascent, not descent.
16. Hunger Mountain (full-‐day hike) Distance: 4 miles Time: 4.0 hours From the historic village follow route 100 South, turning left toward Waterbury Center about 0.3 miles past Cold Hollow Cider Mill. Continue 0.3 miles and turn left onto Maple Street. Just past the fire station, turn right onto Loomis Hill Road. At the top of the hill bear left. The parking area is on the right about 3.8 miles up this road.
Area Hiking Guide
gostowe.com/hiking
17. Mt. Mansfield Traverse (full-‐day hike) Distance: 5.8 miles Time: 6.0 hours From the historic village take route 108 North 7 miles to the Stowe Mountain Resort parking lots. Park your car in the Upper Gondola Lot near the midway base lodge. Begin hiking on the Haselton Trail. Eventually you will be hiking on Nose Dive, a ski trail that meets up with the Toll Road. Ascend the Toll Road for about 0.75 miles until it meets up with the Long Trail. Take the Long Trail 1.2 miles across the ridge to the Chin. From the summit, continue down the Long Trail north for another 2.3 miles, past Taft Lodge, to the base. The trail lets out onto route 108. Turn right and follow route 108 South for 0.4 miles until you reach the gondola parking and your car once again. Please note, it is not recommended to go down the Haselton trail, as it is steep in some sections.
18. Sterling (Whiteface) Mountain (full-‐day hike) Distance: 1.6 miles Time: 2.0 hours Climb: 750’ From the historic village take route 100 North 1.7 miles and turn left onto Stagecoach Road. At the 4-‐way stop sign in Morristown Corners, turn left on to Walton Road. Continue for about 1.0 miles and turn left onto Mud City Loop. Stay on this road until reaching the Rooney Farm. Turn right onto Beaver Meadow Road and continue until you reach the parking area at the end. The Beaver Meadow trail starts from the parking lot. At the junction of the Beaver Meadow Bypass, stay to the right (east) on the Whiteface Trail. When you reach the shelter at the junction of the Long Trail, turn right (north) and continue to the summit of Whiteface Mountain. Return following instructions in reverse.
19. The Chin at Mt. Mansfield via the Gondola & Cliff Trail (half-‐day hike) Distance: 1.6 miles Time: 2.0 hours Climb: 750’ Hike up the ski trails or take the Gondola to the Cliff Trail. The trail starts behind the Gondola Cliff House. It is a short, steep climb to the ridge, then a 0.4 miles hike to the chin along the summit. There are great views all the way. Ride the Gondola or hike back down to your car. A great way to reach the summit of Mt. Mansfield, but make sure you are wearing appropriate shoes as it is very rocky and steep.