Get Started! Vermont’s Long Trail: Trailheads, Crossroads, and History

Vermont’s Long Trail is the oldest continuous footpath in the US. It extends over 272 miles along the spine of the Green Mountains. This iconic trail offers breathtaking scenery, challenging terrain, and a deep, quiet connection to Vermont’s natural beauty. Many have hiked at least some of it. You should consider it!

Long Trail History:

The Long Trail was the vision of Vermonter and Assistant Principal James Taylor (no, not that James Taylor). He had grown frustrated with only 40 trails to Vermont’s highest peaks at the time.  Soon after, the Green Mountain Club was established in 1910 in Burlington, to make a ‘long trail’ happen. The first leg created was the 29 miles between Smuggler’s Notch and Camel’s Hump North. Later, volunteers and professional woodsmen from the VT Forestry Department completed the trail–over the next twenty plus years. The GMC still maintains and protects it today.

Vermont’s Long Trail, or “LT” holds the distinction of being the oldest, long-distance hiking trail in the United States. It inspired the creation of the 2000+ mile Appalachian Trail (AT). A portion of the AT is also the Long Trail through Vermont.

The LT is Accessible. Many Side Trails are LT-Adjacent

The Long Trail is very accessible! Hikers can reach it through many side trails, as well as its own trail heads and road crossings. In Vermont, there are a total of eighty-eight blue-blazed side trails to explore. That’s another 166.1 miles. Here are just a few.

First, the LT is accessible from multiple trails around Mount Mansfield, both in Underhill and Stowe. Then, in Lamoille County, the local LT trailhead first crosses Route 108 as it goes through Smugglers’ Notch above Jeffersonville Village. In 2023, that trailhead received improved parking and bathroom facilities. The Long Trail also crosses Route 15 in Johnson. If you need to replenish supplies, take a minute to walk to Johnson Farm & Yard nearby; they have a substantial hiking and camping gear section. About a half-mile more North, the Long Trail crosses the Lamoille River on a fantastic suspension bridge, then crosses Hog Back Road. There is decent informal off-street parking there. A mile later, the trail takes hikers past Johnson’s quietly famous Prospect Rock. It then crosses Plot Road in Johnson. There is another trail head off Codding Hollow Road in Waterville with a dedicated gravel lot. Hike there from Johnson’s end of their abandoned end of Codding Hollow Road as well. It can also be accessed by the Davis Neighborhood Trail in Johnson. Much later, the LT crosses Route 118, with a gravel parking lot, and large sign to alert you. From there, a hiker could test their endurance with a 3-ish mile hike from 118 using the Babcock Trail around Big Muddy Pond and back to the LT. Farther North, hikers can arrange day hikes on Burnt Mountain, on the many trails off the LT, in parking areas on Route 58, also called Hazen’s Notch Road.

So, throughout the Long Trail in Northern VT, road crossings, trail heads and side trails serve as access for those seeking LT-adjacent hiking adventures. Pick one, soon.

Lace up your boots, Go See Something

In conclusion, Vermont’s Long Trail offers a singular opportunity to immerse oneself in the natural beauty of the Green Mountains. With easily accessible trailheads and side-trails, and typically informal, free parking, this historic footpath offers adventurers a way to explore and create memories. Whether you’re a day hiker or a thru-hiker, the Long Trail is the path to Vermont’s pristine wilderness and outdoor heritage.

Want to start hiking part of it? Visit the Green Mountain Club first. They have gear and trail tips, maps, and plenty of free common sense to get you started hiking safely each season. Also, read up on the principle of Leave No Trace when hiking. And, look into mapping apps that work even without a cell signal.

Want to live near it? Contact us if your goal for buying property in Northern VT includes living near hiking trails!

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Sources:

https://vtdigger.org/2021/06/20/then-again-james-taylor-father-of-the-long-trail-had-plenty-of-help/   Retrieved 9/16/23.

https://www.greenmountainclub.org/  Retrieved 9/16/23.