Vermont is known as the Green Mountain State for good reason. Options abound to get your family into the woods. From easy saunters to impressive peaks, there’s no shortage of treks suited to all ages and abilities.
Here are a few suggestions from the Kids VT archives, first published in 2011 and 2019 — and updated to include current info.
Don’t forget to pack water and snacks, and do a tick check when you get home!
Falls of Lana and Rattlesnake Cliffs
Trailhead is off Route 53,
near Branbury State Park, Salisbury
This spot is no secret — there’s even a Long Island rock band called Falls of Lana — but there’s a reason why everyone knows about it: in a word, waterfalls. There are a few different trails spidering around the four tiers of tumbling water at the Falls of Lana; you’ll hike less than half a mile on the easiest trail to the lower-falls viewpoint. From there, it’s another half a mile to the upper falls and the turquoise swimming hole. Note: Footing can be tricky. In August, families can continue on to Rattlesnake Cliffs, closed March 15 to August 1 for peregrine falcon nesting. If the falls seem too freaky for a swim, head to adjacent Lake Dunmore for a dip. Stop at A&W Drive-In in Middlebury for a rootbeer float on the way home.
Thundering Falls Trail
2295 River Rd. Fork, Killington, trailfinder.info/trails/trail/thundering-falls
In 2008, trail workers made history when they opened the first universally accessible portion of the 2,175-mile Appalachian Trail — right here in Vermont. Anyone who uses a wheelchair or stroller can get on this 900-foot, smooth boardwalk over the Ottauquechee River floodplain for awesome views of the 140-foot falls. It’s short but, for anyone who’s tried to wrestle wheels over rocks and roots, very sweet. Quesadillas and wings are on the menu at the Lookout Tavern nearby.
Owl’s Head Mountain
State Forest Rd., Groton,
vtstateparks.com/newdiscovery
This easy path rewards hikers with views of the surrounding water and mountains. Its gradual, 1.5-mile ascent traverses rocky steps constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps, a work relief program for young unmarried men in the 1930s. Nearby, the Kettle Pond Loop Trail takes hikers on a three-mile saunter around this undeveloped and pristine pond. With more than 26,000 acres, Groton State Forest offers a range of hiking and camping options. Pick up a trail map and check out the exhibits and naturalist programs at the Groton Nature Center. Adventurous eaters might want to try global tacos and rice bowls at nearby Nacho Mama in West Danville.
Mount Abraham
Lincoln Gap Rd., Lincoln, alltrails.com/mount-abraham-via-long-trail
Named after the 16th president — “Honest Abe” Lincoln — this 4,016-foot peak is the fifth-tallest in the state. A five-mile round-trip hike features relatively smooth terrain in the beginning, with more strenuous climbing near the final ascent. Inquisitive hikers might want to check out the wreckage from a 1973 Cessna plane crash, not far from the summit. The pilot, fortunately, made it off the mountain alive. Afterward, treat yourself to small-batch ice cream or lactose-free goat milk gelato at Lu•lu in Vergennes.
Robert Frost
Interpretive Trail
537 Robert Frost Rd., Ripton,
alltrails.com/robert-frost-interpretive-trail
This one-mile, toddler-friendly trail pairs plaques of Frost’s famous poetry with a scenic route dotted with blueberry bushes and birches. Across the road lies Frost’s cabin, where the acclaimed poet summered for 39 years and wrote prolifically. Although New Hampshire claims Frost as its own, the poet is buried in a church cemetery in Old Bennington. He ended his Pulitzer Prize-winning poem “New Hampshire” with the line, “At present I am living in Vermont.” Visit the Vermont Maple Market in Middlebury for a maple creemee before nap time.
This article was originally published in Seven Days’ monthly parenting magazine, Kids VT.
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This article appears in Kids VT, Summer 2024.
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