A New Vergennes Trail Is a Link for a Loop Around the City 

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• Courtesy Of Spencer Media
• The Vergennes Connector Trail

Several years ago, the Vergennes Recreation Committee surveyed residents about ways to get outside and active.

"It came out that people really want to see some more trails in town," said Ben Hatch, the committee chair. The city has a few, but one of the more popular private trails was gated off a few years ago after its owners discovered graffiti on the property.

The committee ultimately hatched the idea of creating a five-mile walking path that would circumnavigate the city. The project will take an estimated 10 years to complete but is being opened a section at a time.

This month, the rec committee marked an important milestone when it opened the 2,100-foot Vergennes Connector Trail, the longest section so far. The section, which includes 155 feet of wheelchair-accessible boardwalk, starts behind the Vergennes Union High School parking lot off Monkton Road and connects to New Haven Road.

"The hope is that [the trail] makes the community more walkable for everyone," Hatch said.

The path cost about $175,000. Most of the money came from a grant from the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. More funding will be needed for future segments. Next up is a stretch of former rail trail behind Main Street, which will be transformed into a walking path. The new trails will also link to mountain biking trails.

The city planned to hold a trail ribbon cutting on Saturday, but it was postponed due to rain. That hasn't stopped people from checking out the path, according to Hatch. Earlier this month, for instance, Vergennes Union High School used the trail for its first-ever home cross-country meet.

"A couple of people have already posted videos on Instagram of them doing the whole trail," Hatch said. "People are getting excited about it."