View Full Version : What is the best weekend hike in Southern Vt, MA or CT?
Looking to hike in late August, this will be a begining hike for most of us and we are looking to start in the afternoon and hike a few miles camp, hike 8-10 the next day, camp and then proceed back to the car. I guess a horseshoe would be in order but we can hike back over the same trails. Any thoughts?
Sages Ravine on the CT/MA border comes to mind. That's a pretty area, although heavily visited. Here's a link for more info;
http://www.berkshirehiking.com/hikes/sages_ravine.html
Kneegrinder
07-21-2008, 16:31
This will require a shuttle but Mount Greylock near Williamstown Mass is very nice. Fantastic views from the top. Depending on how far you want to go there are various places you can leave a car on the southside and hike to the Mark Noeple Shelter. Hike over the top the next day, camp north of Route 2 and then hike back to either Williamstown or North Adams. We took a taxi to retrieve the car but there might be other ways to get back south. It was August but pleasantly cool on the mountain.
sasquatch2014
07-21-2008, 17:57
There is great buss service in the Berkshire area so a trip from Williamstown south over Greylock to Chehire or Dalton would prove to be fairly easy to pull off.
(Friday afternoon) Start at Rt 9 east of Bennington. Hike to the Melville Nauheim shelter for the night which is only 1.8 miles but steep uphill. (Saturday) Hike to Glastenbury Mountain... stay at Goddard shelter if there is room. (Sunday) Follow the West Ridge Trail, which begins on the west side of the shelter. Upon reaching Bald Mountain follow the West Ridge Trail toward the east and down to Harbour Road. Rural woods road walk back to Rt 9, then east to original parking if hitching doesn't work. If I'm around when you do the hike, I'll pick you up at Harbour Road and drive you back to the Rt 9 parking area... just let me know when you're going since I'll be on the Long Trail much of August. Mileages: 1.8 (to Melville Nauheim), 8.9 (to Glastenbury Mountain), 9.7 (to Harbour Road)
(Note: Some maps show Harbour Road as Hollow Road since it's in Woodford Hollow)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3116/2692949657_6788bdbd92.jpg?v=0
Take a look at Stratton Mountain and Stratton pond. You can hike the AT from a forest service road over Stratton Mountain, stay at the pond, then hike out on the old AT (the Stratton Pond Trail), or you can do it backwards, saving the climb up the mountain for the second day. Unfortunately, an afternoon start would probably mean that you would be limited to the second choice. The pond has great swimming but is the most heavily visited area on the Long Trail/ AT.
Thanks all of this sounds great.
Since you WilSwim, I suggest Stratton Pond also. It is a great place to swim.
Since you WilSwim, I suggest Stratton Pond also. It is a great place to swim.
I third the Stratton option. Also, there are more loop opportunities here depending on how many miles you want to do.
Stratton pond sound like the one, and swimming seem to be an added bonus, thanks again.
VT has several swimming opportunities. Stratton Pond and Little Rock Pond are two that I recall. In MA there's Upper Goose Pond, with an AMC lodge at one end of it.
If you hike the Stratton Pond Trail in from Kelly Stand Road instead of the LT/AT over Stratton Mountain the whole weekend's hike will be the flattest stretch of Vermont you'll find. After reaching and camping at Stratton Pond, you could continue north through the very easy Lye Brook Wilderness until reaching the Branch Pond Trail. Follow that south until reaching one of the two Bourn Pond shelters (8.5 miles from Stratton Pond). After that there's the option to hike on the Lye Brook Trail back to Stratton Pond (2.4 miles) and back out via the Stratton Pond Trail, or directly back to Kelly Stand Road via the Branch Pond Trail.
Monkeywrench
07-28-2008, 10:39
If you hike the Stratton Pond Trail in from Kelly Stand Road instead of the LT/AT over Stratton Mountain the whole weekend's hike will be the flattest stretch of Vermont you'll find. After reaching and camping at Stratton Pond, you could continue north through the very easy Lye Brook Wilderness until reaching the Branch Pond Trail. Follow that south until reaching one of the two Bourn Pond shelters (8.5 miles from Stratton Pond). After that there's the option to hike on the Lye Brook Trail back to Stratton Pond (2.4 miles) and back out via the Stratton Pond Trail, or directly back to Kelly Stand Road via the Branch Pond Trail.
I've hiked all of those various options at one time or another and agree that it's a great area for a weekend trip. Note, though, that there are no longer any shelters at Bourne Pond, only camping areas.
Gee, now that I'm thinking back my first trip in this area was back in the mid-70's when the AT/LT route followed what is now the Stratton Pond Trail from Kelley Stand Road north to Stratton Pond, then west along what is now the Lye Brook Trail until it reached Bourne Pond, where there were indeed two shelters, aptly named South Bourne Pond Shelter and North Bourne Pond Shelter, then continued north along what is now the Branch Pond Trail past what was then the very old Sweezey (often called Sleazy) Camp just before reaching Prospect Rock.
Are all those trails around stratton pond marked? How long would a loop around stratton pond and up stratton mountain be? Is there anywhere i can get info or a trail map?
Are all those trails around stratton pond marked? How long would a loop around stratton pond and up stratton mountain be? Is there anywhere i can get info or a trail map?
The trails are well marked and quite easy to follow. If you're short on time the first evening hike straight in to the Stratton Pond Shelter via the Stratton Pond Trail. Saturday loop completely around by heading north on the AT/LT through the Lye Brook Wilderness and make a left onto Branch Pond Trail. Follow that to either Bourn Pond or upon reaching Bourn Pond make a left onto the Lye Brook Trail back to Stratton Pond. On Sunday. head south on the AT/LT over Stratton Mountain back to Kelly Stand Road. It's only 0.9 miles from the AT/LT parking area there to the parking for the Stratton Pond Trail. You would end up doing a giant figure 8 and never being on the same trail twice. The Long Trail map has these trails in quite good detail.
I was just up at Stratton Pond last week. Lots of rain coupled with active beavers have put parts of the trail around the pond under water. The south side trail is more passable (at least to the tenting area) than the south one, which pretty much peters out into the pond after about a quarter mile. Sunsets over the pond are great, and if you are lucky enough to be there when the skies are clear, you will see more stars than you've seen in a while. City lights are far away. Even the mosquitoes are fairly mellow (compared to Mass), slow and not particularly numerous.
The Stratton pond trail (old AT north from Kelly Stand Rd) is still reported hikeable. Expect lots of mud and a soggy footpath in places--they don't call it Vermud for nothing.
The caretaker ($5.00, please) has a canoe, and I would bet he or perhaps some fellow hikers would shuttle you to the tenting area (no tenting at the shelter) if you asked.
Have fun, and avoid the Saturday night if you can, it gets pretty crowded.
Cosmo
Are all those trails around stratton pond marked? How long would a loop around stratton pond and up stratton mountain be? Is there anywhere i can get info or a trail map?
Cookerhiker
08-22-2008, 18:45
Assuming you can navigate around the water & muck per the above post, Stratton Pond is an absolute delight for swimming. On a hot humid day during last year's LT thruhike, (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=205059) I greatly appreciated splashing around in the water.