Hiking in Marsh-Billings-Rockefellar National Park?

[ctyanky]

Hello there foliage friends! I am trying to find a good hike into the above national historic park with bm, our forum moderator. Has anyone tried any of these loops? I'm especially interested in the South Peak hike to the summit of Mt. Tom for the overlook.

https://www.nps.gov/mabi/planyourvisit/ ... trails.htm

https://www.nps.gov/mabi/planyourvisit/ ... hePark.pdf

> Hike 1 - Junior Ranger Loop (Easy with some short steep sections 1.25 miles)
> Hike 2 - Faulkner Trail (Easy with gradual elevation gain 1.7 miles)
> Hike 3 - Hike to the Pogue (Moderate 2.5 miles)
> Hike 4 - North Ridge Adventure (Moderate 3.6 miles)
> Hike 5 - South Peak (Moderate 4.0 miles)
> Hike 6 - Pogue and South Peak Loop (Moderate 4.0 miles)
> Hike 7 - Precipice Trail (Difficult 2.0 miles)

Mount Tom's South Peak
South Peak offers the best view around! From the overlook you can enjoy panoramic views of Woodstock and the surrounding hills. There are several ways to get to South Peak, all exploring different parts of the Woodstock trails system.

View from Mount Tom Summit: From west to east, in the foreground is the King Farm with Killington above it on the horizon. To the left is Route 4 and the high school as viewed up the Ottauquechee Valley. To the south, Mt. Ascutney is on the horizon. Below and still proceeding eastward, is the north end of Kendron Valley with the golf course, Vail Field and then the Woodstock Inn. To the left of the Inn is the Windsor County Court House and covered bridge, above which is visible the bald knob of Mt. Peg. Toward the east, the Congregational Church is in the foreground with Billings Farm situated north of the river and then the mountains of New Hampshire are on the horizon above it. The structure on the summit of Mount Tom displays a lighted star and cross with shines over Woodstock during the Christmas and Easter holidays respectively. (Woodstock Inn and Resort Hiking Map 1980).

[minnesotaman]

The view of Woodstock from the top of Mt Tom is like a postcard, but the hikes, esp on weekends, do not feel like pristine nature hikes because these trails are quite popular. The trails that are rated "easy" are very easy.

You might also consider going up Mt. Peg, which for fourteen years was right out my back door. It is also a very easy climb, with a "summit" view overlooking Woodstock. I never saw much wildlife on Mt. Peg in the daytime, but at night I sometimes heard coyotes and very often I heard what seemed like battalions of owls. Very musical.

If you are going to take photos, because of the angle of the sun, generally the views over Woodstock from Mt. Tom are best in the afternoon, and from Mt. Peg in the morning.

In Woodstock, go to the Mountain Creamery for breakfast or lunch. Go early for lunch, the people from the tourist buses will often line up outside the place making the wait a long one. Very good ice cream in the basement, right below the Creamery. I have to admit that if the line for the Creamery is long we have sometimes substituted ice cream for lunch. If you want a sandwich to take on a hike, go to the Woodstock Farmer's Market, on Rte 4 just west of town, or to the Village Butcher, right on Elm Street, in town.

Woodstock has some of the finest architecture in Vermont. For a good look at it take this easy and short circuit, about a mile I suppose: start with a circuit around the green, which is the most photogenic in Vermont, and then head north on Elm Street, across the old iron bridge over the Ottaquechee. While you are crossing the bridge you can still see evidence of the high water from Irene (it was disturbingly high in Woodstock). Just after you cross the bridge, turn left at River St. (going west), and follow to Mountain St., where you take a right. Along Mountain Street you will find Faulkner Park, which is the entry to the easier hikes up Mt. Tom. Take Mountain Street past the park, where it takes a bend to the left. Cross the Church St bridge (which is also, here, Rte 4) back across the river and to the green. This route will take you past almost all of the finest buildings in town.

If you like independent bookstores (I am drawn into bookstores from a distance of a hundred miles), the Yankee Bookshop on Central, which is small, nevertheless has a great selection. My wife loves the boutiques and clothing stores in Woodstock (me, not so much). These are mostly along Central.

I have mentioned to you before on this forum some of the many great short drives from Woodstock for photo opportunities. Of course, Cloudland Road, Galaxy Hill, Old King's Highway, Joe Ranger Road. To the east of town, Old River Road, which runs along the Ottaquechee. South of town, the Jenne Farm (where much of the world, and at least half of our visitors from Japan, seem to congregate on fall mornings before 7 am, all possessing lenses about two feet long), and Caper Hill Road. West of town, many roads above Bridgewater.

A word to the wise: the posted speed limit on Rte 4 through Bridgewater is low. They enforce it. Dont try 3 mph over the limit unless you would like to contribute to the town coffers. Because of abominable traffic, it is much more difficult, usually, to speed when coming into Woodstock. But, when coming into Woodstock from the east on Rte 4, the posted speed limit drops before you get to town--it seems unreasonable because the town is not yet even fully in sight. Woodstock vigorously enforces this. In each town, you will not see the squad car hiding behind a sign or a building in time to avoid the ticket, so just stick to the limits. Over the years I have watched many many people get pulled over in Bridgewater and in Woodstock.

[minnesotaman]

Along the Ottaquechee in 2015.jpg (210.47 KiB) Viewed 9733 times

Here is a view along the Ottaquechee, from Old River Road, from 2015. There are many good spots to set up for a photo along here. I took this on Oct. 23, which is unusually late for so many leaves to remain. I took photos from this same spot from Sept. 25 on. There was very little color last year until mid-October. Color is usually good along here by Oct. 10 or so, and often the trees are stripped by Oct. 15.

[ctyanky]

Thank you Minn for this very detailed and enjoyable response. I have been to all these roads, Cloudland Road, Galaxy Hill, Old King's Highway, Joe Ranger Road, and Old River Road. Galaxy Hill is simply beautiful. I think I was on Joe Ranger too. One time up in VT, we took Old River Road on the way or way back from Sugarbush Farm and saw a herd of gorgeous horses in front of a white picketed fence at this huge mansion. I took so many photos! Think they were Morgans. Anyways, bm and I had already decided to eat at the Woodstock Farmers Market. They have a super nice website as well. The ice cream place sound good, "if" we have time! I am hoping to do a moderate hike instead of an easy one but will decide that day depending on weather and how much we accomplished on our packed weekend. I can't wait to see the view at the top of Mt. Tom, regardless of which trail we choose! We are also eating at Worthy Kitchen in Taftsville. Besides shopping in Woodstock, we are also going to the Apple and Pumpkin Festival at Billings Farm, hitting Sugarbush Farm and going to the raptor showing at VINS in Quechee! I have the weekend solidly scheduled so pray the weather holds! I didn't know you lived in Vermont for those 14 years. What made the transition to Minn? Are you coming to Vermont this season? Would be nice to meet you and your wife after all your postings on the forum which have helped me as well as so many forum users on their trips.

Thanks for the photos as well. I've been on that road!

P.S. My friend and I were pulled over in Woodstock at the rotary. No kidding! Wise advice to all. Obey all the traffic rules and drive slowly!!!

[Utah Baker]

I can second the Mountain Creamery, we ate there last year, yum! We were lucky it was a quiet week day in Woodstock! I would also encourage you to walk across the bridge into the quiet neighborhoods, absolutely beautiful! As for Jenne Farm I have always been there later in the afternoon, and have usually had it all to myself, maybe not the best photo time, but very enjoyable to soak up the peace and quiet of the place. Looking forward to your reports of all your travels!

[minnesotaman]

CTYankee

I am a MN resident. Years ago we drove around VT and NH in the fall after visiting one of our children at college. I was hooked. Since then we have spent every fall--from green leaves to sticks--in VT, all of them until last year at the same house in Woodstock with the woods of Mt Peg coming right down to the back door. From Woodstock I put a ridiculous number of miles on a car each year, chasing color and visiting the dozens of spots in VT and NH that have become shrines to me. By this point, it is a sort of pilgrimage. My worn old VT and NH atlases are crammed full with notes.

It sounds like you will be in Woodstock at the time I will be making runs to the Whites and the NEK. Perhaps you will return later in October?

[ctyanky]

Hi Minn: I won't be returning to Woodstock later as I will be up in the NEK with Carol (abby) all thru the first week of October tooling around the state wherever she wants to be shooting. Then I am spending Columbus Day Weekend in Castleton. I know I won't be finding much color in Woodstock so early but I'm there to knock some events/hiking/festivals off my bucket list. The VINS raptor center in Quechee is something I always wanted to do besides the Billings Farm and the MBR historic state park. I wanted a new venue aside from the one I was traveling to over the past eight or so years in central VT. I'm kind of excited to explore Woodstock as I never stayed there before, just passed through or did some day trips during foliage season.... And in Castleton, I am going to visit Hubbardton Battlegrounds and venture around that area as well with bm our other moderator. They have big rodeos in Castleton and a nice ranch for riding. I'm going to Bennington for a night to visit Charles (ixl) our well-known photographer on this forum September 30th. We are going to check out Somerset Reservoir and just have a nice time catching up! I wish I had a month to be in Vermont as you do in VT/NH! I haven't ever been to the islands or spent too much time in Burlington or the extreme NW corner of VT.

http://historicsites.vermont.gov/directory/hubbardton

I am going to Woodstock the weekend before my VT foliage trip to the Forestry Festival in the Marshall Billings Rockefeller park. The Billings Farm is having their woodworking festival that weekend - they are interconnected. I go up frequently for day trips most of September. The garlic fest is Labor Day Weekend in Bennington and the Chester craft fair is in September as well. I can get to the border of VT in 2 hours!

https://www.nps.gov/mabi/planyourvisit/ ... eekend.htm

http://www.vermontwoodfestival.org/wp-c ... poster.pdf

http://www.vermontwoodfestival.org/

Anyways, it would have been nice to meet up but we can connect on the forum and if you are in the NEK during the first week of October let us know and we can meet. I was with bm a couple of years ago and we swear we saw your car and said that must be the guy from MN! It could have been any MN car but we had a good laugh!

[minnesotaman]

Odds are, our paths will cross in the NEK. I will be checking in.

Your plan is too much! I am worn out just reading about it.

[ctyanky]

Hi Minn: I rest when I am sleeping. I like to be busy 24/7! Just the way I have been most of my life!