South West Vermont

Over the past week south west Vermont has had some snow, but not quite enough for XC skiing or snow shoeing. While this amount of snow works for resorts such as Bromley and Stratton with snow-making machines, there are still some free ways to enjoy the area amidst a think layer of snow.

For starters, seek out hiking trails that avoid streams and are on hill sides without any run-off. If you’re hiking in boots you’ll keep your feet dry, but if you end up splurging with snow shoes, you’ll keep ice from forming on your crampons and sliding down the trail. One example of such a hike is Prospect Rock in Manchester, but of course that hike gains a lot of elevation, so dress lightly for the ascent and warmly for the descent. Most of the trails in the Equinox trail system in Manchester are also fairly dry, though at lower elevations.

We enjoy taking walks on Kelly Stand Road in Arlington, VT, but keep in mind a few things: it can be icy, snow mobiles zip past sometimes, and the rare truck may barrel by. All in all, the road stays relatively dry and is a great walk if trails are too muddy.

Prospect Rock

Kelly Stand Road