RECOMMENDED FOOT LOOPS

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Distance:  5.6 miles 

Elevation Gain:  700 feet 

Big Top Loop Map 

Trailhead location:  Fairgrounds Trailhead, 131 Town Farm Rd, Poultney, VT  

Directions to Trailhead:  Rte. 140 East through East Poultney. Go 1.2 miles and turn left on Town Farm Rd.  Follow ¼ mile to the parking lot.  

Overview 

This hike explores the west side of the Fairgrounds trails network and is a shorter version of the Carnie Loop.  It begins as an easy walk, crossing the Poultney River and following a woods road.  The trail narrows and winds through mostly hemlock and deciduous forest, reaching two benches with nice views before returning on the woods road.

Description

From the parking lot kiosk, walk down the trail paralleling Town Farm Road.  Turn left on Town Farm Road and then right on Rte 140.  Walk along Rte 140 and turn left at the wide trail entrance onto Ringmaster trail at mile 0.3.  Go around the gate, cross the Poultney River and follow the wide woods road through an open meadow.  At mile 0.7 turn right to stay on Ringmaster and follow it across a large meadow.  This meadow is referred to as the fairgrounds, a onetime site of the Rutland agricultural fair in 1853.  Reenter the woods and at mile 1.0 turn right onto the Big Top trail which will soon narrow and begin a gentle ascent to the top.  At mile 2.0 a bench is reached with views to the east.  Continue to the top at mile 3.0 where there is another bench with good views.  The trail now begins a descent to the junction with the Scrambler and Carnie trails at mile 3.4.  

Turn left on Scrambler and continue to descend as the trail switchbacks its way down a steeper hillside.  At mile 4.0 the junction with Ringmaster is reached.  Turn left on Ringmaster to return to Rte. 140 at mile 5.3, enjoying the open vistas as you walk through the meadows. Turn right and walk on the shoulder of Rte. 140 and then left on Town Farm Rd at mile 5.4.  Turn right onto the trail paralleling Town Farm Road to return to the parking lot.

Distance:  8.7 miles 

Elevation Gain:  1,250 feet

Carnie Loop Map

Trailhead location:  Fairgrounds Trailhead, 131 Town Farm Rd, Poultney, VT 

Directions to Trailhead:  Rte. 140 East through East Poultney. Go 1.2 miles and turn left on Town Farm Rd.  Follow ¼ mile to the parking lot.  

Overview 

This long loop circumnavigates most of the Fairgrounds West trail system.  It encompasses three trails, Ringmaster, Big Top and Carnie.  It is an excellent route for trail runners and is part of the SVT Scramble running race.  There are several benches at high points which offer a place to take a breather, enjoy a snack and absorb the views.

Description

From the parking lot kiosk, walk down the trail paralleling Town Farm Road.  Turn left on Town Farm Road and then right on Rte 140.  Walk along Rte 140 and turn left at the wide trail entrance onto Ringmaster trail at mile 0.3.  Go around the gate, cross the Poultney River and follow the wide woods road through an open meadow.  At mile 0.7 turn right to stay on Ringmaster and follow it across a large meadow.  This meadow is referred to as the fairgrounds, a onetime site of the Rutland agricultural fair in 1853.  Reenter the woods and at mile 1.0 turn right onto the Big Top trail which will soon narrow and begin a gentle ascent to the top.  At mile 2.0 a bench is reached with views to the east.  Continue to the top at mile 3.0 where there is another bench with good views.  The trail now begins a descent to the junction with the Scrambler and Carnie trails at mile 3.4.  

Go right on Carnie and follow the trail as it cuts along the hillside descending and then ascending again.  This part of the trail is enjoyable as it meanders and finally reaches a bench with lovely views of Lake St Catherine and the surrounding countryside.  From the view point descend to a meadow where the trail then winds its way in and out of the woods, eventually cutting across the meadow to a gravel road and a large turnaround area at mile 6.0.  Proceed on the Ringmaster Trail as it skirts the edge of the meadow and enters the forest again.  The trail becomes a wide woods road and continues northward before swinging east and back to Rte. 140.  There can be several wet sections along this trail as it passes through some boggy areas.  At mile 8.4, turn right on Rte. 140 and walk on the shoulder to Town Farm Road.  Turn left and then right onto the trail to return to the parking lot at 8.7 miles.

Distance:  2.7 miles

Elevation Gain:   95 feet

Castleton University Loop Map - Coming Soon!

Trailhead location:  West side of the D&H Trail crossing at South St, Castleton, VT

Directions to Trailhead: 62 Alumni Drive, Castleton, VT (Google Map)

From Rte. 4A in Castleton, turn south onto South Street and then right into the small parking lot where the D&H Trail crosses South St.  Additional parking is available in the University visitor’s lot on the east side of South St. 

Overview

This easy walk begins and ends on the D&H Rail Trail, but is mostly on Castleton University property with public access.  It has a wide variety of habitats, including marsh, hardwood, white pine, hemlock forests, a shrubby clear-cut and athletic fields.  It is marked with green and white SVT square plastic markers.  There are a few seasonal wet spots.

Description

From the gate  on South Street, proceed southwest on the D&H Trail.  At mile 0.4 mile turn right onto the Spartan Loop.  After crossing a bridge the trail emerges from the forest onto the edge of athletic fields and then makes a sharp left back into the woods.  At 0.7 miles bear left onto a double track road that goes uphill to the right.  The trail passes along the edge of a wetland and a small pond and then comes out into the fields at 0.9 miles.  Walk along the edge of the pond past the dam, then along trees until the trail turns left and crosses a stream in a deep ravine.  At 1.0 miles turn right at the trail junction with the Lady Spartan Trail.  The Lady Spartan Trail to the left cuts off a section of the trail with interesting bird habitat and shortens the route.  After running along the ravine, the trail comes out into an old clear-cut which has a dense regrowth of small trees and shrubs.  At 1.4 miles the trail re-enters the forest.  Shortly after this the Lady Spartan Trail re-enters from the left.  At 2.1 miles, turn left onto the D&H Trail and return to the start at 2.7 miles.

Distance:  2.9 miles or 3.6 miles 

Elevation Gain:  550 feet 

Cliffhanger Loop Map - 

Cliffhanger Long Loop 

Cliffhanger Short Loop

Trailhead location: Fairgrounds Trailhead, 131 Town Farm Rd, Poultney, VT  

Directions to Trailhead:  Rte. 140 East through East Poultney.  Go 1.2 miles and turn left on Town Farm Rd.  Follow ¼ mile to the parking lot.  

Overview

This loop is the premier hike of the Fairgrounds East trail system.  The hike passes through varied habitat and climbs to the two summits of the nearby hill.  Much of this loop uses snowmobile and old four-wheeler trails so they are wide and mostly smooth.  The suggested route direction is clockwise, providing an easy start and a warm up for the moderate twisting ascent past steep rock outcroppings on the Cliffhanger trail.  It is along this part of the trail where there is a good display of early spring wildflowers.  This hike also is an enjoyable wintertime snowshoe outing.  

Description

From the parking lot kiosk, walk down the trail paralleling Town Farm road.  Cross Town Farm road, pass through the gates in the fences and bear right on Maple Sugar, a wide gravel road.  This gravel road soon enters a large open meadow where it becomes grassy while maintaining its width.  At 0.5 miles at the 4-way intersection turn right onto the Merry-Go-Round trail as it ascends and reaches the next intersection in the upper meadow.  Continue straight on Merry-Go-Round, following the trail across the meadow and into the forest.  At mile 0.7 bear right on the Midway trail, a wide snowmobile trail, and follow it uphill.  At mile 1.0 turn right on the narrow Cliffhanger trail and follow the trail past several rocky outcroppings as it climbs via nine switchbacks to the top.  Just before reaching the top there is a bench that offers a moment to relax and enjoy the first of two spots for nice views of the southern Adirondacks Mountains.  The terrain now eases as the trail continues to the top and rejoins the Midway trail.  Near this junction another bench at mile 1.8 provides a pleasant view of Spruce Knob to the north.

Continue to follow the narrow Cliffhanger trail as it meanders along the ridge, crisscrossing the Midway trail.  At mile 2.0, the Loop-the-Loop trail is reached.  Go to the right and follow this short 0.2-mile loop to two benches on the top of the small rocky knoll where one can enjoy a second look out to the southern Adirondacks.  Continue on the loop and descend back to Cliffhanger at mile 2.2.  Turn right and follow to the junction with the Midway trail at 2.3 miles.

For the 2.9-mile hike, turn right to descend on the wide Midway trail and return to the parking lot.  

For the 3.6-mile hike, continue straight to remain on the Cliffhanger trail.  Follow the trail as it winds downhill and cuts across the hillside to a lower intersection with Midway at mile 3.3.  Turn left and return to the parking lot.

Distance:   4.9 miles

Elevation Gain:  940 feet

Endless Brook Summit Loop Map 

Trailhead location:  Endless Brook Trailhead, 937 Endless Brook Road, Poultney, VT 

Directions to Trailhead:  Route 30 south from Poultney.  Go 3 miles and turn left onto Endless Brook Road.  Continue for 0.8 miles and turn left into the Endless Brook trailhead parking lot just before Dayton Hill Road.  This is a small lot and can fill up quickly.  There is no parking along the roadside so please consider another hike if the lot is full. 

Overview

This hike encompasses the first set of trails built in the Slate Valley Trail system.  The trail winds through a range of forest habitats, from dark hemlocks to open hardwoods with grassy undergrowth.  It is a gentle yet sustained climb to the highest point in the Slate Valley trail network with a scenic lookout overlooking Lake Saint Catherine.  At the view there are several benches to sit and enjoy the views southward and westerly into the Adirondacks.

Description

From the Endless Brook kiosk go straight on Franz’s Fall trail.  The trail begins as a wide flat woods road through the hemlock forest and then narrows before reaching a stream with a picturesque waterfall and bridge crossing at mile 0.2.  Once across the bridge you will start to gently climb and traverse a hill until you reach the intersection with the Rusty Bucket trail.  At 0.7 miles turn left onto the Rusty Bucket trail and continue a gentle climb to the top of a grassy knoll that affords some short-range views when the leaves are down.  Continuing down the knoll the trail weaves through the hemlocks and across some boardwalks to the intersection with the Hardy’s Hill trail.  At mile 1.4 turn left onto Hardy’s Hill and begin a 500 foot to the summit at 2.9 miles.

Continue over the top of the hill to the Shale Shifter trail, a wide gravel road and head downhill.  At 1.1 miles you approach a small clearing at the bottom and bear left onto a short section of trail that exits onto Dayton Hill Rd.  At 4.2 miles follow the one lane Dayton Hill Rd. downhill until it tees with Endless Brook Rd.  At 4.8 miles turn right and return to the trailhead on your right at 4.9 miles.

Distance:  2.5 miles or 3.2-miles 

Elevation Gain: 230 feet

The Fairgrounds Stroll Map - Coming Soon!

Trailhead location:  Fairgrounds Trailhead, 131 Town Farm Rd, Poultney, VT  

Directions to Trailhead: Rte. 140 East through East Poultney. Go 1.2 miles and turn left on Town Farm Rd.  Follow ¼ mile to the parking lot.  

Overview

For those looking for a casual walk this route is the perfect choice.  The route follows wide gravel and woods roads and a lovely section of trail through the forest.  There are nice open vistas, good forest edge habitat for birding, a bridge crossing over the lovely Poultney river and very little elevation change.

Description

From the parking lot kiosk, walk down the trail paralleling Town Farm Road.  Cross through the gates in the fences at Town Farm Road and bear right on Maple Sugar trail, a wide gravel road.  At mile 0.4, just before entering the large open meadow, turn left (look for the large slate stone arrow) and follow the trail down to the paved road.  At mile 0.5, cross over Rte. 140 and walk a few yards to the right to pick up the trail on the other side.  Go around the gate and continue across the Poultney River on the wide Ringmaster trail.  At mile 0.7, bear right onto the Cotton Candy trail.  This trail enters the forest and meanders along the edge of the large meadow on your left.  This meadow is referred to as “the fairgrounds” – a onetime site of the Rutland agricultural fair in 1853. As you stroll along the forest edge you’ll undoubtedly see and hear many birds especially in the spring.  At mile 1.7 you reach an intersection and the end of Cotton Candy at the Ringmaster Trail.

For the 2.5 mile route, turn left on Ringmaster and return to Rte. 140 enjoying the open vistas as you walk through the open meadows.  At mile 2.3 turn right and walk on the shoulder of Rte. 140.  At mile 2.4 turn left on Town Farm Rd and then right on the trail paralleling the road to return to the parking lot. 

For the 3.2 mile route, continue straight on the Clown Shoes trail, a flat path that winds through the woods, then right on Ringmaster and follow directions back to the parking lot.