Nature for All – On and Off the Long Trail System
The Green Mountain Club is working to make the Long Trail welcoming and accessible to more people – across all abilities. This commitment is part of our Strategic Plan and guides how we plan projects. GMC partners with accessibility and adaptive recreation experts to identify potential locations where the trail can become accessible and we work with local nonprofits, and local, state, and federal land managers to bring those ideas to life.
Statewide, Vermont is home to several boardwalks, expanded rail trails, and smooth, gently graded interpretive trails.
What Are Accessible Trails?
In the outdoor recreation world, there are a variety of terms and guidelines used to improve accessibility for certain trails and facilities, even in backcountry settings. GMC adheres to the U.S. Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines. Not all trails will be accessible to all users, so reviewing trail descriptions and photos is the best way for users to determine if a certain trail or destination will work for them.
Find an Accessible Trail
TrailFinder offers the most comprehensive information and directory of trails in Vermont and New Hampshire that meet various accessibility standards. Explore their information and search for accessible trails near you. You can also select the “accessible” feature in GMC HikeFinder tool.
Consider mountain toll roads, like those at Okemo, Ascutney, Burke, Mansfield, and Mt. Equinox, and Mt. Philo, or scenic gondola and chairlift rides offered by ski resorts, which may be great options for scenic views and fresh air depending on your mobility and disability needs.
Select Accessible Trail Recommendations
Here are a few favorite accessible experiences statewide.
Mollie Beattie Bog, Brighton. This 200-foot wheelchair-accessible boardwalk in the Silvio O. Conte Wildlife Refuge reaches a black spruce woodland bog that’s home to the rare bog sedge plant. Get there.
Sentinel Rock State Park, Westmore. A 1-mile accessible trail off Hinton Hill Road overlooks Lake Willoughby and the Green Mountains and reaches the glacial erratic the park is named for. Get there.
Raven’s Ridge Natural Area, Monkton. Traveling a 935-foot accessible boardwalk to a 0.3-mile-long accessible trail gives you a chance to spot bats, bobcats, and rare plants. Get there.
Thundering Falls Boardwalk, Killington. Nine hundred feet of accessible boardwalk on the Appalachian Trail in Vermont, built and maintained by the Green Mountain Club, crosses an extensive wetland and connects to a smooth gravel switchback path to a platform at a 140-foot waterfall. Get there.
West River Trail, Jamaica State Park, Jamaica. The 16-mile universally accessible trail is a converted railway with a packed gravel surface, including two miles in Jamaica State Park. Get there.
Waterbury Center State Park Trail, Waterbury. A 1,500-foot accessible trail, built in 2010, skirts the Waterbury Reservoir. Get there.
Smugglers’ Notch Boardwalk, Stowe. You can explore wetlands, see a beaver dam, and admire the notch from this 660-foot accessible boardwalk on the Long Trail. Get there.
Mount Mansfield Visitor Center, via Stowe Auto Toll Road. Visit the GMC caretaker- and volunteer-staffed Mansfield Visitor Center at the top of the Stowe Auto Toll Road, for information about the mountain and its alpine ecology. The Chin, the highest summit, is another 1-mile hike with occasional rough footing. Seasonal; fee applies to drive. The Toll Road is operated by Stowe Mountain Resort and all fees go to the resort, not the Green Mountain Club.
Winooski River Footbridge, Bolton. The 224-foot Long Trail suspension bridge, built and maintained by the Green Mountain Club, is accessible from the Duxbury Road (south) side of the Winooski River. There is no accessible parking at the south side of the bridge, so users may need to be dropped off. Get there.
Camel’s Hump View Trail, Duxbury. This lollipop-style .75 mile loop trail features multiple gorgeous views of Camel’s Hump. This is a universally accessible trail. It includes elevation changes, and the trail surface is dirt and gravel, so it may not be passable by wheelchairs designed for smooth surfaces. It starts from the “winter” parking lot on Camel’s Hump Road in Duxbury. Get there.
Partner Spotlights
Our Mission
The mission of the Green Mountain Club is to make the mountains of Vermont play a larger role in the life of the people. We are committed to ensuring the GMC and Long Trail System are places that are inviting, safe, and open, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status.
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