Winter Ideas for Skiing and Snowshoeing

Disclaimer - these are trails that GMC members have followed. Many are not officially marked trails and may include bushwacking, compass following or crossing frozen waters. They range in level from easy to difficult. For any advanced trip ALWAYS PROVIDE FOR adequate preparation including compass and map and let people know where and when you are going. Follow all the guidelines on the Outdoor Safety page. Contact GMC members for more details.
  • Aiken Wilderness - access through Woodford State Park or take Forest Service Road 73 south and look for old roads to the right. No marked trails.
  • Bald Mountain (Woodford Hollow)from water tower on Harbor Rd off Route 9 east of Bennington to summit, 2.5 miles each way, (expert on cross-country skis, moderate on snowshoes).
  • Bennington College grounds - easy
  • Catamount Trail -from Route 9 north to the suspension bridges (or the opposite direction), an intermediate ski of about 3 miles (1 1/2 hours). Trail parallels the Deerfield River. To continue to Somerset Reservoir about another 4.7 miles.- easier section along west side of Harriman Reservoir in the direction of the dam at the south end: from picnic area some 2.5 miles of snowmobile trail, then some 3 miles beautifully ungroomed, then about 4 more miles to bridge over Graves Brook.
  • Dunville Dive (between Prospect X-C area and Dunville Hollow Road) - need recent heavy snow
  • Forest Service Road 273 runs south from VT 9 just before Prospect X-C Ski Area (keep right at the Y intersection near VT 9). After gradual climb on road, cross over several Prospect ski trails (trail use by ticket-holders only). The road descends to a gate and Dunville Hollow Road on the right, then climbs to a camp road on the left where the Old Coach Road heads towards Heartwellville. You can continue straight ahead to Sucker Pond with the option of taking some turns right or left to explore more terrain.
  • Forest Roads 21, 58 and Corridor 7 from Peru to Griffith Lake. About 11 miles round trip, moderately difficult. Mostly downhill return. Great views south to Manchester Valley
  • Grafton Pond, NY - moderately rolling trails
  • Greenberg Conservation Reserve – easy; just south of Bennington on US7, parking area across from One World
  • Grout Pond: loop trails, well marked with signs at trail intersections. Terrain easy to moderate. Nice views of Stratton Mt.
  • Harmon Hill (Climb) and ski down to Dunville Hollow.
  • Haystack Mtn Trail Ridge - from Chimney Hill development in Wilmington, ski up Haystack hiking trail (2 mi with 750 ft ascent) to trail ridge, wide and scenic with moderate grades, to Mt Snow; round trip about 10 miles.
  • Hell Hollow watershed - access from height of land on Little Pond Road; glades descend west into the "bowl" where streams connect some 9 beaver ponds (with past and present beaver activity). An out-and-back trip.
  • Hell Hollow Brook - strenuous; 4-5 hours one-way if snow is good. Place cars at Little Pond parking area and start from Rt 9. Take shortcut to the Long Trail, meeting it near Nauheim Shelter. Ski LT past the power line and Maple Hill to the Hell Hollow bridge (from Maple Hill north the steeply winding rocky section requires skins, sidestepping or walking). At bridge leave LT and bushwack up the stream, then negotiate about 11 beaver ponds until reaching a large and beautiful bowl. Bushwack with compass to Little Pond, then ski snowmobile road's gentle downhill to Little Pond parking lot.
  • Hildene in Manchester - fee, easy
  • Hopkins Forest in Williamstown, MA Take Bulkley Street west off US 7 before the Williamstown Visitor Center at the rotary. Turn north a short distance on Northwest Hill Road to the parking area on the left. Several broad, marked loop trails. Moderate to easy eg. Birch Brook trail to Taconic Ridge Trail, but with a few steep downhills. Ski over Stone Hill to the beautiful field and view of Williamstown MA above the Clark Art Institute.
  • Little Pond - Drive east from Bennington 9.3 miles to Little Pond parking area (sign on the right just before parking area on left, where there are many snowmobile trailers on weekends). Trail goes north 2+ miles to a junction (with a stop sign for snowmobilers). Continue straight ahead and descend steeply to pond or turn and return by same route.
  • Little Pond Alternately, At stop sign for Little Pond (above, 2+ miles in from highway), descend hill to right and follow trail to FS Road 272. Turn left to do an out-and-back add-on, extending your ski time. Turning right you can ski to Pine Valley Parking which is about 10 min walk on highway to return to Little Pond Parking.
  • Lost Pond - challenging, all-day trip. Ski to Little Pond, then bushwack (some challenging up and downhill sections), climbing to 3000 ft at Lost Pond near the Long Trail northeast of Little Pond Mountain.
  • Lye Brook Falls near Manchester: gradual uphill 4+ miles out and back
  • Merck Forest Around or across Gale Meadows Pond, Bondville
  • Molly Stark State Forest
  • Mount Anthony - lots of logging roads with public access from Southern Vermont College or from the fields between Camelot Village and the Mt Anthony Animal Hospital off VT 9 west.
  • Mount Greylock
    • - Bernard farm trail
    • - The Hopper, west side of Mt Greylock
    • - Auto road. Either Notch Road from North Adams or Rockwell Road from Lanesboro. Wide and mostly moderate grades, but may be travelled by snowmobiles.
    • - Bellows Pipe Trail
    • - Cheshire Harbor Trail to Greylock summit, descend via Jones Nose and old Adams Road back to Cheshire Harbor. Route winds through forest, including a long climb with wonderful intermediate downhill runs, with views (4 1/2 hrs, 10 miles).
    • ​- Ski the south side of Mount Greylock MA from the Visitor's Center parking lot on Rockwell Road, Lanesboro, out the Northrop Trail for a gentle 3 1/2 miles ascent then take skis off for the final climb up to Rounds' Rocks and a panoramic view south. Return same way or ski back on Rockwell Road, (also 3 1/2 miles).
  • Park McCullough Mile Around Woods and nearby fields – easy
  • Petersburg Pass to Snow Hole: about 8 miles out and back
  • Pine Cobble & Chestnut trail to AT near Williamstown
  • Pine Valley - Slightly east of Little Pond parking area on Route 9 is a parking area for Pine Valley, which also attracts many snowmobilers on weekends. Out and back ski.
  • Prospect Mountain Ski Area (east of Bennington on VT 9), Viking Nordic Center, Londonderry, Wild Wings, Peru VT - rentals, groomed trails, lodge with refreshments and wood stove, fee.
  • Rake Branch - fairly flat terrain, access from Somerset Rd. At gate just past bridge over the Rake Branch, an old log road proceeds west; ski several miles along the Rake Branch toward the "The Burning" a meadow marsh. In an adjacent clearing to the north is "The Boiler" - an old steam engine that 'blew up" many years ago and scattered pieces about.
  • Savoy Forest MA - Busby trail to Lost Pond of Savoy - loop from either Old Florida road or Savoy State Park to Lost Pond: at least five hour ski, moderate to strenuous​, 3-4 hours round trip to Tannery Falls
  • Searsburg Ridge - woods and trail skiing on the ridge parallel to the windmills' ridge. Includes views and off- trail exploration.
  • Ski/bushwhack the beautiful NW Ridge across from the windmills in Searsburg VT - Climb from Rt 8, ski a portion of the ridge, drop down to a beautiful swamp and/or some 1800's homesites.
  • Stamford VT - (near) about 8 miles on old dirt road, mostly flat
  • Somerset reservoir (1) north on Catamount Trail from the east side of the reservoir dam to Grout Pond 2) look for signs 2.2 miles along the Somerset dam road from Rt 9. Cross the first bridge and turn right to second bridge. Railroad grade for some distance. Level grade, easy to follow, some nice views. Allow 3 hours for roundtrip. 3) logging roads near Somerset 4) Bushwack along an old railroad grade from flow dam on the East Branch of the Deerfield for more beaver dams
  • Woodford State Park - drive 11 miles east of Bennington on Vt 9. Just past state park is Recreational Parking area on your left. Park and walk back along the highway, taking care especially when crossing highway. Beyond the state park gate is a road leading into the park, no groomed trails but skiers create a network of X-C trails. Access a blue- blazed trail (at the gate near beach parking lot) to circle the park boundary; about 3 miles, 1 1/2 hours, intermediate. Other trails go through state park: eg. up Dewey Road to Lunch Pond (in late winter, we see salamanders in the water, masses of frog eggs and tiny bright green hoppers) and to Upper Ponds and Jewel Pond.
  • Woodford State Park to Prospect - Leave a car at Prospect X-C parking lot (go into ticket building and pay $5 to park), drive another to state park. Ski along park road and either through campsite area or across lake to campsite #64, then through swamps to Dewey Road, just north of the Aiken Wilderness boundary. Turn right and follow road west to Prospect. One and a half to two hours.​
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