Mt. Ascutney features four principal hiking trails, three of which are named for the town from which that trail originates:
The Weathersfield Trail The one trail on the south face of the mountain, the base of this trail is located in a parking lot at the end of Cascade Falls Rd, off of Vermont Route 131 in Weathersfield. Highlights of this trail include Cascade Falls, the largest waterfall on the mountain, and the mountain's one launch platform for hang gliders.
The Windsor Trail The parking area for the Windsor Trail is located on Back Mountain Road (Rt. 44A). Coming from Ascutney on Route 5 North , Take a left onto Rt. 44A. You will pass the entrance to the Ascutney State Park which will be on your left. The Windsor Trail parking area is located exactly 1.5 miles on your left. Coming from Windsor, on Route 44, take the first left after the interstate I91 underpass onto Coles Hill Road. Proceed to the next fork, and take a right onto Rt. 44A. The entrance to the Windsor Trail parking area will be approximately 1/4 mile on your left.
Highlights of this trail include Gerry Falls, The Blood Rock Trail, and the Log Shelter. The trail merges with the brownsville Trail near the top.
The Brownsville Trail This trail begins at a parking area along Vermont Route 44, a little over a mile west of junction with Vermont Route 44-A. The lower end of the trail follows an abandoned logging road for some distance the road terminating at the location of an old granite quarry. The trail offers many good viewing opportunities to the north and west.
The Futures Trail The only trail which is not officially maintained by the ATA, but rather by the Ascutney State Park, The trail begins in the campground at Mt. Ascutney State Park on Route 44A, one mile west of the junction with U.S. Route 5 in Ascutney. This is the longest trail on Mt. Ascutney 4.6 miles, covering a wide variety of forest and geography before it connects to the Windsor Trail near the summit. Highlights of this trail include Bare Rock Vista (1.0 mile) and the Steam Donkey a steam powered machine used for cable logging in the early 1900s (3.5 miles). This trail can also be accessed at two points along the State Park Mountain Road for a shorter hike to summit. At the top, a relatively level trail follows the ridgeline and crosses the summit. The top of the mountain is well below the tree line and is therefore covered in forest, however a number of rocky cliffs allow good viewing, and there is an observation tower, as well. There are also two large communications towers.
The summit can also be reached via a short trail from the parking lot at the end of the only road up the mountain, the Mt. Ascutney State Park Mountain Road.
The directors and other members of the Ascutney Trails Association take care of all major blowdowns, all-important waterbars, stone steps, blazes and any trail re-locations on ATA trails. You, too, can be a help by clearing trails of brush and trash, discouraging hikers from cutting switchbacks, and by pitching in on trail maintenance days.
The Green Mountain Club has come up with a formula for estimating hiking time that you might want to use: thirty minutes per mile plus thirty minutes per 1000 feet of elevation. This will give you a conservative estimation, as most hikers beat the "official" time.
Dumps draw flies, porcupines and other varmints, spoiling the aesthetic beauty of the surroundings, and soon fill up. Please DO NOT create a dump at the Log Shelter - take all your empty cans, bottles and other garbage home with you.
Trails are maintained for hiking purposes only. No motor vehicle of mountain bikes are permitted. We encourage those who enjoy mountain biking to contact our sister oraganization, S.T.A.B. - Sports Trails of the Ascutney Basin.
