What a gorgeous weekend! I took advantage of ample sunshine by biking a loop around Stowe, Vermont, on Saturday, and then hiking in Smugglers’ Notch on Sunday morning.
Some trees are starting to change color already. Pretty soon we'll be hiking through technicolor woods! Our hike on Sunday took us up the very popular Sterling Pond trail which departs from the base of the cliffs in the dramatic Smugglers’ Notch — midway between Stowe and Smugglers' Notch ski resorts on Route 108.
It’s a slightly steep and rather short hike up to the pond. We continued along the Long Trail a bit to get to the top terminal of the Sterling Lift at Smugglers’ Notch. There we enjoyed views to the north.
Then we went on to hike the side trail that follows the edge of the pond. Near the Green Mountain Club lean-to we sat to enjoy a snack with a view of the pond and the summit of Mount Mansfield. Gorgeous!
We continued on around the pond a while before retracing our steps. It was a gorgeous day to be out in the woods!
Tip: Check with the <link http: www.greenmountainclub.org external-link-new-window gmc>Green Mountain Club before selecting a hike so you can be up-to-date on conditions and access points. Some trails and trail access roads recently sustained damage due to tropical storm Irene.
