Mount Equinox via Blue Summit Trail
Manchester / Southern Vermont, Vermont
Activity
Hiking / Summit
Distance
6.2 mi round trip
Elevation gain
~2850 ft
Route
Out & back
The adventure
Climb relentlessly from Manchester to the 3,800-foot summit of the highest mountain in the Taconic Range. Climb more than 2,800 vertical feet from Manchester to the highest summit in the Taconic Range.
Leave Red Gate and follow the preserve trails into the forest before committing to the Blue Summit Trail. Climb steadily through changing forest zones until you reach the top of Mount Equinox, stand on the highest summit in the Taconic Range, descend the same mountain under your own power and.
What to expect
- Climb more than 2,800 vertical feet from Manchester to the highest summit in the Taconic Range.
- Leave Red Gate and follow the preserve trails into the forest before committing to the Blue Summit Trail. Climb steadily through changing forest zones until you reach the top of Mount Equinox, stand on the highest summit in the Taconic Range, descend the same mountain under your own power and.
Good to know
- TACONIC HIGH POINT
- Mount Equinox rises to roughly 3,850 feet and is the highest mountain in the Taconic Range.
- LONG CLIMB
- The Blue Summit Trail climbs for about 3.1 miles from Red Gate and does not waste much time pretending to be flat.
- CLIMB THROUGH THE FOREST
- The forest changes noticeably with elevation, progressing from northern hardwoods toward spruce and fir near the mountain's upper reaches.
- EARN THE SUMMIT
- The scenic toll road is separate from the hiking route. Hiking the preserve does not require purchasing the drive.
- Fee
- Free — no required entrance or parking fee.
- Dogs
- allowed-on-leash.
- Season
- Pedestrian trails are generally available year-round but may close temporarily to prevent mud damage. Snow and ice transform the climb in winter.
Photos
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