Information
Landmark: Snake Mountain TrailCity: Vergennes
Country: USA Vermont
Continent: North America
Snake Mountain Trail, Vergennes, USA Vermont, North America
Overview
Winding through western Vermont, the Snake Mountain Trail ranks among the area’s favorite hikes, rewarding you at its rocky summit ledge with sweeping views of the Champlain Valley, the distant Adirondacks, and the silver-blue stretch of Lake Champlain, in turn tucked between Addison and Weybridge, this trail blends an easygoing hike with bits of local history and sweeping greenery-maples rustling overhead-making it a go-to spot for locals and visitors chasing that classic Vermont escape.Snake Mountain towers 1,287 feet (392 meters) above the valley, its long forested ridge standing out like a dim green spine against the pale patchwork of surrounding farmland, besides hardwood forests of maple, beech, and oak blanket the mountain’s slopes, with patches of ferns and wildflowers curling around cool, moss-covered boulders.The trail feels steady yet manageable, climbing gently over patches of loose rock and uneven ground, on top of that at the summit, hikers step onto the western cliff called the Pinnacle, where wind sweeps across the ledge and the view rolls out over Addison County’s wide fields, the deep blue of Lake Champlain, and the far-off Adirondack High Peaks in current York.On a clear day, the obscure forest edges meet fields of gold, and the lake glitters so sharply it almost hurts to peek, along with trail Overview Trailhead: You’ll reach it from Mountain Road, just off Route 17, where a slight gravel lot waits at the base, roughly It’s about a 3.6‑mile round trip (5.8 km) along the main trail, winding past pine needles that crunch underfoot, simultaneously elevation gain’s roughly 900 feet, or about 274 meters-the kind of climb that makes your calves burn halfway up.Moderate challenge-manageable for most hikers who’ve got sturdy boots and a decent level of stamina, as well as the trail winds along an vintage carriage road, first laid in the 1800s to reach the mountaintop Grand View House, where guests once watched the sunset blaze over the valley, perhaps Although the hotel vanished in flames years ago, you can still spot its stone foundations and a few charred beams near the summit, giving the hike a quiet sense of history, meanwhile the forested slopes of Snake Mountain brim with life, its canopy thick with sugar maple, red oak, birch, and hemlock whispering in the wind.In spring and early summer, trillium, violets, and lady’s slippers spill across the forest floor, and by autumn, the woods flare into a blaze of red and gold, along with white‑tailed deer, wild turkeys, and slight mammals often wander through the area, while raptors glide high above the cliffs, catching warm currents that ripple along the ridge, slightly Geology: The mountain’s sharp ridge rises from an classical monadnock, its tough rock holding firm while ice once scraped the valley floor smooth around it, while spring has its own character-muddy trails underfoot, but bursts of wildflowers and birds everywhere.In summer, the forest’s thick canopy drapes the trail in cool shade, so even when the air turns warm, it’s pleasant to meander beneath the rustling leaves, alternatively in autumn, the summit opens to a breathtaking view-crimson and gold leaves shimmer on Lake Champlain, their color spilling toward the distant Green Mountains.In winter, snow blankets the trails, inviting snowshoeing or brisk hikes, but the summit’s slick ice demands careful footing, along with at Spirit Hiking Snake Mountain, visitors find a mix of rugged beauty, calm solitude, and a touch of historic intrigue carried on the wind.Curiously, The trail winds steadily through thick woods, pine needles soft underfoot, and ends at one of Vermont’s best overlooks-where the horizon stretches wide and you feel the air open around you, meanwhile the crumbling walls of the historic hotel whisper of generations who once stood here, chasing the same wide sweep of sea and sky.The trail shifts with each season-green and humming with life in summer, blazing with autumn color, then hushed beneath a blanket of snow-but it always holds the quiet, enduring calm of Vermont’s countryside, in addition on Snake Mountain, nature and history meet high above the wide Champlain Valley, turning one winding hike into something you won’t forget.
Author: Tourist Landmarks
Date: 2025-11-13
