The Best Hikes of the Green and Adirondack Mountains
Staring across Lake Champlain at each other, the Green Mountain range and Adirondack Mountain range share little in common besides their stunning beauty. These two ranges were formed in completely different time periods (hundreds of millions of years apart), have entirely different geologic composition, and are in opposite periods of a mountain’s life cycle. Lake Champlain separates these two ranges; there is a visible thrust fault in Burlington! Regardless of their fascinating story, these mountains are home to some of the best hiking in New England- these are our recommendations of hikes around Burlington, Vermont:
Green Mountains (Vermont):
Mt. Philo: This 2-mile loop is referred to as the most ‘bang for your buck’ hike in Vermont. They say that the best view of New York is from Vermont and this summit view is evidence of that. The peak offers views of the entire high peak range of Adirondacks across Lake Champlain. During the parks open hours you can drive up to the top for a small admission fee, so this is also the most accessible hike on this list.
Sunset Ridge: Our favorite hike in Vermont takes you along a smooth, rocky ridge to the highest point in Vermont: Mt. Mansfield. Most local hikes are wooded until you reach the summit, not this one. For half of the hike you will have miles of visibility across the expansive, wild terrain of the West side of the Green Mountains. This hike is said to make you feel like Frodo delivering the ring. It is a longer hike so pack a lunch and plenty of water.
Stowe Pinnacle: Conveniently located near the Ben and Jerry’s factory, this hike offers an incredible view of Camels Hump, Mansfield, and Hunger Mountain. It is a dog-friendly trail and beloved by locals. This hike is on the shorter side, around 3 hours round trip.
Camels Hump: This hike up the Green Mountain National Forest will take you to the third highest peak in Vermont- but it’s the only mountain in the top 3 that doesn’t have a ski area, meaning the only way for a human to reach the summit is by hoofing it up. We recommend hiking from the Huntington side up the Burrows trail. This is a longer one so pack food and water!
Adirondack Mountains (New York):
Poke-O Moonshine: Rising from the shore of Lake Champlain is Mount Poke-O Moonshine. A climb to the summit will bring you to a fire tower with expansive views of Lake Champlain and the Green Mountain Range across it. There is a 1,000ft cliff within view that is a popular destination for daring rock climbers.
Ausable Chasm: The Grand Canyon of the East Coast is located just across the lake from Burlington, Vermont. Ausable Chasm offers much more than just hiking- there is river rafting, rock climbing, tubing, and much more. This place can get busy in the summertime!
Roaring Brook Falls: The Adirondacks are full of impressive waterfalls, some harder to access than others. Roaring Brook is an easy 1.6-mile round trip hike granting you unobstructed views to multiple falls- one is over 300 feet tall! As a bonus, this hike provides an expansive vista view of the high peaks.
Wildway Overlook Trail: A quick 10-minute drive from the ferry dock between Charlotte, VT and Essex, NY, the Wildway Overlook Trail is convenient, easy, and offers stunning views of the ‘dog leg’ portion of Lake Champlain. This impressive geologic area is home to a plethora of wildlife, this trail is the best place to view the Split Rock Wildway corridor- an ambitious land preserve on some of the most impressive lakefront acres.
