A Peaceful Walk/Hike on the Mill Brook Path

The Mill Brook Path, which begins across from Fayston School, is an ideal path through the woods for mountain bikers or for walkers who might want a bit more of a challenge. Some stretches are level, while others require some more effort, but overall its a beautiful, wooded hike!
Starting out, I crossed over the wooden bridge, which offers great views up and down the brook.

I took a seat for a few minutes to watch the water flow by...

Continuing on, I discovered that the path included vary degrees of difficulty, as well as differing forest scenes. One moment I might be walking through a dense pine grove, and the next I could find myself in a stand of birches or out in the sun in a small, fern-filled meadow.

Here are a few more things I saw on my walk:

A tiny bee buzzing around a flower,

a large centipede crawling over a leaf,

and a trickling waterfall by the side of the path.

The other great thing about this path is that it is 2.1 miles from one end to the other, but you can turn around whenever you want, making the hike as long or as short as you like. 

Take advantage of the nice August weather to get out and explore the Mill Brook Path!

Take A Hike On the Warren Path

"We made it!" With joyous laughter we emerged from the woods onto an outcropping of rock overlooking a green valley. Following a short, strenuous hike on a hot day, we were glad to have a place to sit and admire the view.
The Warren Path starts from a small parking lot across the fairgrounds from Warren School. Across a small meadow, the path ambles through a sunny pine forest for about 0.5 miles.

At the end of the path, there is an extension for more ambitious hikers that follows a fairly steep trail up the hill for another 0.5 miles to Warren Vista. It involves some clambering and panting, but the view is well worth it!

After a small snack and a few more minutes of taking in the view, we prepared ourselves for the downward scramble back to the bottom of the mountain. Following the trail back through the woods to the grassy meadow, we sighed happily with the feeling of accomplishment. It had been a great hike.

A Beautiful Day for the Austin Walk

Yesterday I took advantage of some free time in the afternoon to go for a quick stroll on the Austin Walk, a short, 0.5-mile path just off the parking lot of the Lareau swimming hole.
The swimming hole was busy on such a warm day, but the path was relatively quiet. It was much cooler under the trees and out of the sun.

The trees arched over my head in many places, and the wildflowers, ferns, and tall grass alongside the dirt path brushed my legs as I snapped some photos.

The dappled sunlight was calming and beautiful in contrast with the birches. I could faintly hear joyous shouts from the river, but the path seemed surprisingly secluded from the nearby road and swimming hole.

The path goes on for about 0.25 miles before circling around a small meadow. There, the river can be seen from the path, and there is a nice view in all directions.

I even found an oddly shaped tree!

Once around the meadow, I made my way back along the path to the parking lot. A sweet set of stone steps marks the end of the path.

By the time I was out in the sun again, I was certainly ready to jump in the river!

A Walk on the Kingsbury Greenway

On one of the recent gorgeous days, I went out for a walk on the Kingsbury Greenway, near Rt. 100 between Waitsfield and Warren. The path starts at the parking area at the Kingsbury Park, just off Rt. 100 on the left after the Golden Lion. There are a couple access points to the Mad River near where the trail starts. It was already hot, and the river looked so inviting, but the path called. I still had a couple miles to walk before a swim.

Starting off, the trail led me through a sunny wooded area, following the river downstream. A few people were picnicking at one of the picnic areas between the path and the river. I crossed over the Clay Brook Bridge, watching the brook join with the larger river. Following the path, I climbed the stairway built by a crew from the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps. Suddenly I was out in the full sun, walking through a meadow and up to meet the road. A cautious look in both directions-- left, right, left--and I was across. 

The Kingsbury Farm was visible just over the green steel bridge as I continued down a wide dirt road toward the Snowmaking Pond. Blue sky above, sun shining, all kinds of wildflowers along the path...it was beautiful!

The path actually goes around the entire pond, so I was able to get many beautiful angles!

The water in the pond looked refreshing, but unfortunately not swim-able. I had to make it back to the river. Back along the path, back across Rt. 100, back over the bridge...

...and finally back to the river for a dip! Ahhh...a bit chilly at first, but lovely. A successful walk and swim on a beautiful day.

Welcome to the Path!

Hello!

We are very pleased to welcome you to our new blog! Check back here for new postings, photos, and further information on the Path and the MRPA. We'll be sharing exciting news, event dates, and the daily goings-on at the Path.

Be sure to read our About and History sections to learn more about what the Mad River Path is, the MRPA's mission and goals, and how the Path began.

Click here for a map of the path: http://www.madriverpath.com/Maps.html

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Thanks!