Green Mountain National Forest

Running along the spine of Vermont's Green Mountains, this forest protects nearly 400,000 acres of rugged peaks, alpine meadows, and the sugar maple-beech-birch forests that produce Vermont's legendary maple syrup and create some of the most spectacular fall foliage in all of New England. The forest encompasses six federally designated wilderness areas -- Breadloaf, Bristol Cliffs, George D. Aiken, Big Branch, Peru Peak, and Lye Brook -- providing over 40,000 acres of protected backcountry. The historic Long Trail, America's oldest long-distance hiking trail established in 1910, runs the entire length of the forest along the mountain crest, sharing its route with the Appalachian Trail for about 100 miles. Winter transforms the forest into a Nordic skiing and snowshoeing paradise, with major downhill ski areas including Killington, Sugarbush, and Mad River Glen operating on or adjacent to forest lands. The forest's cold mountain streams support native brook trout populations, while its high-elevation spruce-fir forests provide critical habitat for the rare Bicknell's thrush. Robert Frost's poetry was inspired by these very woods near the Bread Loaf campus, lending a literary heritage to the forest's cultural significance.