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State Long TrailLT

Long Trail

Built between 1910 and 1930 by the Green Mountain Club, the Long Trail is the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the United States, running 272 miles along the spine of Vermont's Green Mountains...

OpenStreetMap (curated relation)

Length
249.1 mi
Thru-hike
14–30 days
Elev. gain
2,546 ft
States
1

About the route

Built between 1910 and 1930 by the Green Mountain Club, the Long Trail is the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the United States, running 272 miles along the spine of Vermont's Green Mountains from the Massachusetts border to Canada.

Permits

Individual hikers do not need a permit to hike the Long Trail; the system is free and open to the public, and its 70 overnight sites are first-come, first-served. Some groups may need a special-use permit from the Green Mountain National Forest or Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation. Bear-safe food storage is mandatory in the Green Mountain National Forest. In spring mud season (April and May), GMC discourages high-elevation hiking; follow posted trail closures, which GMC and Vermont FPR issue weekly.

Outdoors is not the permitting authority. Confirm current application windows and requirements with the issuing agency.

Termini

Terminus A

Massachusetts-Vermont state line near Clarksburg

Coordinates not yet verified

Terminus B

US-Canada border at Journey's End, Jay, VT

Coordinates not yet verified

Verified waypoints

45 total

Categories hidden on the map fold here too.

Water & camping43 waypoints
Views2 waypoints

Official sources

Last verified by us: 2026-05-20

Outdoors is not the permitting authority. Reconfirm alerts, permits, and closures with the agency before you go.

Contact the agencies

  • Green Mountain Club (headquarters and visitor center)

    Green Mountain Club

    802-244-7037

    4711 Waterbury-Stowe Road Waterbury Center, Vermont 05677

  • Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests Supervisor's Office

    USDA Forest Service — Green Mountain National Forest

    (802) 747-6700

    4387 U.S. Route 4 East Mendon, VT 05701

  • GMNF special-use permit applications (Public Services Staff Officer)

    USDA Forest Service — Green Mountain National Forest

    (802)747-6724

  • Manchester Ranger Station, Green Mountain NF

    USDA Forest Service — Green Mountain National Forest

    (802) 362-2307

    2538 Depot Street Manchester Center, VT 05255

  • Rochester Ranger Station, Green Mountain NF

    USDA Forest Service — Green Mountain National Forest

    (802) 767-4261

    99 Ranger Road Rochester, VT 05767

  • Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (general inquiries)

    Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation

    802-828-1531anr.forests@vermont.gov

  • Vermont State Parks

    Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation

    1-888-409-7579parks@vermont.gov

Best seasons

summerfall

Hazards

  • Spring mud season and high-elevation trail closures
  • Sudden weather changes and temperature drops
  • Black bears
  • High water at stream and river crossings
  • Untreated water sources (Giardia)
  • Lingering snow and black flies in June
  • Steep, rocky, rooty terrain

Highlights

  • Mount Mansfield
  • Camel's Hump
  • Sterling Pond
  • Stratton Mountain
  • Spruce Peak
  • Belvidere Mountain
  • Lamoille River
  • Maine Junction

States traversed

VT