Find Trails in Vermont with TrailFinder!
BATS on TrailFinder.Info HERE
Local organizations and land trust, etc have been adding information here. Very searchable and a great resource!
–Recreation in the Shires of Vermont- The Bennington Chamber website has a collaborative map about outdoor recreation (hike, bike, fish, winter recreation, and more) in the area, including an overview map (not to be used for navigation) showing some of the recreation areas, as well as links to the places shown on the map.
Local Outdoor Recreation spots include, but are not limited to (again, try using TrailFinder.info to find more places):
- Bennington Museum George D. Aiken Wildflower Trail/Nature Walk
- Lake Paran
- Lake Shaftsbury State Park
- Woodford State Park
- Prospect Mountain Nordic Ski Area (Woodford)– At 2,200′, you can cross country ski, snowshoe, and uphill tour with a pass. A true community treasure
- Mile Around Woods & the Robert Frost Trail (More maps at the Fund for North Bennington)
- Ninja Path – planning & volunteer coordination work are supported by the Bennington County Regional Commission.
- Town of Bennington Properties and Trails including the Y Woods.
- Note: the current public access to Y Woods is not officially marked or signed by the Town or BATS
Best bet: Parking or riding from the pull off on Morgan Street/Middle Pownal Rd junction, and heading up through where the Career Development Center logs toward Park Lawn Cemetery. Neighbors of Y Woods from Cresecent Blvd have access points, but this isn’t official currently though it shows on the maps. Please respect the neighbors. In 2020, BATS volunteers and the Town hope work on improving signage.
- Note: the current public access to Y Woods is not officially marked or signed by the Town or BATS
- Appalachian Trail and Long Trail (co-aligned in our area)
- The A.T. in Vermont is maintained by the Green Mountain Club Bennington Section. See their Outings on Meetup, and check out the GMC Bennington website. They are a chapter of the Green Mountain Club.
- The Appalachian Trail Conservancy works with partners to manage the entire A.T. and has useful information hikers should check out.
- Day Hikes on the A.T./L.T. or nearby include Harmon Hill, Bald Mountain (two approaches, commonly people hike to the White Rocks on the Bald Mt. West Trail), and for the more ambitious a 20+ mile loop can be done as a backpack or day hike (with enough time and stamina) in the Glastenbury Wilderness. (West Ridge Loop Archived PDF).
Outdoor Recreation In the Berkshires
Berkshire NEMBA Chapter and their MTB Trails
Mount Greylock State Reservation & Greylock Glen Multi-Use Trail System
Trustees of Reservations Properties in the Berkshires
Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation
Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area – Has a great hike/walk series in the fall as well as other information about
Western New England Greenway– a Route 7 multi-segment, multi-state bike route linking NYC and Montreal. It goes through Bennington and is growing. Learn more!
Don’t forget you can always call your local bike shop, or gear shops locally for tips on places to go. Your local bookstore also has maps and guidebooks.
Outfitters Nearby
The Mountain Goat, Manchester, VT
Berkshire Outfitters, Adams, MA (Winter Gear and Kayaks Too)
Nature’s Closet, Williamstown, MA
Lots of hike info at the shops near Stratton like Equipe Sports and First Run /Mt. Snow area
Zoar Adventure Center (hike/whitewater/snowshoe/bike), Wilmington, VT
First Trax Sports Shop, Dover, Vt
Sam’s Outdoor Outfitters, Brattleboro, VT (!! Everything!!)
Albany / Glens Falls Area
Bike Shops
The Bennington Bike Hub, Bennington, VT
Battenkill Bicycles, Manchester, VT
Equipe Sports/ Mountain Riders, Rawsonville and Stratton Mt., VT
Burrow’s Sports, Brattleboro, VT
The Spoke, Williamstown, MA
Berkshire Outfitters, Adams, MA
Tomhannock Bicycles, Johnsonville, NY
Resorts with Shops and Services
Bromley Mountain
Magic Mountain
Stratton Mountain
Mt. Snow Resort
State Parks Near Bennington
Woodford State Park
Lake Shaftsbury State Park
Emerald Lake State Park
Molly Stark State Park
Green Mountain National Forest Manchester Ranger District
Recreation Activities- South Zone/ Manchester Ranger District
Long Distance Trails- Did you know the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and the oldest long distance hiking trail in the US, the Long Trail, are the same trail and go through Bennington and Woodford? Well, they do!
Learn More at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s website, or get a map at the Bennington Bookshop!
–Current Trail Updates for the A.T.
– Info on Parking and Transportation along the A.T.
– Leave No Trace Principles for Hiking with great videos