Mount Mansfield State Forest
Managed by Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation
9,932 acres28.6 mi of trail
Long TrailRuschp Sterling Ridge TrailBolton - Trapp TrailHaselton Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Photo: Ascended Dreamer · CC BY-SA 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Stowe
46% of Stowe’s land is conserved: 21,301 acres
179 miles of mapped trail cross Stowe, 2.5 per square mile of land. 2,311 acres are parks and preserves, 437 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Mount Mansfield State Forest (28.6 mi), Sterling Forest (13.6 mi), Cady Hill Forest (10.4 mi).
Ahead of 92% of U.S. towns · #5 of 71 in Vermont. What drives it
Conserved land
46%
21,301 acres · of 72.5 sq mi of land
Trails
179 mi
2.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,311 ac
437 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
29%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
9.6 mi
0.3 mi lanes · 6.7 mi paths
Highest peak
4,019 ft
The Nose
Lakes & rivers
4
What kind of outdoors town is Stowe?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Land that stays wild46% of the land is conserved; a typical Vermont town, 14%.A trail town2.5 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 96% of U.S. towns.Room to roam437 acres of park per 1,000 residents; the typical U.S. town has 13.History along the way4 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Stowe have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Stowe is ahead of 92% of U.S. towns, #5 of 71 in Vermont. Conserved land holds the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Stowe’s overall grade.
Conserved land46% of the land · typical VT town 14% · U.S. 4%A+Trails2.5 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (179 mi) · VT 0.6 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land437 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,311 acres) · VT 97 · U.S. 13AParks close to home29% of residents within a half mile of a park · VT 38% · U.S. 72%C
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 92%
LessMore
Vermont towns of 2,500+ (71)Ahead of 94%
Vermont towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 14%; the U.S., 4%), so Stowe’s 46% is ahead of 100% of Vermont towns, while its trails per square mile lead 93% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Mount Mansfield State Forest, with 28.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Sterling Forest
Nature preserve
1,533 acres13.6 mi of trail
Upper Gorge LoopSplit RockPapa's TrailCallagy's+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Cady Hill Forest
Nature preserve
313 acres10.4 mi of trail
Cady Hill ConnectorFlorenceZog'sBear's+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
C.C. Putnam State Forest
Nature preserve
3,804 acres9.6 mi of trail
Inberno Ridge TrailHogback TrailInberno Loop TrailStowe Pinnacle Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Adams Camp
Nature preserve
494 acres5.4 mi of trail
Kimmer'sStowe Derby TrailValley ViewHardy Haul+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Adams Camp Parking
Mount Mansfield Natural Area
Nature preserve
271 acres5 mi of trail
Long TrailCliff TrailForehead BypassAmherst Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Sunset Rock Park
Nature preserve
25 acres0.5 mi of trail
Sunset TrailTaber Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Field "G" (the Dog Park)
Park
9 acres0.3 mi of trail
Stowe Quiet Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Quiet path parking
All 15 parks & preserves
Mount Mansfield State Forest9,932 acres · 28.6 mi of trail · Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation
DirectionsSterling Forest1,533 acres · 13.6 mi of trail
DirectionsCady Hill Forest313 acres · 10.4 mi of trail
DirectionsC.C. Putnam State Forest3,804 acres · 9.6 mi of trail
DirectionsAdams Camp494 acres · 5.4 mi of trail
DirectionsMount Mansfield Natural Area271 acres · 5 mi of trail
DirectionsSunset Rock Park25 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsField "G" (the Dog Park)9 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMemorial Park7 acres
DirectionsThompson Park6 acres
DirectionsStowe Community Gardens3 acres
Moscow Field3 acres
West Branch Sculpture Park2 acres
DirectionsChase Park1 acres
DirectionsLintilhac Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
21,301 conserved acres
46% of Stowe’s land. Who manages Stowe’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits10,841 ac
State fish & wildlife1,477 ac
Other state land207 ac
State conservation62 ac
State parks5 ac
Not recorded12,772 ac
State Resource Management Area · 12,441 acConservation Easement · 9,460 acAgricultural Easement · 1,220 acUnknown Easement · 841 acLocal Other or Unknown · 640 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 7,632 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 89 of 187 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt. Mansfield State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 8,341 | Open |
| C.C. Putnam State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 4,100 | Open |
| Waterbury Village Waterworks Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 537 | Unknown |
| Mount Mansfield Natural Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 275 | Unknown |
| Stowe Land Trust Private Conservation | Not recorded | 230 | Unknown |
| New England Forestry Foundation Private Conservation | Not recorded | 142 | Unknown |
| Stowe Town Forest Local Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 115 | Unknown |
| Town of Stowe Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 69 | Open |
| Town of Stowe Waterworks Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 29 | Unknown |
| Sterling Gorge Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 3 | Unknown |
1 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
40 places to go in Stowe
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Stowe
Enchanted Forest Playground
DirectionsPlus 1 playground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Waterfalls in Stowe
Bingham FallsIn Mount Mansfield State Forest
DirectionsGorge
DirectionsMoss Glen FallsIn C.C. Putnam State Forest
DirectionsPlus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Stowe
Bingham Falls ViewpointIn Mount Mansfield State Forest
DirectionsGreen Chair IIIn Cady Hill Forest
DirectionsGreen Chair OverlookIn Cady Hill Forest
DirectionsPeak A View
DirectionsPlus 7 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Peaks in Stowe
The Nose4,019 ft elevation · In Mount Mansfield Natural Area
DirectionsUpper Lip3,963 ft elevation · In Mount Mansfield Natural Area
DirectionsThe Forehead3,901 ft elevation · In Mount Mansfield Natural Area
DirectionsHogback Mountain3,228 ft elevation · In C.C. Putnam State Forest
DirectionsStowe Pinnacle2,628 ft elevation · In C.C. Putnam State Forest
DirectionsThe Pinnacle2,185 ft elevation
DirectionsBull Moose Hill1,988 ft elevation
DirectionsRoundtop1,745 ft elevation
Directions10 more peaks
North Hill1,693 ft elevation
DirectionsLuce Hill1,650 ft elevation
DirectionsTaber Hill1,302 ft elevation
DirectionsBrush Hill1,204 ft elevation
DirectionsCady Hill1,171 ft elevation
DirectionsSunset Hill1,129 ft elevation
DirectionsShaw Hill984 ft elevation
DirectionsEast Shaw Hill
DirectionsRound Top
DirectionsWest Shaw Hill
DirectionsPicnic areas in Stowe
3 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Stowe
Gold Brook Campground
DirectionsSmugglers Notch State Park Campground
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 4 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 45.1 miHorses · 0.7 miUnpaved · 42.3 mi
Long Trail5.7 mi
Catamount2.5 mi
Ruschp Sterling Ridge Trail2.4 mi
Stowe Quiet Path1.9 mi
Split Rock1.9 mi
Upper Gorge Loop1.9 mi
Bolton - Trapp Trail1.9 mi
Papa's Trail1.7 mi
Luce Hill Loop1.7 mi
Stowe Pinnacle Trail1.6 mi
15 more trails
Chris's Run
1.5 miVAST 15B
1.5 miRanch Camp Trail
1.4 miMarston Trail
1.4 miHaselton Trail
1.3 miPipeline
1.3 miSwitchback
1.3 miCallagy's
1.3 miInberno Ridge Trail
1.3 miCheddar
1.2 miAither Trail
1.2 miMaple Run
1.2 miTony's
1.2 miKimmer's
1.2 miHardy Haul
1.2 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
9.6 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.3 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
6.7 mi
off-road bike paths
2.6 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
MTB StoweBike route
31.3 miMTB Trapp Family LodgeBike route
26.9 miMTB CottonbrookBike route
0.9 miCourts & fields
44Tennis
6Soccer
1Basketball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →4 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 4 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in Stowe: May and September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.2 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.5 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°F) | 26 | 29 | 38 | 51 | 65 | 73 | 78 | 76 | 69 | 55 | 43 | 32 |
| Rain (in) | 2.9 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 3.4 | 3.5 |
February is the driest month (2.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 78 °F). 4.8 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Stowe →
Next door
Stowe and its neighbors
Stowe has the most mapped trails of the 6 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stowe | 46% | 2.5 | 437 | 29% | A |
| Morristown | 21% | 1.0 | 104 | 41% | A |
| Worcester | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Waterbury | 11% | 1.4 | 44 | 38% | A− |
| Underhill | 20% | 0.9 | 8 | 19% | B |
| Cambridge | 22% | 0.4 | 35 | 26% | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Stowe
Where can I hike in Stowe?
The longest trail networks: Mount Mansfield State Forest, 28.6 miles; Sterling Forest, 13.6 miles; Cady Hill Forest, 10.4 miles; C.C. Putnam State Forest, 9.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Stowe is conserved land?
46% of its land, against a typical 14% for a Vermont town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Stowe’s trails?
Mount Mansfield State Forest and Sterling Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Stowe?
9.6 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.3 of painted or protected lanes, 6.7 of off-road paths and 2.6 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: MTB Stowe, MTB Trapp Family Lodge and MTB Cottonbrook.
Is there public land near Stowe?
79,202 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Stowe or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 15,955 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Stowe have?
Ahead of 92% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #5 of 71 in Vermont. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Stowe neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →