Mount Mansfield State Forest
Managed by Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation
12,358 acres33.5 mi of trail
Dalley LoopStevenson Brook TrailWoodward Ski TrailHedgehog Hill Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Ascended Dreamer · CC BY-SA 4.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Waterbury
Waterbury has 66 miles of mapped trails, 1.4 for every square mile of land
11% of Waterbury’s land is conserved, about 3,425 acres. 238 acres are parks and preserves, 44 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Mount Mansfield State Forest (33.5 mi), C.C. Putnam State Forest (8.5 mi), Waterbury Center State Park (0.8 mi).
Ahead of 80% of U.S. towns · #32 of 71 in Vermont. What drives it
Conserved land
11%
3,425 acres · of 48.2 sq mi of land
Trails
66 mi
1.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
238 ac
44 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
38%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
6.0 mi
1.0 mi lanes
Highest peak
3,084 ft
Woodward Mountain
Lakes & rivers
3
2 beaches · 5 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Waterbury?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Waterbury have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Waterbury is ahead of 80% of U.S. towns, #32 of 71 in Vermont. Trail miles hold the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Waterbury’s overall grade.
Conserved land11% of the land · typical VT town 14% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (66 mi) · VT 0.6 · U.S. 0.4APark land44 acres of park per 1,000 residents (238 acres) · VT 97 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home38% 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 80%
LessMore
Vermont towns of 2,500+ (71)Ahead of 56%
Vermont towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 14%; the U.S., 4%), so Waterbury’s 11% is ahead of 34% of Vermont towns, while its trails per square mile lead 76% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ 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 33.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
C.C. Putnam State Forest
Nature preserve
584 acres8.5 mi of trail
CampfireDoubletrackWaterbury TrailBurning Spear+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Waterbury Center State Park
Nature preserve
49 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Hope Davey Memorial Park
Park
6 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 6 parks & preserves
Mount Mansfield State Forest12,358 acres · 33.5 mi of trail · Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation
DirectionsC.C. Putnam State Forest584 acres · 8.5 mi of trail
DirectionsWaterbury Center State Park49 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsHope Davey Memorial Park6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMiddlesex Notch Wildlife Management Area88 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Anderson Park6 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
3,425 conserved acres
11% of Waterbury’s land. Who manages Waterbury’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits1,655 ac
Town or city26 ac
State parks22 ac
Other state land3 ac
Not recorded2,537 ac
State Resource Management Area · 2,318 acConservation Easement · 928 acUnknown Easement · 594 acAgricultural Easement · 118 acPrivate Conservation · 95 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 825 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 10 of 72 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 | 1,994 | Open |
| C.C. Putnam State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 323 | Open |
| Middlesex Notch Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 87 | Open |
| Waterbury Village Waterworks Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 64 | Unknown |
| Green Mountain Club Private Conservation | Not recorded | 53 | Open |
| VT (Vermont) Trade Lands Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 32 | Closed |
| Dascombve P. Rowe Playing Fields Local Park | Town or city | 20 | Open |
| Shutesville Hill Wildlife Corridor Private Conservation | Not recorded | 9 | Open |
| Winooski River Streambank State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 8 | Open |
| Anderson Park Local Park | Town or city | 4 | Open |
2 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
30 places to go in Waterbury
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Waterbury
2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Swimming spots in Waterbury
2 swimming spots without a name on the map.
Playgrounds in Waterbury
5 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Waterbury
Blush Hill Boat LaunchIn Mount Mansfield State Forest
DirectionsMoscow Canoe AccessIn Mount Mansfield State Forest
DirectionsReservoir Road Boat LaunchIn Waterbury Center State Park
DirectionsPlus 2 boat launches without a name on the map.
Peaks in Waterbury
Woodward Mountain3,084 ft elevation · In Mount Mansfield State Forest
DirectionsOwlshead Mountain1,673 ft elevation
DirectionsLoomis Hill1,368 ft elevation
DirectionsPerry Hill1,332 ft elevation
DirectionsWilley Hill1,243 ft elevation
DirectionsMiddlesex Notch1,217 ft elevation
DirectionsBarnes Hill1,207 ft elevation
DirectionsGregg Hill1,102 ft elevation
Directions1 more peak
Blush Hill837 ft elevation · In Mount Mansfield State Forest
DirectionsPicnic areas in Waterbury
Rusty Parker Memorial Park
DirectionsCampgrounds in Waterbury
Little River Campground - A AreaIn Mount Mansfield State Forest
DirectionsLittle River Campground - B AreaIn Mount Mansfield State Forest
DirectionsPrimitive Campsite #19In Mount Mansfield State Forest · Little River State Park
DirectionsPrimitive Campsite #20In Mount Mansfield State Forest
DirectionsPrimitive Campsite #21In Mount Mansfield State Forest
DirectionsPrimitive Campsite #22In Mount Mansfield State Forest
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 17.1 miHorses · 1.3 miUnpaved · 20.2 mi
Dalley Loop4.0 mi
Stevenson Brook Trail2.0 mi
Rasta Man2.0 mi
Woodward Ski Trail1.9 mi
Campfire1.5 mi
Hedgehog Hill Trail1.3 mi
Waterbury Trail1.2 mi
Doubletrack1.2 mi
Woodard Hill1.2 mi
Ricker Farm Trail1.2 mi
15 more trails
Burning Spear
0.9 miJoe's
0.8 miWaterbury Community Path
0.6 miHighbridge
0.6 miPermission
0.6 miHillfarmer
0.6 miThe Short Trail
0.5 miStonewall
0.5 miDisneyland
0.5 miS'Mores
0.3 miCottonbrook Reservoir Trail
0.3 miSix Flags
0.3 miDuct Tape
0.2 miScotch Tape
0.2 miCut-Off Trauk
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
6.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.0 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
5.0 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
MTB Perry HillBike route
9.3 miMTB CottonbrookBike route
8.4 miMTB LIttle River State ParkBike route
5.3 miCross Vermont TrailBike route
1.1 miCourts & fields
8Baseball
7Tennis
2Soccer
2Basketball
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →6 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Waterbury Center Methodist ChurchBuilding · listed 1978
About itGreen Mountain SeminaryBuilding · listed 1978
About itMill Village Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1979
About itColby MansionBuilding · listed 1979
About itVermont State Hospital Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2016
About itWaterbury Village Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2021
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Waterbury: 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 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 27 | 30 | 39 | 53 | 67 | 75 | 79 | 78 | 70 | 57 | 44 | 33 |
| Rain (in) | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 3.3 |
February is the driest month (2.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 4.7 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Waterbury →
Next door
Waterbury and its neighbors
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury | 11% | 1.4 | 44 | 38% | A− |
| Duxbury | 42% | 0.7 | 7,174 | 38% | A |
| Moretown | 11% | 0.2 | 10 | 36% | B− |
| Middlesex | 18% | 0.4 | 630 | under 1% | B+ |
| Bolton | 50% | 2.2 | 5,020 | 82% | A+ |
| Stowe | 46% | 2.5 | 437 | 29% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Waterbury
Where can I hike in Waterbury?
The longest trail networks: Mount Mansfield State Forest, 33.5 miles; C.C. Putnam State Forest, 8.5 miles; Waterbury Center State Park, 0.8 miles; Hope Davey Memorial Park, 0.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Waterbury is conserved land?
11% 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 Waterbury’s trails?
Mount Mansfield State Forest and C.C. Putnam State Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Waterbury?
6.0 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.0 of painted or protected lanes and 5.0 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: MTB Perry Hill, MTB Cottonbrook and MTB LIttle River State Park.
Is there public land near Waterbury?
80,945 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Waterbury or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,563 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Waterbury have?
Ahead of 80% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #32 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 Waterbury 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 →