Top Backpacking Trails in Vermont
14 routes. Each page shows when we last checked it. Updated October 2026.
Backpacking in Vermont on this site follows the Green Mountains: the Long Trail from the Massachusetts line to the Canadian border, and the Appalachian Trail where it shares the Long Trail in the south, then turns east from Maine Junction toward Hanover, New Hampshire. Southern sections cross the Green Mountain National Forest and several wildernesses, with pond campsites at Stratton Pond, Griffith Lake, and Little Rock Pond. Farther north, trips like Camel’s Hump, Mount Mansfield, and the Monroe Skyline cross alpine summits on state land, and Jay Peak to Journey’s End finishes at the border.
Expect steep, rocky, rooty trail with ladders and scrambles on Mansfield, Camel’s Hump, and the Whiteface descent, and water that runs scarce on some ridges. Most overnights are at free, first-come Green Mountain Club shelters and lodges. Tenting is barred above 2,500 feet on state land and limited to designated sites in several spots, and food storage is required on the national forest.
Late spring through fall is the usual season, but high trails close for mud season until around Memorial Day. Check current closures: Taft Lodge is closed through October 2026, and Lincoln Gap Road closed for winter on October 15. Deer seasons run into December, so wear bright colors in late fall.
Quick picks
- Longest trip: Appalachian Trail: Maine Junction to Hanover (Killington to the Connecticut River)
- Easier pond overnight: Long Trail: Little Rock Pond, White Rocks, and Clarendon Gorge (USFS 10 to VT 103)
- Shortest ridge traverse: Long Trail: Monroe Skyline (Lincoln Gap to Appalachian Gap)
- Vermont's highest summit: Long Trail: Mount Mansfield (Winooski River to Smugglers' Notch)
- Long Trail's northern end: Long Trail: Jay Peak to Journey's End (Jay Pass to the Canadian Border)
Northeast Kingdom
Northern Green Mountains
- Long Trail: Breadloaf Wilderness (Middlebury Gap to Lincoln Gap) Long Trail, Breadloaf Wilderness, Green Mountain National Forest (Ripton, Hancock, Granville, Warren, Lincoln; VT 125 to Lincoln Gap Road) 17 miles Hard Free first-come shelters and lodges with privies; wilderness rules; two-night shelter limit
- Long Trail: Camel's Hump (Appalachian Gap to the Winooski River) Long Trail through Camel's Hump State Park (Fayston, Huntington, Duxbury; VT 17 at Appalachian Gap to Duxbury Road near the Winooski River) 18.7 miles Hard GMC shelters, a lodge, and the Hump Brook Tenting Area only; no camping above 2,500 feet; two-night limit
- Long Trail: Johnson to Jay Pass (Belvidere Mountain and Hazen's Notch) Long Trail through Long Trail State Forest and other state and private land (Johnson, Eden, Belvidere, Lowell, Montgomery, Westfield; VT 15 to VT 242 at Jay Pass) 37.9 miles Hard Free first-come shelters and camps with privies; no tenting above 2,500 feet
- Long Trail: Monroe Skyline (Lincoln Gap to Appalachian Gap) Long Trail over Mount Abraham, Lincoln Peak, and Mount Ellen; Green Mountain National Forest, ski-area land, and state land (Lincoln, Warren, Fayston; Lincoln Gap Road to VT 17) 11.5 miles Hard Free first-come shelters and a lodge; no tenting above 2,500 feet
- Long Trail: Mount Mansfield (Winooski River to Smugglers' Notch) Long Trail through Bolton and Mount Mansfield State Forest (Duxbury, Bolton, Underhill, Stowe; Duxbury Road and US 2 to VT 108 in Smugglers' Notch) 26.1 miles Hard GMC shelters, lodges, and the Twin Brooks Tenting Area only; no camping on Mount Mansfield's natural area or above 2,500 feet
- Long Trail: Sterling Pond and Whiteface Mountain (Smugglers' Notch to Johnson) Long Trail on state land north of Smugglers' Notch (Cambridge, Stowe, Morristown, Johnson; VT 108 to VT 15) 15 miles Hard Free first-come shelters, including a caretaker-staffed pond; no tenting above 2,500 feet
Southern Green Mountains
- Appalachian Trail: Maine Junction to Hanover (Killington to the Connecticut River) Appalachian National Scenic Trail east of the Long Trail, Green Mountain National Forest and private land (Killington, Bridgewater, Pomfret, Hartford, Norwich; US 4 at Sherburne Pass to the Connecticut River at Hanover, New Hampshire) 44 miles Hard Free first-come shelters with privies; designated sites encouraged in the narrow trail corridor
- Long Trail: Bromley Mountain, Griffith Lake, and Baker Peak (VT 11/30 to USFS 10) Long Trail/Appalachian Trail, Green Mountain National Forest, Peru Peak and Big Branch Wildernesses (Peru, Mount Tabor, Danby; VT 11/30 to USFS 10) 17.3 miles Hard Free first-come shelters and a caretaker-staffed tenting area at Griffith Lake; designated sites only near the lake
- Long Trail: Killington Peak (Clarendon Gorge to US 4) Long Trail/Appalachian Trail, Green Mountain National Forest and state land (Clarendon, Shrewsbury, Mendon, Killington; VT 103 to US 4) 17.4 miles Hard Free first-come shelters only; no camping except at shelters in the Killington area
- Long Trail: Little Rock Pond, White Rocks, and Clarendon Gorge (USFS 10 to VT 103) Long Trail/Appalachian Trail, Green Mountain National Forest (Mount Tabor, Wallingford, Clarendon; USFS 10 to VT 103) 14.8 miles Moderate Free first-come shelters and a caretaker-staffed tenting area at Little Rock Pond; designated sites only near the pond; no camping near Clarendon Gorge
- Long Trail: Route 9 to Kelley Stand Road (Glastenbury Mountain) Long Trail/Appalachian Trail, Glastenbury Wilderness, Green Mountain National Forest (Woodford, Glastenbury, Stratton; VT 9 to Kelley Stand Road) 22.1 miles Hard Four free, first-come shelters with privies; wilderness rules in the Glastenbury Wilderness
- Long Trail: Stratton Mountain and Stratton Pond (Kelley Stand Road to VT 11/30) Long Trail/Appalachian Trail, Green Mountain National Forest and Lye Brook Wilderness (Stratton, Winhall, Manchester; Kelley Stand Road to VT 11/30) 17.5 miles Hard Free first-come shelters, a caretaker-staffed pond with designated tenting areas; no camping on Stratton Mountain
- Long Trail: Williamstown to Route 9 (Southern Terminus, Seth Warner, and Harmon Hill) Long Trail/Appalachian Trail from the Massachusetts line to VT 9, Stamford, Readsboro, Woodford, and Bennington area (approach from Williamstown or North Adams, Massachusetts) 17 miles Moderate Two free, first-come shelters with privies; camp at designated sites
Backpacking in Vermont: common questions
Do you need a permit to backpack in Vermont?
No permit is needed for individuals on any of the Long Trail and Appalachian Trail trips on this site. The Green Mountain Club says its shelters and campsites are first come, first served with no reservations, and its caretaker-staffed sites have been free since 2023. The club limits overnight groups to 10, and Vermont's state-land rules require a permit from the district office for primitive camping groups of 11 or more.
Can you camp anywhere along the Long Trail?
No. Rules vary by managing agency: on state land, Vermont Forests, Parks and Recreation bans camping above 2,500 feet unless designated and requires sites to be at least 200 feet from trails, 100 feet from water, and 1,000 feet from roads, for no more than three nights. In Camel's Hump State Park you may camp only at the shelters and the Hump Brook Tenting Area, and the trail pages note no primitive camping in Mount Mansfield's natural area. On the national forest, the trail pages note designated sites only near Stratton Pond, Griffith Lake, and Little Rock Pond, and no camping on Stratton Mountain or near Clarendon Gorge.
Do you need a bear canister in Vermont?
Proper food storage is mandatory in the Green Mountain National Forest under a 2019 Forest Service order, using a bear box, canister, locked vehicle, or a hang 12 feet up and 6 feet out. Elsewhere it isn't required, but the Green Mountain Club strongly encourages a bear canister or other approved container on all Vermont overnights. The club lends free canisters at spots including Bennington, Manchester Center, Gifford Woods State Park, and its Waterbury Center visitor center.
When is the best time to backpack in Vermont?
Most trips on this site fit late spring through fall. High trails close for mud season each spring, and Trail Finder says Camel's Hump and Mount Mansfield trails usually stay closed through the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. In fall, check access roads: the Green Mountain Club says Lincoln Gap Road closed for winter on October 15, 2026, and VT 108 through Smugglers' Notch closed on October 16, 2026, with a possible reopening October 19 if weather allows. Taft Lodge on Mount Mansfield is also closed for repairs through the end of October 2026.
Can you bring a dog backpacking in Vermont?
On the trips on this site, generally yes, but rules vary by managing agency. Camel's Hump State Park welcomes pets but asks that dogs be leashed above treeline, and the Green Mountain Club says the Monroe Skyline may be challenging for pets and asks for leashes in alpine areas. Check with the park, forest, or club before you bring a dog.
Is it safe to backpack in Vermont during hunting season?
Hunting overlaps fall backpacking on much of the state's forest land. Vermont Fish and Wildlife's 2026 deer seasons include archery from October 1 to December 15, a youth and novice weekend on November 7-8, the regular rifle season from November 14 to 29, and December muzzleloader season from November 30 to December 13, and the state's 2026 regulations guide lists bear seasons from September 1 to November 22. Consider wearing bright colors in fall and confirm dates with Vermont Fish and Wildlife.
Where this comes from
- Green Mountain Club: Trail updates
- Green Mountain Club: Overnight accommodations
- Green Mountain Club: Food storage regulations
- U.S. Forest Service: Green Mountain National Forest alerts, closures, and orders
- U.S. Forest Service: Green Mountain National Forest, be bear aware
- Vermont Forests, Parks and Recreation: Primitive camping on state lands
- Vermont State Parks: Camel's Hump State Park
- Vermont Trail Finder: Vermont mud season
- Vermont Fish and Wildlife: White-tailed deer seasons
- Vermont hunting regulations: 2026 quick reference guide (eRegulations)