Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / Vermont / Northern Green Mountains

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)

Camel’s Hump and its bare summit are the centerpiece of this section. New England Waterfalls writes that “many would argue that Camel’s Hump is the finest big peak in Vermont.” From Appalachian Gap, the Long Trail runs about 12.5 miles along a ridge of lesser summits to the top, then drops 6.2 miles down Bamforth Ridge to the Winooski River valley, according to the state park’s trail map.

The whole route lies within Camel’s Hump State Park, where camping is limited to designated GMC sites.

The hike

North of Route 17, Hiking Project describes climbs over Baby Stark, Molly Stark, and Beane Mountains to Birch Glen Camp, 2.6 miles from the gap on the state park map. Cowles Cove Shelter follows at 5.5 miles. The trail then crosses the open ledges of Burnt Rock Mountain; Hiking Project says the north descent uses ropes and ladders. SectionHiker, hiking south in 2008, found the trail beyond Burnt Rock flooded after storms.

The trail continues over Mount Ira Allen and Mount Ethan Allen. SectionHiker could see from Ethan Allen back to Camel’s Hump and south to Appalachian Gap. Montclair Glen Lodge, rebuilt in 2009 according to SectionHiker’s 2024 report, sits 10.6 miles from the gap and about 200 feet from the top of the Forest City Trail. Hiking Project describes several false summits on the final climb. The GMC says Camel’s Hump holds about 10 acres of alpine tundra and asks hikers to stay on the trail or bare rock and inside the white string. SectionHiker calls the summit bald, windy, and above treeline, with a steep, rocky, slick ascent.

From the summit, Hiking Project describes open rock down to Bamforth Ridge Shelter, which the state map puts on a spur 2.7 miles from the north end. SectionHiker calls Bamforth Ridge a sawtooth scramble requiring climbing moves and says he wouldn’t want to hike it in the rain. Below, the trail passes Duxbury Window, which the GMC calls “a beautiful lookout over the Winooski Valley with a bench,” and a few caves before reaching the Duxbury Road lot.

To the south is the Monroe Skyline. North of the river, the trail crosses the Winooski Footbridge and climbs toward Mount Mansfield.

Tips

Camping

The state park’s trail map says camping is permitted only in shelters, lodges, the Hump Brook Tenting Area, and the designated primitive camping area. Land above 2,500 feet is part of a Natural Area where camping isn’t allowed, and primitive camping elsewhere must be below 2,500 feet, at least 100 feet from streams, 200 feet from trails and property lines, and 1,000 feet from roads. GMC supervises the shelters and lodges from May through October, with a two-night limit. Open fires are allowed only in tent-platform fire rings.

The GMC strongly encourages a bear canister or other approved container on all Vermont overnight hikes, and Hiking Project says Bamforth Ridge Shelter has three bear boxes. GMC limits overnight groups to 10.

Inside Intel: SectionHiker spent a 2024 night at the Hump Brook Tenting Area, reached by a short spur off the Dean Trail, and describes “a large tent site with tent platforms, a bear box, and a designated eating area.” Hiking Project calls Bamforth Ridge Shelter a large shelter with a few tent platforms and a big cooking area. In 2008, SectionHiker stayed at Montclair Glen, where a summer caretaker maintained the privy and talked with hikers.

Trail facts

The Lowdown

Ladders off Burnt Rock, slick rock on Camel's Hump:

The north descent of Burnt Rock Mountain uses ropes and ladders, and the climb up Camel's Hump is steep, rocky and slick. Here is how to set your poles and when to stow them.

See the pole tips →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.