Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / Vermont / Southern Green Mountains

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)

The Green Mountain Club rates Little Rock Pond an easy hike and calls it a “great family-friendly hike or beginner overnight,” just 2.2 miles from a forest road. North of the pond, the trail passes White Rocks and crosses Bear Mountain before dropping to a bridge over Clarendon Gorge.

New England Waterfalls lists the full section, from USFS 10 to VT 103, at 14.8 miles.

The hike

From the large Long Trail lot on USFS 10, the GMC’s description heads north on the white-blazed trail along Little Black Branch, crossing the stream several times as it climbs gently 2.2 miles to Little Rock Pond. Little Rock Pond Shelter is on the shore, and the tenting area is reached by the Homer Stone Brook Trail. In August 2026, the GMC opened a new bridge over Homer Stone Brook just north of the pond. SectionHiker, who camped here on a 2024 loop, describes the Green Mountain Trail, a side route that climbs past ledges overlooking the pond, as a “beautiful moss-lined trail.”

Beyond the pond, Hiking Project says a short spur past White Rocks leads to an excellent view before the trail reaches Greenwall Shelter and descends to VT 140. The ATC lists the White Rocks area as a 4.6-mile day hike from Wallingford, and New England Waterfalls describes “fine views from White Rocks Cliffs.”

North of VT 140, Hiking Project describes a climb over Bear Mountain, with a small vista trail and, past Patch Hollow, a spring with ice-cold water. The trail then drops to Minerva Hinchey Shelter, where Hiking Project warns that porcupines are common and that many unofficial side trails branch off, so stay on the white blazes. A rocky ridge leads to Airport Lookout, with good views west.

The final descent reaches Clarendon Gorge, where the trail crosses the gorge on a bridge. The ATC lists the gorge as a 0.2-mile day hike. The section ends at VT 103.

The section to the south crosses Griffith Lake and Baker Peak. North of VT 103, the trail climbs to Killington Peak.

Tips

Camping

The ATC says camping within half a mile of Little Rock Pond is limited to Little Rock Pond Shelter and its tenting area, and fires are allowed only at shelters and designated campsites with fire rings. It also says camping and campfires are prohibited in the vicinity of Clarendon Gorge. Elsewhere on the national forest, its summary is to camp at existing sites or 200 feet from trails and water, and never above 2,500 feet or where trees are 8 feet or shorter.

SectionHiker describes Little Rock Pond as “a newer shelter and campsite area staffed by a Green Mountain Club caretaker.” The GMC says its sites are free and first come, first served, and that caretaker sites run on donations. Food storage in a canister, bear box, or proper hang is required on the national forest under a 2019 order. GMC limits overnight groups to 10.

Inside Intel: SectionHiker pitched a tent in the Little Rock Pond campsite area on his 2024 loop and ate dinner at the shelter; a commenter on his post called the pond “a wonderful place to go to just ‘chill’” and said they visit often. In 2008, SectionHiker also ended a 12.6-mile day from VT 103 at the pond’s tent site.

Trail facts

The Lowdown

Stream crossings up Little Black Branch:

The Long Trail crosses Little Black Branch several times on the way to Little Rock Pond, then climbs over Bear Mountain. We compared three rain shells to see if the priciest one is worth it.

Compare the shells →

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.