Mount Mansfield Vermont Hike Trail Guide

September 1, 2020 The Virtual Sherpa Comments 0 Comment

Mount Mansfield is Vermont’s tallest mountain at 4,395ft. This popular mountain has several hiking trails, sub-summits to explore and can be accessed via gondola or car. Unlike many peaks in the Green Mountains, Mt Mansfield’s summit is rocky with outstanding views in almost all directions on a clear day. This family friendly and dog friendly hike is suitable for hikers of all skill levels.

Mount Mansfield Quick Stats

Virtual Trail Guide: Mt Mansfield

Mt Mansfield Hike Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars)

Distance: 8.65 Miles RT

Elevation Start: 1,900ft

Highest Point: 4,395ft

Total Elevation Gain: 3,000ft

Estimated Time to Complete: 5-6 Hours RT

Difficulty: Moderate Difficulty System Explained

Class: Class 2+ What does this mean?

Season: Late June- Early December (Expect snow outside of this period)

Weather: Check the Weather Forecast

Directions to Mount Mansfield

Trailhead: Underhill State Park

Getting Here: This hike starts at Underhill State Park so it’s best to enter in the park from your starting point.

Fees: As of 2020, there is a $4 per person ($2 per child under 12) to hike Mt Mansfield. This is a cash only fee and must be paid at the park check-in station.

Parking: Mt Mansfield has two main parking lots with additional parking along the road when the lots fill up. This hike is very popular and the lot will fill up on most summer weekends and weekdays so be sure to get there early. There is a bathroom located just a short walk from the lower parking lot right past the fee station.

Summary

Camping: There are several lean-to, standard and group campsites at Underhill State Park which can be reserved in advance. For more information on this, please visit this page. Backcountry camping is also permitted in the State Park, read more about those regulations here.

Dogs: Mt Mansfield is a dog friendly hike for experienced mountain dogs. Most trails involve several sections of scrambling up slabby rock with some more advanced moves depending on the trail. Especially on the top ridge, this hike can be very crowded so bringing a dog that does well with others is recommended. Dogs must be leashed while on this hike.

Make it a Loop: There are several loops that can be made while hiking Mt Mansfield. For the best planning, view the official park map here. One of the most popular loops is to ascend via the Sunset Ridge or Laura Cowles Trail and descend via the Maple Ridge Trail.

Trail X Factors: Like many granite filled rock scrambles in New England, the biggest xfactor on this hike is if there is any sort of precipitation on the rocks. What is normally a fun Class 2 scramble on solid slabs of granite can turn into a nightmare with rain or snow added to the equation. Regardless of the trail you plan on ascending to get up Mt Mansfield, footwear with great grip is highly recommended. Even when the trail seems dry, be sure to tread carefully on all rock surfaces on this hike.

Hike Tip(s): The toll road up to Mt Mansfield does not open until 9:30AM so if you want to avoid some of the crowds, try to be on the summit by then. Unlike New Hampshire’s Mt Washington crowds are not going to be INSANE on Mt Mansfield, but if you like seclusion your best bet is to get off the summit before that time. If you plan on hiking a loop or different trail down vs up, I would highly recommend a map because there are a ton of trail junctions on Mt Mansfield.

Best Views: Unlike most mountains in Vermont, Mt Mansfield really does not disappoint with its spectacular 360 degree views. Of course, you need a clear day but really once you get above treeline on any of the trails you will be greeted with outstanding views of the neighboring peaks, Stowe Ski Resort and Lake Champlain.

Mount Mansfield Trail Route

Gear Needed

Mickey’s Mountain Kit
Backpack

Hiking Shoes or Hiking Boots – good traction is key!
Map of area or GPS – I use the Garmin inReach
Bug Spray

Optional: Hiking Poles
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Our Trip to Mount Mansfield: July 2020

Our time in New England was coming to an end but Jackie, Juno and I wanted to get one more hike in. I have hiked a lot around Vermont when I was younger but this was my first trip up Mt Mansfield. Thanks to my awesome Aunt and Uncle for letting us stay in their old schoolhouse we had a relatively short drive to the trailhead and started the hike early. We picked the standard route up to the summit not wanting to push Juno too hard on unknown terrain. The hike was beautiful full of rock scrambles, amazing views and relatively little bugs.

Unfortunately, Jackie took a spill and hurt her ankle fairly early on in the day but was able to soldier through the rest of the hike. Even though we were hiking on a weekday, crowds on the summit were fairly thin until we started hiking over to The Nose when it became apparent that the hoards of people driving up to the summit had arrived. Overall though, this was a beautiful hike and one that I would be happy to repeat on different trails.

View pictures from the hike up Mt Mansfield below and then watch the full virtual trail guide!