Owls Head (VT) **8/8/2026**

Owls Head

Location: Dorset, Vermont
Mileage: 4.16 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1327 Feet
Trails Used: Hawk's Pass Trail, Gettysburg Quarry Trail, Dorset Trail
Views: From Arts Bench Overlook, Kevin's Viewpoint, Gilbert Lookout
Difficulty: Moderate/Hard
Hiking Lists: None

It was the second and final hike of the day after tackling Mother Myrick Mountain earlier. The temperature and humidity had been rising, and I was definitely feeling it after the 8-hour, 2,300-foot elevation gain from the first hike. The drive from there was short, maybe just 15 minutes. Along the way, I passed the Dorset Marble Quarry, the site of the first marble quarry in the U.S. and now a popular swimming spot. Once I arrived and found the nearly full parking lot, I grabbed my backpack and set off.

I parked at the Hawks Pass Trailhead off Raptor Lane and followed the half-mile Hawks Pass Trail to reach the start of the hike in Owls Head Town Forest.

The hike to Owls Head and the surrounding quarries officially begins at the parking area for the Owls Head Town Forest.

Surrounded by old foundations and quarries, I followed the former service road, now transformed into the main trail.

I turned at this junction to make my way toward the Middle Prince Quarry area.

I think this is the Middle Prince Quarry, since the Klondike Quarry doesn’t have a trail leading to it. Such a cool area that I wish I’d had more time and energy to explore.

Arts Bench Overlook, easily the best view of the day.

The view from Arts Bench Overlook stretches toward the majestic Mother Myrick Mountain and the towering Equinox Mountain.

The history of the Gettysburg Quarry area was an interesting read. I should have visited the quarry dump area, but perhaps I'll save that for another time.

The Gettysburg Quarry site is fascinating. I’ve visited a few other quarry sites on this side of the state, and I find their history to be on par with the old logging railroads.

The Dorset Trail is an old section of the path that leads to the top of Owls Head and its scenic outlooks. 

Another glimpse of Mother Myrick Mountain, Mount Equinox, and Antone Mountain, seen through a brief opening in the trees along the Dorset Trail.

It was pretty much a steep straight up climb to the summit of Owls Head. I felt every bit of the elevation gain on my way up.

Just below the summit of Owls Head, the trail winds around the base before climbing steeply to the top.

The wooded summit of Owls Head stands at 2,474 feet. I didn’t have the energy to make it to Kevin’s Viewpoint or the Gilbert Outlook, which I’ve read offer incredible views on a clear day.

And with that, the day was done. I turned around and headed back down but made a little loop of the hike and saw another quarry area. It was nice out not but I had little energy to do anything else so it was time for the two hour drive home. Note, the Owls Head Town FOrest also has mountain biking trails, some of which connect with the hiking trails so always be cautious of your surroundings.

Spruce Peak - Mother Myrick Mountain (VT) **8/8/2026**

Spruce Peak - Mother Myrick Mountain

Location: Rupert/Manchester, Vermont
Mileage: 8.6 Miles
Elevation Gain: 2349 Feet
Trails Used: None. ATV/Snowmobile Trail, Bushwhack
Views: From Summit of Mother Myrick
Difficulty: Moderate
Hiking Lists: Vermont 3000 Footers

I’ve been wanting to hike Mother Myrick for years, but for one reason or another, I never made it over to that side of Vermont. With Amy heading to Maine with her daughter for the weekend, I figured it was as good a time as any to finally do it. It was about a two-and-a-half-hour drive to the trailhead off Nicholls Hill Road, where there’s space for 3–4 cars. The day started off very overcast and stayed that way until I headed back down, and it was also pretty humid.

Starting the hike from Nicholls Hill Road, I’d follow old logging roads and ATV or snowmobile trails to reach the summits of Spruce Peak and Mother Myrick Mountain.

The ATV and snowmobile trail features several steep sections and switchbacks that lead up to the Mother Myrick Mountain ridge, from where it’s an easy 1.5-mile hike to the summit.

On the way to Spruce Peak, I stumbled upon an old cabin that appeared to be a junction for several ATV and snowmobile trails.

Starting the bushwhack up to Spruce Peak from the snowmobile trail heading toward Burnt Hill.

At the wooded summit of Spruce Peak, elevation 2,806 feet, there’s a jar register. The area is covered mostly in ferns, with open woods along the way to reach it.

I turned around and followed the ATV/snowmobile trail back toward the summit of Mother Myrick Mountain, encountering very wet and muddy sections along the way.

The old jar register sits atop the wooded summit of Mother Myrick Mountain, at an elevation of 3,355 feet.

This was pretty much my view for most of the morning, taken from a lookout near the summit of Mother Myrick Mountain.

I followed the ATV and snowmobile trail 0.85 miles back the way I came, then took a side trail down to the car.

Although the ATV/snowmobile trail was steep, it brought me closer to the car than the roads I had taken up. The sun also decided to make an appearance at that moment.

As I got back to the car, the sun was coming out and the temperature was rising, but the humidity lingered despite the rain passing through. It was still early, and from where I was parked, I spotted a peak in the distance that caught my interest. A quick look at the map showed it wasn’t far from my current spot, so I decided to check it out. The hiking area is just down the road from the well-known Dorset Marble Quarry, a 60-foot-deep quarry that’s a popular swimming destination.

Mount Jesse (NH) *8/1/2026*

Mount Jesse

Location: New Durham, New Hampshire
Mileage: 2.4 Miles
Elevation Gain: 560 Feet
Trails Used: None. Road Walk
Views: From Summit of Mount Jesse
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Hiking Lists: None

Wanted to do something easy and trailed on Saturday after the long hike on Friday. Mount Jesse is one hike I have been meaning to do since the SELT bought the land and opened it up to hikers. It had long been off limits due to a private residence on the summit, as well as shooting ranges. Currently, you can walk up the access road to the summit and its views, but SELT is working on hiking trails in the future.

I began at the gated access road to Mount Jesse, just off Kings Highway.

The access road winds its way to the summit of Mount Jesse, with a few steep stretches along the way.

Approaching the summit of Mount Jesse, with a charming house perched at the top, the trail is lined with endless blueberry bushes. The entire hike up is a feast for the eyes, culminating in open fields that lead the way to the peak.

From the summit of Mount Jesse, looking north, the panorama was shrouded in haze from the morning’s high humidity.

More views from the summit of Mount Jesse, looking north and west. On a clear day, the scenery would be absolutely stunning.

Overall, it was a nice hike, with the only downsides being the bugs and humidity this morning. I had considered doing some other trails in the area, but a lingering headache and fatigue from yesterday’s 18-mile trek in Vermont kept me from it. I’ll be back once they add some hiking trails.

Glastenbury Mountain *7/31/2026*

Glastenbury Mountain

Location: Glastenbury, Vermont
Mileage: 17.4 Miles
Elevation Gain: 2140 Feet
Trails Used: Road Walk, Forest Roads, Appalachian Trail/Long Trail
Views: None. Fire Tower Closed
Difficulty: Moderate/Difficult
Hiking Lists: Vermont 3000 Footers, Vermont Town High Point

A better title might be “How to Do Glastenbury Mountain the Long, Hard Way.” This hike had been on my to-do list for a long time, but I never really looked into the access points. It ended up being one of those trips where I winged it more than researched it—and it showed. It was over a two-hour drive for a 17+ mile hike that took about 6.5 hours. There was a chance of rain, which seems to be the norm lately; so much rain this summer, yet still in a drought. I took Somerset Road and parked at the FR325 (Castle Brook Road) lot, just around the corner from the Somerset Airfield Campground. Then I geared up and headed down the forest road.

I started the hike by walking about a mile along FR325 (Castle Brook Road), then followed a mix of forest roads and snowmobile trails all the way to the summit of Glastenbury Mountain.

The water was flowing nicely on Castle Brook along FR325 after all the recent rain. It wasn’t an issue at the time, but the end of the hike promised to be interesting.

There were plenty of damp spots like this, along with ponds and wetlands.

For most of the day, the path wound along an old forest road, snowmobile trail, or horse trail, with stretches of tall grass and damp spots scattered throughout.

There was a lot of standing water on the forest roads, some easy to avoid and others that forced me into the tall grass, making the conditions even wetter.

Yes, this is still part of the route I took to reach the summit of Glastenbury Mountain. I lost track of the various number designations for the snowmobile trails.

Fortunately, most of the water crossings on the hike had bridges, making it easier to get across with the water flowing from the recent rains.

The snowmobile trail ran alongside the Appalachian Trail as it made its way to the summit of Glastenbury Mountain.

Perched atop Glastenbury Mountain at 3,751 feet, the fire tower offers no views from the forested summit, as it’s currently closed.

The 50-foot fire tower on Glastenbury Mountain, built in 1927 and last used in 1949, had its lower stairs removed in 2022 after being declared unsafe. 

I headed south on the Appalachian Trail to make the hike easier, passing about 10 northbound thru-hikers as I descended. I crossed over Glastenbury Southwest Peak and continued to the wilderness boundary.

The Glastenbury Wilderness sign. Shortly after passing this sign, I headed into the woods along an old overgrown snowmobile trail, which I followed down to the car.

The snowmobile trail mentioned earlier was steep and wet in most parts.

Wet areas were everywhere on the way down. Shortly after this stretch, I came across a flooded section of the snowmobile trail. I had to use the beaver dam to cross, but unfortunately, I couldn’t keep my shoes or feet dry. Several parts required walking through ankle-deep water.

Deer Cabin Brook was the first major crossing on the way back to the car, and by far the easiest of the three. With my shoes already soaked, I simply rolled up my pant legs and waded right in.

The Glastenbury River was the toughest of the three crossings. I nearly fell in twice because of the fast-moving, thigh-deep water, and the rocks were incredibly slippery.

The Deerfield River was the third and final crossing. It wasn’t as challenging as the Glastenbury River, but still required a slow and careful approach.

I knew the hike would be long, and it really wore me down. As I neared the summit of Glastenbury Mountain, my legs cramped, my socks were soaked, and a light drizzle began. I still had at least five to six miles to go heading down to the car, and I hadn’t counted on the water crossings. Once I reached Somerset Road, it was a quick walk back to the car, a change of clothes, and a much-needed drink. Glad to be done with this one—never again.

Glastenbury Mountain, the tallest peak in the unincorporated town of Glastenbury, Vermont, sits within the Green Mountain National Forest.