Johnson Long Trail moves off road
A new easement removes the last major road section in Lamoille County, leaving hikers with a quieter route through the woods.
By Naomi Tesfaye ·
Hikers traversing Johnson, Vermont, will soon leave West Settlement Road behind. The Green Mountain Club announced it secured the final easement required to reroute approximately three miles of the Long Trail into the forest. This move eliminates one of the final road segments on the 272-mile trail.
Negotiations for this specific section lasted more than 30 years. Mollie Flanigan, the club's director of land conservation, noted that the Lamoille and Winooski valleys present unique difficulties. The areas feature small property parcels and diverse land uses that complicate trail placement.
The project relies on seven separate agreements with local landowners. The new path will follow Dry Ridge, a forested area owned by Forest Investment Associates. The company retains the right to log the surrounding property. The club will manage the forest within 20 feet of the trail.
Flanigan expects construction to begin in 2030. The club is currently working with the landowner to finalize the route. The path will likely wind through the woods to avoid a wetland and a pond on the property. This easement brings the total protected portion of the Long Trail to more than 98%.
A second project on Belvidere Mountain in Eden is also underway. Hikers can currently use a rebuilt section north of Route 118. The previous route followed a steep, eroding logging road. Heavy traffic from the 70-foot fire tower and increased rainfall accelerated the wear on the old path.
Keegan Tierney, the club's director of field programs, stated the new design accounts for climate change and wildlife. The trail avoids a swath of bear habitat and prevents the path from becoming a streambed during rain. The project also moves a quarter-mile of the trail onto Long Trail State Forest. The round-trip hike to the summit remains six miles.
Source: WOXR
