Mount Ascutney via Weathersfield Trail is a 5.7 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Perkinsville, Vermont that features a waterfall and is rated as difficult. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
The trail was well-packed and very doable with just spikes.... until about halfway up. We turned around at Halfway Brook, in fact, since I didn’t have snowshoes. But overall, the trail’s in great shape and it was still a lovely day! Only saw one other hiker on a gorgeous Thursday.
Epic. Bring yak tracks maybe snowshoes. Is pretty epic at the top.
Great hike. Though we had no view cause of a little snow. Trail was packed down so no show shoes required. Trail is well blazed and signed.
icey in parts. ok with spikes. narrow trail towards summit still doable with spikes
Icy in spots today. Wear ice spikes. Packed snow at the top. Amazing as always.
I give it 5 stars because I think in warmer weather it would be fantastic. HOWEVER, today it was icy icy and almost dangerous in parts. If you head up there makes sure you have poles and proper footing like yak tracks. Don’t go up there is regular hiking shoes. If you plan right and are an avid hiker then I bet you will be just fine.
The bottom of the trail was very icy. I found that the trail was somewhat poorly marked (likely just from the snow). The actual summit was a little underwhelming with the towers, but the MANY beautiful view spots on the top made up for it. Stunning views. Bring warm gloves!
Very icy, spikes and poles were helpful. Strenuous this time of year but not impossible. Would certainly like to visit again on a more clear day.
I love this trail! Went up 11/14 and it was a little muddy/slippery. Be wary at the top for slippage and for the cold (bring another layer) However it’s a gorgeous trail with tons of views along the way. Starting at the first 1/3rd, you get some beautiful views of the mountains as you walk (esp now that there are no leaves on the trees). Then lovely waterfalls, which are truly magical. The 2/3rd section is pretty steep. Not dangerous but take your time if you’re not used to hiking since it can get tiring. Again, watch out for roots this time of year. They are the most slippery. Top part is a little rocky but really gorgeous, and there’s a great outlook shortly before the summit. As others have said, the summit isn’t great. 2 giant cell towers makes it kind of disappointing. However, we barely spent time there. Instead we went to the outlook just before (mentioned above) and got all our favorite views in there. Bring: An extra layer A snack (took us about 2 hrs up, 1.5 down) Poles if you have them - they help with the rocky parts, of which there are many. Altogether a great, magical hike with different views along the way so you never get bored.
An absolutely wonderful trail. Rated as hard not should be moderate. No Bouldering. The only disappointing part is the summit. It is still below tree line and the is a cell tower to stare at. There is an observation tower that is unbelievable to make up for it.
Lots of good waterfalls. The West Peak Vista and Gus's Lookout are the best view points. A little muddy, a little washed out, but nothing a seasoned hiker hasn't seen before. This would make a good first difficult hike.
We arrived at the parking lot at 10:30 and took the last parking space. Note that it will be much colder and windier at the summit than at the trailhead. This is one of my favorite hikes I've ever done. Pros: - Gorgeous views from multiple separate vistas and the observation tower. The observation tower didn't have many people waiting we got there at 2 pm and most were wearing masks. - Three separate waterfalls that are beautiful - Multiple brooks that run alongside the trail at various points - A few good overlooks on the way up - Most people wear masks or step aside to respect social distancing - Trail is clearly-marked and easy to follow Cons: - Fairly crowded, especially later in the day and near the peak (since there is road access) - No way to view the Crystal Cascades Falls (the largest one) head-on without going off-trail and climbing around a fair bit - Very muddy near the summit This hike is fairly strenuous. If you are an experienced hiker and have done trails of similar difficulty, you won't have any problems, but inexperienced hikers need to take it seriously and start early enough to make it to the summit and back (we logged a bit under 4 hours of moving time)
Great trail. I started very early and got done before it got busy. Great views!! Love the waterfall and the hang glider launch. Great day!!