Mendon: Forest Trails, Views and History

Mendon offers different ways to enjoy an outdoor stay: snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are possible in Aitken State Forest, while several hiking trails offer different route types and viewpoints to choose from. There is also a recreation area with sports and play facilities, as well as traces of local history. When looking for a vacation rental, you can first consider whether hiking, outdoor activities or historical discoveries should be the main focus of your stay.

Forest and Viewpoints

Aitken State Forest can be reached via Notch Road in Mendon, east of its intersection with Wheelerville Road. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are possible there. If you are looking for winter exercise in nature, you can use these two activities to help plan your trip. Bald Mountain Trail offers a different focus: four viewpoints provide panoramic views of the Green Mountain Range, the Otter Creek and Cold River valleys, and Rutland City. The viewpoints give the hike several specific places to stop and take in the scenery; the landscapes and places mentioned also make clear what you can see from there.

Hiking Trails by Route Type

For a shorter out-and-back hike, Deer Leap Overlook Trail ends after 1.2 miles at a rocky outcrop with a view. Deer Leap Mountain Trail, by contrast, is a 3.1-mile loop. These details distinguish two types of hikes: the first trail leads to the viewpoint and back, while the second forms a loop. Bucklin Trail is a 7-mile out-and-back hike, with a stated hiking time of 4 to 6 hours. When planning your hiking days, you can consider trail length, route type and the stated hiking time together.

The details for Canty Trail and Pico Peak Trail also help with comparisons. Canty Trail is 2.4 miles long and described as an out-and-back route; it has more than 1,600 feet of elevation gain. The one-way hike is listed as taking 3 to 5 hours, and the trail can be muddy. Pico Peak Trail is a 5.4-mile out-and-back route marked with blue blazes, with an approximate hiking time of 3.5 hours and 1,800 feet of elevation gain. It can be heavily used. The different elevation gains and time estimates are useful points of reference when deciding which route fits your day’s plans.

The Long Trail offers another point of reference: this long-distance hiking trail is more than 270 miles long and runs through Vermont and Massachusetts. It can also be used for out-and-back day hikes. Its markings vary: the Long Trail is marked in white, while its side trails are marked in blue. Side roads in Mendon also provide access to Coolidge State Forest. When planning your trip, you can therefore distinguish between individual hiking destinations and the longer-distance trail.

Activities and Historical Traces

Mendon Recreation Area has a well-maintained playground, a baseball field and a half basketball court with pickleball markings. Alongside forest and hiking trails, there are also specific opportunities for play and ball sports. If you are traveling with children, you can consider these destinations when deciding how to spend your days together, without making hiking the sole focus of your stay.

You can also encounter local history at specific sites in Mendon. The historic Rutland, Woodstock and Stockbridge Turnpike ran along what is now Woodstock Avenue to Mendon and branched off at what is now Old Turnpike, or Elbow Road. Tamarack Notch Trail follows an old loop road that once led to a Civilian Conservation Corps camp and later to the Tamarack Notch Girl Scout Camp. Behind the restaurant at the intersection of Route 4 and Meadowlake Drive, a stone marks the grave of Old John, Ripley’s cavalry horse.

When looking for a vacation rental in Mendon, you can weigh the options described according to your preferred focus: hiking trails and viewpoints, activities at the recreation area, or discoveries related to the town’s history. For more town pages, choose Castleton, Brandon, Shrewsbury, Rutland, Killington, Danby or Chittenden.

For the broader travel overview: Rutland County.