Hartland

Bogs with rare plants, trails for a variety of activities, and a large area of land and water shape Hartland’s outdoor experiences. Visitors planning a trip with varied interests can choose from nature observation, hiking, winter sports, and days by the water. Which of these aspects of the area appeals to you most may also influence your choice of vacation rental or vacation home.

Rare plants and trails through nature

Eshqua Bog on Garvin Hill Road is an important habitat for rare plants. These include showy lady’s slippers (Cypripedium reginae), whose unusual flowers offer a special reason to observe nature. A 480-foot-long, ADA-compliant boardwalk leads through the area; along the trail are four viewing platforms and three benches. This makes it possible to take in the landscape from several vantage points.

Another trail option is the Cady Brook Trail in southwestern Hartland. It is two miles long and is suitable for hiking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, biking, and bird-watching. This variety brings together activities that may suit a stay, depending on your interests. In 17-Acre Wood, an ADA-compliant trail first leads to a plateau and then to a lower level. If you take trail features into account when planning your trip, you’ll find varied terrain here, without this implying anything about the conditions of other trails.

Timotheus Pohl Conservation Area also offers several ways to enjoy time in nature: it has hiking trails and ski trails open year-round, agricultural land, and viewpoints. The combination of trails, land in use, and views differs from the distinctive plant life of Eshqua Bog. For a group with varied interests, these different outdoor experiences may be an important part of choosing a vacation.

Water, history, and activities to share

North Hartland Lake Recreational Area covers 1,700 acres, including 215 acres of water to explore. A nature trail and ranger-led programs add to the options for visitors. If you’d like to center your trip on water and nature, you can make this area one of the focal points of your Hartland plans.

Sumner Falls Recreational Area includes a picnic area and is popular with anglers and canoeists and kayakers. A portage trail at Sumner Falls lets boaters bypass the falls. At Sumner’s Falls, remnants of a former dam, a mill, and numerous other buildings recall the area’s historic uses. Water activities and these visible traces of the past offer different perspectives on the area; they should not be treated as a single, combined route.

For a more relaxed break, Jenne Town Forest has a simple picnic area near the stream. Foster’s Meadow offers several ball fields and a disc golf course. If you’re weighing different ways to spend your days on a trip, you can consider these options alongside longer trails or nature observation, without having to build every activity into a fixed itinerary.

Winter trails and sledding options

Hartland Winter Trails has about 25 kilometers of groomed trails that span around 30 privately owned properties. During the winter season, these trails may be used only for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The main parking area for the Hartland Winter Trail network has a specific location: it is across from the fire station at 50 Vermont Route 12. Use only the right-hand, eastern side of the parking area, marked with yellow HWT signs.

If you’re looking for a different winter activity than skiing on groomed trails, Summarsell Gateway Preserve offers sledding. During the winter season, Hartland Winter Trails may be used only for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. This choice can help you weigh your winter interests when deciding whether to stay in Hartland.

Explore more nearby places

If you’d like to expand your search to include other places, you can also find Barnard, Cavendish, Brownsville, Bridgewater, Weathersfield, Woodstock, Hartford and Windsor here.

For the broader travel overview: Windsor County.