Walking in the woods of VT

A local trails association has created new trails right by our place and we’ve been exploring them over the last few weeks.

We came upon this sugar bush a few times and I’m really impressed. I don’t believe it’s been active for years; all the lines are down and what taps and lines are left are very brittle. I’m surprised that it’s just ferns in there, no saplings. I dint believe anyone is maintaining the land.




This was a big Beech tree! You just don’t see them that big now due to that fungus that’s doing a number on the trees.



From what I understand, much of this land was grazing pasture many years ago. You sometimes come upon some monster trees in the middle of a not so mature forest.

I’ll get some more pics as we get out and further explore.


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They used to leave “mother trees” to naturally reseed areas that were clear cut.

 

Nice country. I always thought it cool to hike through ferns like that. Ive seen the fungus you speak of on the beech trees around here.

 

Great hike today; we did almost 6 miles and met one of the guys who is laying out the trails. Told him how much we enjoyed the trails and appreciated his work.



Check out that burl!


Based on what we know, this is the third largest Ash tree in Vermont. It’s an absolute monster! Not sure how old it is, but I’m sure it’s seen a lot of history. What a cool tree. My wife and I were in awe.







Perhaps an old target or part of a tree stand.


Old tops from an Oak they logged a long time ago. I bet there’s still some BTUs in there.

Beech loggers left behind from last winter. So much heat laying on the ground!


We are fortunate to have this so close to our place. It’s wonderful to get out and explore the local landscape. There’s so much history in the woods. It’s nice to be able to walk through there and take it all in.


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That’s cool. I appreciate the photos. Agree, it’s great to explore the old forests and find the remnants of civilization long gone. I like to putt around on my ATV occasionally and do just that. My hiking days are over
Around here when you find a large lush patch of ferns it usually means it was a field at one time. There’s a spot about 1/2 mile from my house that was once a farm,,,abandoned in the 1700’s or so. Buildings burnt down long ago. Nothing left but the hand dug well and foundations. The grass that grows there is amazing though. Mixed with ferns now but the grass is still holding on quite well. Stuff is like satin. Wish I was smart enough to know how to clone it. They don’t make grass like that anymore

 

Great pics Skier76 you have some nice trails there

 

Thanks guys.

I'm amazed that a lot of the land around here was cut and used for grazing or farming a few hundred years ago. The terrain is really hilly in spots. I just can't imagine getting back there with hand saws, axes and horses; and clearing the land like that. It must have been an incredible amount of work. And think of the size of many of the trees back then...old growth original New England forest.

 

Around 1900 Vermont was only 15% trees as everyone had a small farm about 85% now

 

Stating the obvious; it must have looked vastly different than it does today! Certainly very woodsy now.

 

Grandfather had a pilots license took an aerial photo south Killington area in 40s. I will look for it..

 

Home - Landscape Change Program
This is a searchable archive of Vermont photographs that show these changes.

 

1936 Connecticut did it’s first aerial survey. You can run a search on that and find it in the UConn library. Can even compare side by side photos of then and now. I’ve spent a bit of time checking out the woods behind my house. While even the farms and small patches of civilization were long gone by then it’s much easier to spot what was once clearings 84 years ago compared to now.

 

Thank you for the VT and CT links! Just spent some time looking over the photos. Some cool pics of our town in VT. And I looked at our house in VT from the 1930's....all farm land at the time.

 

Did some more hiking yesterday and the colors are starting here.

Found this bark on a tree next to the trail. Tree looked like a hemlock, but the bark looked really thick for hemlock. Not a very big/old tree either.




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I got some logs with bark like that. I was told it was chestnut oak.

 

Hemlock leaves are fairly unique.

 

What an absolute beautiful hike! There is something truly special about walking through the woods, thanks for sharing!

 

This weekend, my wife and I took my father in law to the ash tree. And we brought a taper measure. We measured a big Oak along the way. Using the tape measure and a website (surprisingly good service in the middle of the woods!) we calculated the Oak to be 304 years old. The Ash started growing around 1676. Unreal. Think of what that tree has “seen”.

The Sugarbush after a frost and freeze. Ferns have gone to bed for the season.


Yesterday, we explored another trail about three miles away. This one is in just under 300 acres and is just under 4.5 miles. They have another parcel they are purchasing which is a little under 700 acres.

Really interesting variations on this hike; pine, hemlock, then all hardwood. One section looks like old grazing land with a more open feel, grass and a stone wall. Evidence of past logging too.






This Pine’s reaction to the girdle cut: “Nope!”







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Nice country there. The tree you pictured earlier is chestnut oak. I noticed they seem to be more common up North.
Chestnut oak along my driveway.

 

I could have sworn it had needles on it! I'll try and get a better pic of it next time we are on the trail.