Catamount XC Ski Trail: Section 5

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Features Lake · River/Creek · Views · Wildlife

This section of the Catamount Trail starts from the trailhead parking on Kelley Stand Road and follows Stratton Arlington Road west. It passes by the AT/ LT Parking Area and crosses over the East Branch of the Deerfield River. In a short distance, the trail turns right onto an old road. This road is very boggy and unmaintained, so it is really only suited for winter travel. It travels for approximately 2 miles, then turns right onto Stratton Pond Trail.

The trail follows Stratton Pond Trail all the way to the Stratton Pond Shelter Spur. The AT/ LT has been recently relocated, so this intersection may differ from older maps. Continue following Stratton Pond Trail to its end, then turn left (onto the new section of the AT/ LT). The trail travels (for a short distance), then turns right onto an obscure, unsigned trail. It travels through a meadow, where the weeds are so high that you can hardly see the path in front of you.

If you manage to navigate your way, through the meadow, you'll eventually arrive at Snowmobile Junction BN 30. Here, the trail turns right onto an old snowmobile trail; it doesn't appear that this section is still utilized by the snowmobiles, though. The trail makes its way to Little Pond, where there is a short sidetrail to the pond. It travels up and over a mountain, then descends via some switchbacks.

At the bottom of the hill, the trail turns left and follows a snowmobile trail out to Winhall River. After crossing over Winhall River, the trail leaves the Green Mountain National Forest. This section ends, just a little bit further, at Kendall Farm Road.

Flora: Eastern Hemlock, Closed Gentian, Hemlock Parsley, Hobblebush, Striped Maple, Beech.
Fauna: Red Salamanders, Carrion Beetles, Mites, Deer Flies, Mosquitoes, American Toad, Loon, Garden Arion Slugs.