This hike involves a scenic 0.4 mile road walk from the historic village of Dummerston Center to get to the beginning of the trail that takes you up to a loop over the top of Prospect Hill.
Road walk: From the parking area on Middle Rd near the church and town offices in Dummerston Center, walk north to the four-way intersection, cross East West Rd, and continue straight on paved Bunker Rd. In 150 yards, Bunker Rd bears right; you should continue straight onto unpaved Park Laughton Rd. Walk 0.3 miles farther (about 10 minutes) past beautiful fields and historic homes to the beginning of the trail on the left side of the road, marked by a post in a field. It is just beyond the crest of the hill and past house #133.
Trail: From the post at the edge of Park Laughton Rd, walk along the left edge of the field to the far left corner. Here the trail enters the woods on a small bridge, with a box that contains a nature trail guide. The trail, marked with yellow diamonds, soon climbs steeply uphill with a stone wall and evidence of logging on your left. At the top of the hill is an unmarked trail junction, 0.35 miles from the road, at the beginning of the summit loop. Continue straight here (you will return to this point on the trail to your right).
The trail soon makes a sharp right turn and climbs to the open clearing near the top of Prospect Hill. Views behind you are towards Mt. Monadnock in New Hampshire, while views in front of you look towards Mt. Snow.
At the top of the hill, the trail passes through the right side of the clearing and renters the woods, where it then descends to a trail junction. The white-marked Missing Link Trail, managed by the Putney Mountain Association, turns left here and continues to Hague Road and the Haydock Vista.
At the junction, turn right and continue following yellow markers back to the beginning of the summit loop at the unmarked trail junction (the loop distance is 0.6 miles). Turn left, descend back to Park Laughton Road, where you turn right and walk the road back to your car.
For more information, contact:
Dummerston Conservation CommissionParking for this trail is a parking area near the church and town offices in Dummerston Center; E911 address is 1533 Middle Rd, Dummerston, Vt. It is just south of the four way intersection of Middle, East West, and Bunker Roads. From here you must walk 0.4 miles on roads to the start of the trail. Do not park at the trailhead on Park Laughton Road.
From Brattleboro: Interstate 91 Exit 3, drive 1.3 miles north of the roundabout at Exit 3 on US-5 and bear left onto Middle Road. Follow Middle Road 1.3 miles to Dummerston Center. Parking is just before the church on the left.
From Putney: Interstate 91 Exit 4, drive 2.5 miles south on US-5 and turn right onto Schoolhouse Road. Continue 2 miles to the stop sign in Dummerston Center (Schoolhouse Road becomes East West Rd), turn left onto Middle Road and parking is just after the church on the right.
From Route 30: At the West Dummerston Covered Bridge (4.7 miles south of Newfane), turn left onto East West Road, cross the covered bridge, and continue 2.4 miles up the hill to the stop sign in Dummerston Center. Turn right onto Middle Road and parking just after the church on the right.
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