The 1-mile H. Laurence Achilles trail loop maintained by the University of Vermont is easy-to-hike and leads you through upland forest to several scenic sites. Visitors can also explore the shoreline of Shelburne Pond in a canoe or kayak.
Located just 10 miles from the metropolis of Burlington, Shelburne Pond has retained its wild and rich character despite the pressures of development. There are over 400 acres of swamps, marshes, and rich woods associated with the pond. These habitats support several unusual plants—especially ephemeral spring wildflowers—and birds.
The pond also serves as an important educational resource for the University of Vermont. Now largely owned and maintained by the University of Vermont (UVM), the H. Laurence Achilles Natural Area at Shelburne Pond — named for the philanthropist who supported the Conservancy's earliest acquisitions there — is a place where conservation, recreation, and research peacefully coexist.
Over 30 years in the making, the natural area at Shelburne Pond is one of the oldest and longest-running protection projects of the Vermont chapter and a successful collaboration between the Conservancy and UVM.
Visit University of Vermont Environmental Program or Visit The Nature Conservancy in Vermont online for more information or contact Lynn McNamara, Critical Lands Manager for Northern VT:
University of Vermont296 Pond Access Rd, Shelburne, VT
From I-89, take exit 13 to I-189 toward Shelburne and Middlebury. Take a left at the end and travel south on Route 7. Drive 5.6 miles into Shelburne. At the second light, just past Shelburne Museum, take a left onto Marsett Road. This left turn is directly opposite Bostwick Road on the other side of Route 7. Drive 0.3 mile. At the first stop sign, Marsett Road becomes Falls Road. Continue straight. After 1.2 miles, at Spear Street, the name of the road changes to Irish Hill Road. After a mile, the paved road turns to gravel. At Dorset Street, Irish Hill Road becomes Pond Road. Travel one mile more and take a left into the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife Shelburne Pond fishing access. Go about 0.25 mile to the parking area and the hiking and boating access.
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