From the trailhead at the winter parking lot on Old County Road, the Lake Mansfield Trail traverses on easy grades close to the road until reaching the junction with the summer trailhead by the Trout Club.
From the trailhead by the Trout Club, the Lake Mansfield Trail enters the woods and parallels the woods road along the north shore of the lake. The trail descends to join the road briefly, before reentering the woods to cross a bridge. The trail descends to the road again near the west end of the lake, and follows the road away from the lake. After crossing a small brook the trail steadily ascends on an old logging road, bears right near the top of the rise and continues uphill at a steeper grade to the entrance of the gorge. Past a piped spring the trail gently climbs to a beaver meadow with views of the north wall of Nebraska Notch. The Lake Mansfield Trail reaches Taylor Lodge and the junction with the Clara Bow Trail 1.6 miles from the summer access trailhead at the Trout Club, and 2.3 miles from the trailhead at the winter parking lot on Old County Road.
The Clara Bow Trail, named for 1920s silent film star Clara Bow, provides a challenging route through the floor of Nebraska Notch just north of Taylor Lodge, and can serve as an alternative route to that section of the Long Trail. The trail begins behind the lodge. It travels north to the entrance of the notch and climbs over and under enormous boulders through the notch, with a ladder to aide in negotiating a vertical drop. The Clara Bow Trail meets back up with and rejoins the Long Trail at 0.4 miles. At this junction it is 0.4 miles along the Long Trail back to Taylor Lodge.
For additional information, visit the Green Mountain Club website, or contact:
Take Moscow Road west from VT-100, south of Stowe. Follow the paved road, which turns into the Nebraska Valley Road and becomes gravel-surfaced, 6.7 miles to the gate of the Lake Mansfield Trout Club. In summer, you may drive through the open gate to the hiking season day-use parking lot that is to the north of the main building of the Trout Club. In winter, turn right on Old County Road just before the closed Trout Club gate. There is a large parking lot on the left a few hundred yards down the road.
The trailhead from the summer parking area begins on the private land of the Lake Mansfield Trout Club. Please be considerate of club guests, stay on the trail, and respect the land and all buildings while in this area.
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