Starting from the River Road parking area, this trail along a portion of the Appalachian Trail (AT) travels to Thundering Falls along a 900 foot, approximately 3.5 foot wide, boardwalk built by the Green Mountain Club. The boardwalk crosses over the Ottauquechee River and through the open Ottauquechee River floodplain. The trail then ascends to a viewing platform overlooking the Falls via an accessible switchback and spur trail built by the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps.
Thundering Falls is said to be the sixth tallest waterfall in Vermont. It is part of Kent Brook which flows out of Kent Pond just north of where the AT and the Long Trail split. At high water it is a magnificent cascade as the stream tumbles 140 feet through a steep and narrow cataract. The falls are also the site of a historic mill powered by the energy of the falling water.
From Thundering Falls, the AT continues its ascent to the west, through northern hardwood forest another 0.2 miles to Thundering Brook Road where a small parking lot can be found.
Thundering Falls provides the first universal accessible portion of the Appalachian Trail in Vermont with wheelchair accessible parking on River Road in Killington.
Visit Green Mountain National Forest online for more information or contact:
RIVER ROAD ACCESSIBLE PARKING (EAST END)
From where VT-100 and US-4 meet and intersect with Killington Road in Killington, drive 2 miles east on VT-100/US-4, then turn left on River Road. Go 1.6 miles north on River Road to the parking lot on the left.
THUNDERING BROOK ROAD PARKING (WEST END)
From where VT-100 and US-4 meet and intersect with Killington Road in Killington, drive 0.4 miles east on VT-100/US-4, then turn left on Thundering Brook Road. Go 1.4 miles on Thundering Brook Road to the parking lot on the left.
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