Mount Belvidere has recently become my favorite peak in Vermont. Since hiking the 3300-footer twice this week, most recently the "triangle route" up Forester's Trail and down Frank Post, I have grown even more attached!
Today's hike served a few different purposes. First, it was a super exciting trail to run a field-training hike for our Mountain Leader Course students. Second, I have had this route on my list nearly since I came to school in Vermont three years ago. The loop certainly lived up to the expectation- the foliage, trail cutting, 360 views, gorgeous Tillotson Camp, and general ease-for-reward make Belvidere super appealing despite its general displacement from more trafficked areas of Vermont.
After a 90-minute drive from campus, we had an interesting ride past the Belvidere asbestos mine and down a rutted-out Tillotson Road. The road had washed out in 2020 but had been restored to a doable state as of September 2024. The parking lot only fits 4-5 cars, but the trail did not appear to be one of high use. Also note, that there is no cell service at the trailhead, so plan accordingly.
Our group of 5 started up the "lollipop" part of Frank Post Trail, which is relatively wide and flat for the first 0.6 miles. At the junction, we took a left to go clockwise up Belvidere via the Forester's Trail which was the better choice for the gain and erosion. The lower part of the trail was wet, especially as we ran perpendicular to the streams before the larger crossing 0.9 miles in. As we got further up, the standing water diminished however the rocks were extremely wet as the sun hadn't dried them so early in the day.
For the most part, the wet rocks weren't a problem, but when the elevation gain picked up at 1.8 miles and 2,300 feet, we had to be more careful. At that point, the gain was pretty full in until the top, however, there were 7 switchbacks to ease the incline. Even with the extra effort, the near-ridge breeze and delightful balsam smell made this section my favorite of the day. Soon, we got up to the spur trail and trekked our last 200 feet of elevation gain for the day.
At the summit, there were two packed-out stealth sites, but we quickly moved on to see the unbelievable undercast in the valley. The clouds were low enough that the Lowell Wind Mills looked as though they were floating in midair. Looking north was also spectacular- though Jay was socked in again, the rugged ridges in sight were so fascinating. There wasn't an abundance of red foliage quite yet, but the Lowell/Eden area is looking beautifully orange this September.
As we came down from the summit, where two of our group members were brave enough to climb the fire tower- we were greeted with a lovely rolling ridge. The 3 miles of Long Trail between Mount Belvidere and Tillotson Peak only gained about 200 feet but lost considerably until camp. The trail was muddy at first but gradually became easier to cruise as the ground got drier and the rocks less frequent.
When we rounded behind the unnamed peak before Tillotson Camp, I was dazzled by the golden birches and maple trees gently sloping down a lovely glade. Even absent of the views, the Long Trail ridge was so beautiful this time of year. The quiet we enjoyed today was a great seasonal reminder of how much nicer the foliage season is without tourists!
As we came up on the surprisingly large and peaceful Lockwood Pond, we followed the start of the stream until it brought us to Tillotson Camp. Tillotson is a four-walled structure that sleeps 8. Due to its positioning between a stream and a cliff, there was only room for one 2-person tent across from the bear box. As for views, there is a terrific view from the shelter and an even better one off the cliff just east of the shelter. I was happy with how many water-filtration spots there were and overall I thought this would be a great place to stay in the future so long as I stayed in the shelter.
Before we left the Tillotson, Owen and I taught skills such as bear bagging, tarping, squeeze filter, gravity filter, and stove lighting. Thankfully our long day hiking gave us plenty of time to work on pacing and leadership skills before our late-day stop. From the shelter, we only had a quick 2 miles left on what most certainly felt like a logging road.
We easily cruised the streambed/logging road until we were back at the van. This trail was highly enjoyable and I loved the red leaves carpeting the trail, but it did make trail finding awkward at times. I hopped in front here since we were looking more for evidence of walking than visible blazes most of the time. If there is any use of bushwhacking to me, it's that it makes finding real trails so much easier when blazes are lacking! In finishing off so steadily, I was even more grateful we'd approached the route in a clockwise fashion. Steep grades, leaves, and downhill are the most terrifying trio, and that is exactly what we'd have encountered descending Forester's opposed to Frank Post.
While this hike is out of the way for most anyone reading this post, I cannot recommend it enough. This time of year is a huge part of what makes the Northeast Kingdom so beautiful, and I already want to go back! Maybe next week...
Stats:
8.15 miles
2,095 ft
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