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Burlington Trails

Burlington: Mount Mansfield via Sunset Ridge

Check out the largest patch of alpine tundra in Vermont on this 4.8-mile out-and-back to the highest mountain in the state.

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Mapped by Shannon Davis

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Trail Facts

  • Distance: 3.9

Waypoints

MMT001

Location: 44.5298004150391, -72.8418197631836

Head E on blue-blazed Eagles Cutoff Trail; cross CCC road three times in the next .3 mi.

MMT002

Location: 44.5310668945312, -72.8356323242188

Bear L, following Eagles Cutoff Trail

MMT003

Location: 44.532398223877, -72.8341674804688

Trail curves to the L, heading NE through mixed hardwoods

MMT004

Location: 44.5340347290039, -72.8312835693359

Head N for steady ascent on Sunset Ridge Trail

MMT005

Location: 44.5351982116699, -72.8312301635742

Bear L @ Y, staying on Sunset Ridge Trail

MMT006

Location: 44.5406188964844, -72.8303527832031

Stay R @ Y. Side trip: Turn L @ Y for .2-mi. hike to Cantilever Rock, a massive, flat rock slab jutting from the mountainside

MMT007

Location: 44.5417518615723, -72.8276672363281

Take in W views of Lake Champlain and rolling ridgelines of Adirondack high peaks, then ascend NE. Ahead, trail breaks out of balsam and spruce for climb above treeline

MMT008

Location: 44.5438499450684, -72.8178482055664

R @ Y, turning SE on Sunset Ridge Trail; tiny, white-flowered Lapland diapensia and rare black crowberry shrubs blanket ground in summer and fall

MMT009

Location: 44.5420341491699, -72.8164367675781

Straight @ T; Laura Cowles Trail enters on R. In 50 yds., turn L onto Long Trail for final .2-mi. climb to VT’s high point, nicknamed “The Chin”

MMT010

Location: 44.5439682006836, -72.8143005371094

Mt. Mansfield (4,393 ft.): Explore VT’s largest patch of arctic-alpine tundra, but stay on marked trails; retrace steps

Mt. Mansfield Summit

Location: 44.5439376831055, -72.8143310546875

©Shannon Davis

Mt. Mansfield

Location: 44.5422210693359, -72.8269958496094

©Shannon Davis

The Summit Ridge

Location: 44.5432815551758, -72.8205795288086

©Shannon Davis

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