Prospect Rock - Lye Brook Wilderness Trail
May 1st, 2009 by hiddenvermont
Location: Green Mountain National Forest, Manchester, VT
- Total Distance: 3.0 Mile
- Elevation Gain: 1100 ft.
- Difficulty: Strenuous
- Average Hike Time: 1.5 - 2.5 Hour
Directions:
From the junction of Routes 11/30 and Route 7, one mile East of Manchester, drive East on Route 11/30 for 0.5 miles to East Manchester Road turning right, and then immediately left on Rootville Road. Follow for 0.5 mile to the white water tower and the end of the road. There is a small parking area (4-5 cars) near the water tower and another one just a bit further (2-3 cars). Parking is not allowed beyond that.
Don’t block the road and do observe the ‘No Parking” signs.
Description:
[This trail is essentially an old logging road and it is being extensively widened and regraded in 2009.] Prospect Rock offers a nice, open overlook of the town of Manchester and the valley northwards towards Danby. Getting there requires hiking up a fairly steep and long, but otherwise straightforward, dirt road.
The trail begins up the Old Rootville Road to a National Forest signboard, where it continues past a spur trail and small brook before ascending steeply up the mountain. The early part of the trail is a very stony logging road and footing is uneven. The trail then levels off through the forest and climbs again with a steep drop-off on the right, before coming to the junction at 1.5 miles with Long Trail. Continue past Long Trail to a spur trail that leads 200 feet West to Prospect Rock. Watch for a red sign about eye level on a birch tree that says “Look Up!”…and when you raise your gaze about 20 feet up the tree you’ll see a white “Prospect Rock” sign showing the direction!
Take the same trail back to the parking area.
You can also continue on up the trail further into the Lye Brook Wilderness towards Bourne Pond, and even further to Stratton Pond or Branch Pond.