Haystack Mountain (Vermont)


Haystack Mountain is a 3,445 foot mountain in Wilmington, Vermont, USA.
Haystack Mountain, from surrounding areas, is the tallest peak seen by eye. It provides hikers a trail to its peak that depending on the time of year and weather conditions, can be challenging yet fun to technical and dangerous. A true trip into the green mountains of southern Vermont, the trail is marked with blue blazes and follows an old gated road on a steady moderate incline to Binney Brook ravine. It turns southwest at about half a mile and begins a steep climb to the west ridge of Haystack. The trail winds through a few different forest types until reaching the summit trail junction. Turn right at the summit junction and follow until you reach the summit. It is 2.4 miles to the summit, 4.8 miles round trip.
Leaving the summit, you can head back to the trailhead or continue north another 2.5 miles to the top of Haystack Mountain Resort where and the entrance to the Ridgeline hike that connects the summits of the Haystack and Mount Snow Resorts.
Both Haystack pond and Crystal pond are part of the water supply in the area so therefore are off-limits. There are plentiful no trespassing signs that warn of this fact before ever getting close to either pond.
The Hermitage Club assumed ownership of Haystack ski area, not to be confused with Haystack Mountain. The Hermitage club/Haystack ski area is located on a mountain of lower elevation adjacent and dwarfed by Haystack mountain. Haystack mountain, the Haystack Trail and the lake atop the mountain are all located on land belonging to the Vermont State Forest.