Judith's Garden is perfect for all who enjoy the outdoors. Our location is unique and special:
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We are situated in the Moosalamoo Recreation Area, a 20,000 acre upland forest on the western slope of the Green Mountains. The area has over seventy miles of trails, a mile-long glaciated lake and several lovely mountain streams. The Moosalamoo Association, a unique partnership of public and private organizations, preserves open spaces, maintains the extensive trail system, and publishes a comprehensive trail map. |
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Blueberry Hill Inn, a renowned cross-country ski center, is less than a mile along the road from Judith's Garden. And even better, you can access the Blueberry Hill trail system for winter skiing and summer hiking directly for our door. |
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Because of our unique location, you can enjoy the outdoors here in many different ways. Activities range from gentle to strenuous. We have books, maps, and field guides for you to borrow while staying at Judith's Garden. We also know the area well and can help you make plans. To start you thinking, here are of some of the possibilities that are available:
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| Autumn view from Hogback |
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| Walking beside Chittenden Brook |
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| Hiking the Long Trail |
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| Skiing freshly groomed trails |
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| Biking the Moosalamoo Area |
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| Visiting Lake Pliad |
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Country Walks ... Our area has many lovely places for shorter walks - an hour or less. There are old logging roads - ideal for people who do not want to deal with rough terrain - and scenic forest paths. You can walk to several beautiful vistas or alongside crystal clear mountain brooks.
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Start with a fifteen-minute walk, directly from Judith's Garden, to Hogback Mountain . This spot is known locally for the wild blueberries that ripen there in July, and for its wonderful views of the nearby Green Mountains and the Taconic Mountains in southern Vermont. Hogback is worth a visit any time of the year. |
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Check out the inspirational paths of Spirit in Nature and the Robert Frost Interpretative Trail. |
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Walk the quiet gravel road alongside scenic Bingo Brook or the old logging road to the vista at Voter Brook Overlook. |
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Visit Texas Falls or the Falls of Lana, two unique and beautiful waterfalls. |
We can tell you how to find these and many other nearby locations for country walks. We have also made a map, especially for our guests, locating these special places. (Return to top of page) |
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Hiking … There are many excellent medium to long hikes, from two to six hours, for you to enjoy in the Moosalamoo area and National Forest near Judith's Garden. Some favorites are: |
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Rattlesnake Cliffs and Silver Lake. Start near Lake Dunmore (Route 53), go past the Falls of Lana and up to Rattlesnake Cliffs (at the western end of Mount Moosalamoo), with their panoramic views to the west, south and east. On the way down, you can take an optional detour to Silver Lake, a beautiful glaciated mountain lake with a number of unusual plants and a beach for swimming. |
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Chittenden Brook. Here is another lovely trail that follows the Chittenden Brook for several miles up to an old beaver pond. In the wintertime this trail is a favorite for snowshoers and back country skiers. |
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North Branch Trail. Starting in the Moosalamoo campground this beautiful forest trail follows the North Branch of the Voter Brook to the Falls of Lana. The energetic hiker can add Rattlesnake Cliffs and/or Silver Lake to this outing as well. |
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The Long Trail. The section of the Long Trail from the Brandon Gap to the Middlebury Gap passes a few miles above Judith's Garden. You can either start at the Brandon Gap and hike up to Gillespie Peak, or start at the Middlebury Gap and hike up to Worth Mountain. Either option provides pleasing vistas along the way. |
For a nominal fee, we can usually drive you to a trail head for a hike back to Judith's Garden. For instance, for a strenuous daylong outing, start at the Brandon Gap (Route 73), and take the Long Trail north to the Sucker Brook cut-off, and return to Judith's Garden via Blueberry Hill ski trails. (Return to top of page) |
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Cross Country Skiing and Snow Shoeing ... In the wintertime you can ski or snowshoe right from our door. Blueberry Hill's many miles of trails are beautifully groomed throughout the winter months for great cross-country skiing. They also rent skis and snowshoes and provide lessons.
You can purchase trail tickets from us so that you can start your day's skiing right from Judith's Garden. You can also set out directly from our house on snowshoes--a great way to explore the surrounding fields and forest in winter.
A short drive will take you to the start of several ungroomed trails for backwoods skiing or snowshoeing. And the Catamount Trail, Vermont 's end-to-end cross-country ski trail, runs less than half a mile from Judith's Garden. Finally, the nearby Reikert Ski Touring Center, maintained by Middlebury College, provides another venue for groomed-trail cross-country skiing. (Return to top of page) |
Back Road and Mountain Biking … There are quiet gravel roads to explore in the small mountain towns of Goshen, Ripton, Lincoln and Chittenden. There are also many miles of off-road trails in the Moosalamoo Area that are designated for mountain bikes. You can rent bicycles of all persuasions from several local outfitters. (Return to top of page) |
Boating and Swimming ... During the summer months you can canoe or kayak on any one of several waterways and lakes in this area, such as Sugar Hill Reservoir, Lake Dunmore, and the Otter Creek. Dead Creek Wildlife Area, a bit further away, also offers excellent opportunities to combine canoeing and bird watching. We have maps and guidebooks to help you find a good location.
Summer swimming places include Lake Dunmore at Branbury State Park, or secluded Silver Lake (you will need to hike to this one). Our mountain rivers also have many popular swimming holes to explore.
And, for the experienced whitewater kayaker only, there is the challenge of handling one of the mountain river in our area during spring runoff. (Return to top of page) |
Fishing ... Some of our nearby rivers, including the Middlebury River, Otter Creek and White River, and mountain lakes, including Silver Lake, Lake Pliad and Sugar Hill Reservoir, provide excellent fishing. And for an interesting day's visit, there are also two fish hatcheries close by. We can provide you with the comprehensive "Fish Vermont" Official Map and Guide, published by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department if you wish to try your angling skills. (Return to top of page) |
Bird Watching ... Many different birds are attracted to our garden throughout the year. Some, such as goldfinch, chickadees, indigo bunting, grosbeaks, nuthatches, woodpeckers and many types of sparrows enjoy seeds from our bird feeders. Hummingbirds are regular summer residents, and come readily to our sugar-water feeders. Other birds, such as cedar waxwings, kinglets and elusive warblers, feed on the berries and insects available in our garden. Bluebirds and tree swallows nests in our birdhouses, and once we were fortunate enough to spot a scarlet tanager straying from the deep woods into our open space. And our pond's large frog population draws hawks in the springtime, as well as the occasional heron or owl. The National Wildlife Federation has certified Judith's Garden as a Backyard Wildlife Habitat. (Return to top of page) |
Star Gazing ... Because of our secluded location there is very little ambient light here in Goshen. On a clear, moonless night the number of stars to be seen is awe-inspiring. August and November can be very special because of the annual occurrence of meteor showers. If you are very lucky you may even experience the haunting beauty of Northern Lights. Bring your telescope!! (Return to top of page) |
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