Mount Ascutney State Park

Mount Ascutney State Park has something for everyone, and it is an ideal park for all ages and fitness levels. The main attraction is the summit of Mount Ascutney, which can be accessed via multiple hiking trails from various parts of the mountain. Anyone looking to reach the summit without a lot of effort can opt to drive up the 3.7-mile Mount Ascutney Parkway and hike the last 0.7 miles to the top. Near the summit, there is an observation tower that elevates hikers just above the trees for a 360-degree view of surrounding Vermont and New Hampshire. The ski slopes of the Killington and Okemo resorts in Vermont can be seen from the tower. Mount Ascutney is unique in that it offers one of the best locations for hang gliding in the region. There are two hang gliding launch sites accessible from the mountain, one of which is just outside the park in the West Windsor Town Forest.

The park has picnic tables and benches at various locations as well as a picnic shelter. You can stay overnight in the seasonal campground within the park, which has tent and RV sites, lean-tos, and cabins. 

Mount Ascutney’s first trail was cut in 1825, and it has served as inspiration for both the Long Trail and the Appalachian Trail. Mount Ascutney State Park wasn’t created until the 1930s, but it is among the oldest state parks in Vermont.