Mount Hunger + White Rock Mountain via Middlesex Trail

Mount Hunger and White Rock Mountain are two scenic peaks that offer excellent views of the Stowe valley, Mount Mansfield, Camel’s Hump, and many other surrounding peaks. The hike is a moderate 5.6 miles but offers scenic forests, great views, and some exposed rock slabs at the summits that make for a fun and interesting hike. Although Mount Hunger is a relatively popular hiking destination, most people hike up the western side, on the Waterbury Trail. Hiking the Middlesex Trail on the eastern side avoids some of the crowds and provides the option to loop over White Rock Mountain as well.

The hike begins at the parking lot on North Bear Swamp Road, a well-maintained dirt road. The parking lot itself is small, but there is parking along the road, although even this can fill up on very busy days. The start of the hike travels along old doubletrack carriage roads, which are mostly flat. After 0.8 miles, the trail veers left off of the road to stay on the Middlesex Trail. At 1.6 miles, the trail meets a junction with the White Rock Trail, which together with the Middlesex Trail forms a loop over White Rock Mountain and Mount Hunger. This loop can be done in either direction, but a few easy ladders and some easy rock scrambles on Mount Hunger make this loop easier to do counter-clockwise (Mount Hunger first), so the more difficult sections are on the ascent. For this direction, turn right at the junction to stay on the Middlesex Trail. When the trail starts climbing steeper it passes over a ladder and then, when approaching the alpine zone, over a few low-angle rock slabs that hikers must scramble up. At 2.5 miles the trail reaches the summit of Mount Hunger, with great views of the surrounding peaks, notably Camel’s Hump and Mount Mansfield.

To get to the White Rock Trail, descend for about 0.1 miles down the Waterbury Trail on the opposite side of the summit from the Middlesex Trail, then turn south on the White Rock Trail. After another 0.7 miles, White Rock Mountain’s summit is gained via a short out-and-back trail. White Rock Mountain offers comparable views to Mount Hunger but can be less crowded and has more interesting rock formations and open (flat) slabs.

The descent back to the parking lot is via the White Rock Trail to the junction (0.7 miles), then down 1.6 miles farther to the parking lot.