Location: Waterbury, Vermont, in Washington County
Description: The Mt. Mansfield State Forest is the largest state forest in Vermont and one of the most pristine. Within it is Little River State Park, on the shore of Waterbury Reservoir. There are 14 miles of forest trails open to equestrians. Due to the mountainous terrain, there are no loop trails, but it is such a beautiful area that an out-and-back ride is well worth it.
Trail map: For an interactive map that you can follow while riding, click this link to AllTrails.
Trails, terrain, and access:
There are two ways to access the trails – from Little River State Park, and from the Cotton Brook Rd. trailhead. You could park vehicles at each end and ride the whole trail from one end to the other, but it takes >30 minutes to drive between the sites, so this would be a time-consuming undertaking.
1. Trails accessed from Little River State Park, which is about 5 miles north of Waterbury Village, at the southern end of Waterbury Reservoir:
Dalley Loop trail: Starts from the History Hike/Dalley Loop parking area on Little River Rd. The trail starts out on an old dirt road and as it goes uphill becomes narrower and the footing becomes softer. For 130 years before the dam was built, the area was a farming community and you can see many old cellar holes and other evidence of European settlement. Although this trail is a loop for hikers, horses are only allowed on the first 3/4 of the loop going clockwise. When you get to Ricker Farm Trail, you can continue to ride along that trail, but horses are not permitted on the last part of Dalley Loop which connects back to the parking area. This is because the trail is very steep and rocky and is not suitable for horses. Mountain bikes are also prohibited from that section.
Ricker Farm Trail: This gorgeous trail connects the Dalley Loop Trail to the Cotton Brook Road trail. It winds its way through a mature forest where the floor is dappled with sunlight on a clear day. The footing is soft with some rocky areas.
Compartment 1 Trail: This trail begins on Little River Rd. just a bit west of the Dalley Loop parking area. We have not ridden this trail, so we cannot describe it, but the topo map indicates it has some steep grades. Note: the official State Park map is deceiving about where to start this trail. It actually starts in exactly the same place as Stevenson Brook Trail. The two trails fork off just 20 yards up the trail.
2. Trails accessed from the Cotton Brook trailhead, which is 11 miles north of Waterbury Village, at the northern end of Waterbury Reservoir. Take Rt. 100 N from Waterbury and turn left on Moscow Rd. south of Stowe.
Cotton Brook Road: Starts as a smooth gravel road (no cars) and becomes less like a road and more like a trail as you go, and eventually becomes single track and turns into the Ricker Farm Trail. The elevation gains are gradual.
You might know that there was a trail called Fosters (which still exists on many maps) that created a loop by connecting the two legs of Cotton Brook Rd. However, in 2019 a massive landslide obliterated Fosters Trail, so it had to be closed. The area is unstable and very dangerous, so do not even think about going there.
Trailer parking:
- Little River State Park: After passing the park entrance booth, turn left and drive 0.7 miles to the History Hike/Dalley Loop parking area. Although you could park a trailer in this lot, the entrance is narrow and steep, and turning around could be tricky. Instead, park on the right (south) side of the road in one of the pull-offs – either just before the parking lot entrance, or just after it. You have two choices for turning around. You can either pull into the dirt road on the left (north side of road) just past the kiosk and then back out to turn around, or you can continue along the park road to the end, where there is a small loop. Note: starting in early September every year this loop is closed to vehicular traffic, so be be prepared to turn your rig around at the Dalley Loop trailhead.
- Cotton Brook Rd. Trailhead: there is a large parking area on Cotton Brook Rd.
Restrictions and safety warnings:
- Other recreation includes hiking, mountain biking, and hunting.
- Please do not ride when conditions are very muddy.
Note: Trail and road conditions can change at any time. The actual conditions you encounter may differ from the information presented here. Horseback riding is inherently dangerous and you must employ independent judgement and use the information herein at your own risk. By accessing this site, you acknowledge and accept these limitations and agree to hold harmless Horse Trail Chicks, Monica Raymond, and Kerrie Garvey, from any liability, damages, injury, or death that result from using this information.
