Futures Trail Head - Ascutney State Park - Windsor, VT
Posted by: 
NorStar
N 43° 26.088 W 072° 24.453
18T E 709814 N 4812365
The Futures Trail - the longest trail up Mt. Ascutney, starts in the campground and ends at the Windsor Trail, which takes you the rest of the way to the summit.
Waymark Code: WMRY7B
Location: Vermont, United States
Date Posted: 08/21/2016
Views: 1
In Windsor, within the Ascutney State Park campground, is this trail head for the Futures Trail that ascends the mountain to near its summit.
To get to the trail head, from I-93, take the exit for Vermont Route 131/US Route 5. Go east on Route 131 to US 5, turn north and travel on US 5 to a split in the road with Vermont Route 44A. Bear left onto Route 44A and drive on that road to the entrance on the left. After checking in with the ranger station (and paying a small fee), park at the designated spot and walk to the trail head - check with the map. Also, you can drive halfway up the autoroad to a parking lot about halfway up and join the trail there (missing this trail head). The trail starts at 550 ft in elevation, while the end is at about 3000 ft high.
The trail is about 4.6 miles, one way (making it about 9.2 miles, round trip from this trail head). The trail starts at the edge of a campground in mixed woods. The trail then switches back and forth up a steep slope going through various woods including a hemlock grove. About a mile in there is an opening where you can look from a rock outcrop to a view south east. The path continues up, going through mixed, birch, and beech woods to the parking lot at the autoroad about half way up. The trail meanders up the hill then crosses the road. Soon after is a trail spur to the remains of a steam donkey - effectivily a boiler that was used in pulling lumber. The trail continues to a junction with Futures Link - a short trail where you could get to the summit a little quicker. Continuing on, the trail continues up the hill and finally joins with the Windsor Trail on the north east side of the mountain. Windsor trail continues to the north east end of the summit ridge. The going is at time steep, but you don't quite need your hands to go up. The trail is marked with blue rectangles.
Ascutney State Park is open about May 20 to October 16. The hours are from 10 am to sunset.
Trailhead/trail website: [Web Link]
Trail allowances or restrictions:
Foot traffic only.
Trail type: Dirt
Parking: Not Listed
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