Tim's Treks
Elmore Mountain Loop
General Details
Drive Time: 22 minutes
Hike Time:~ 2 hours
Length: 3.7 miles
Loop: Yes
Looping Trails:
Fire Tower Trail- 1.5 miles (one way)
Ridge Trail- 2.2 miles (one way)
Lunch: Fire Tower Pizza in Elmore
Parking: space for about 20 cars
Dog Friendly: Yes
Terrain: Mountain Trail
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Elmore State Park
Fee: $4 per adult
Trail Destination: Fire Tower at summit
Restrooms: 1 composting outhouse at parking area
Elevation: 2,608 feet
Directions:
From Morristown Corners Rd
Turn Left onto VT-100N
Turn Right onto Historic Vt-100
Keep Right onto Upper Main St
Continue onto VT-12 S/Elmore Rd
State Park will be on the Right
External Links: https://vtstateparks.com/elmore.html
Hike Time:~ 2 hours
Length: 3.7 miles
Loop: Yes
Looping Trails:
Fire Tower Trail- 1.5 miles (one way)
Ridge Trail- 2.2 miles (one way)
Lunch: Fire Tower Pizza in Elmore
Parking: space for about 20 cars
Dog Friendly: Yes
Terrain: Mountain Trail
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Elmore State Park
Fee: $4 per adult
Trail Destination: Fire Tower at summit
Restrooms: 1 composting outhouse at parking area
Elevation: 2,608 feet
Directions:
From Morristown Corners Rd
Turn Left onto VT-100N
Turn Right onto Historic Vt-100
Keep Right onto Upper Main St
Continue onto VT-12 S/Elmore Rd
State Park will be on the Right
External Links: https://vtstateparks.com/elmore.html
The Story….
You can't talk about hiking in Vermont and not mention the mountains… It's not called the Green Mountain State because of its flat lands. This does make rating the trail troublesome, as a hike such as Elmore’s loop falls into an easy/moderate hike but since it requires going up a mountain, you still encounter difficult terrain. So compared to flat/hill trails Elmore can fall into a higher difficulty.
For those not familiar with mountain hikes, it is important to know that uphill travel takes more time and energy compared to flat trails of equal length. Keep that in mind when you are planning your hike and be sure to bring plenty of water.
While I personally am not a fan of hiking poles, I do know they help and could be useful on this hike. Both Chuck and Christine use poles on their hikes and feel they are especially useful when descending or hiking over uneven terrain. Most hiking backpacks will have exterior straps that can hold hiking poles when you are not using them to keep your hands free.
A universal feature for mountain trails is a steep peak resulting in scrambling or rapid elevation gain over a short distance. While Elmore Mountain Trail is dog friendly, some mountains will inherently be difficult for even the most athletic of dogs because of the vertical or rocky terrain.
My Hike: The loop is split into two named trails. The shorter one is the Fire Tower Trail and the longer one is the Ridge Trail. While you can go either direction I started on the Ridge Trail for my assent. Overall the Trek up was pleasant with only two or three parts that I would consider steep. A good thing to note is that these steep segments have been outfitted with wood or stone steps by the maintenance crews reducing the difficulty.
The maintenance crews do a wonderful job at keeping the trail accessible and clear of debris. Despite this, there are a few locations that I had to stop to figure out where the trail continued. Thankfully, I was able to find the correct direction easily. The blue painted markers could use a repaint so keep your head up and eyes focused on the path. I mainly stopped because the trail direction could go one of two ways, mainly because (this is speculation) enough people have veered slightly off trail, forming a false path. Thankfully, the false trail reconnected quickly with the real trail.
Views: you are not going to get many views until reaching the Fire Tower. Even the summit of the Mountain is covered with obstructing trees. On the Ridge Trail there is an overlook rock near the top that looks down onto Lake Elmore. So for people that are afraid of heights this might not be a good trek for you as the main feature of the trip is the fire tower that looms overhead. For those that have their nerves in check, the Tower is highly worth climbing as it reveals a splendid green landscape, glimmering Lake Elmore and Morrisville itself.
Decent: Taking the Fire Tower Trail down, I encountered the steepest section of the hike. Shallow cuts were chiseled into stone creating foot holes. Some dogs might have a hard time here so be ready to provide assistance. (Others might make it look easy and run it a few times as they wait for you). After clearing the summit the path maintains a gradual downward descent. This portion of the Loop was much easier to follow as I did not need to stop to locate the correct path.
Overall, if you are curious about hiking a mountain, the Elmore Mountain hike is a good entry level mountain trek. It has the terrain and elevation gain that makes mountain hiking a worthwhile challenge but it does not punish you. (Spoiler, I have a future Trek in mind that will push most people to their limits). An added bonus is that the trail is surrounded by trees so you find yourself out of the sun for the entirety of the journey. If you take proper rests, stay hydrated and have some “on the go” snacks, this is an enjoyable hike.
Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed!
For those not familiar with mountain hikes, it is important to know that uphill travel takes more time and energy compared to flat trails of equal length. Keep that in mind when you are planning your hike and be sure to bring plenty of water.
While I personally am not a fan of hiking poles, I do know they help and could be useful on this hike. Both Chuck and Christine use poles on their hikes and feel they are especially useful when descending or hiking over uneven terrain. Most hiking backpacks will have exterior straps that can hold hiking poles when you are not using them to keep your hands free.
A universal feature for mountain trails is a steep peak resulting in scrambling or rapid elevation gain over a short distance. While Elmore Mountain Trail is dog friendly, some mountains will inherently be difficult for even the most athletic of dogs because of the vertical or rocky terrain.
My Hike: The loop is split into two named trails. The shorter one is the Fire Tower Trail and the longer one is the Ridge Trail. While you can go either direction I started on the Ridge Trail for my assent. Overall the Trek up was pleasant with only two or three parts that I would consider steep. A good thing to note is that these steep segments have been outfitted with wood or stone steps by the maintenance crews reducing the difficulty.
The maintenance crews do a wonderful job at keeping the trail accessible and clear of debris. Despite this, there are a few locations that I had to stop to figure out where the trail continued. Thankfully, I was able to find the correct direction easily. The blue painted markers could use a repaint so keep your head up and eyes focused on the path. I mainly stopped because the trail direction could go one of two ways, mainly because (this is speculation) enough people have veered slightly off trail, forming a false path. Thankfully, the false trail reconnected quickly with the real trail.
Views: you are not going to get many views until reaching the Fire Tower. Even the summit of the Mountain is covered with obstructing trees. On the Ridge Trail there is an overlook rock near the top that looks down onto Lake Elmore. So for people that are afraid of heights this might not be a good trek for you as the main feature of the trip is the fire tower that looms overhead. For those that have their nerves in check, the Tower is highly worth climbing as it reveals a splendid green landscape, glimmering Lake Elmore and Morrisville itself.
Decent: Taking the Fire Tower Trail down, I encountered the steepest section of the hike. Shallow cuts were chiseled into stone creating foot holes. Some dogs might have a hard time here so be ready to provide assistance. (Others might make it look easy and run it a few times as they wait for you). After clearing the summit the path maintains a gradual downward descent. This portion of the Loop was much easier to follow as I did not need to stop to locate the correct path.
Overall, if you are curious about hiking a mountain, the Elmore Mountain hike is a good entry level mountain trek. It has the terrain and elevation gain that makes mountain hiking a worthwhile challenge but it does not punish you. (Spoiler, I have a future Trek in mind that will push most people to their limits). An added bonus is that the trail is surrounded by trees so you find yourself out of the sun for the entirety of the journey. If you take proper rests, stay hydrated and have some “on the go” snacks, this is an enjoyable hike.
Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed!
Wash off that sweat: The State park has a sandy beach for swimming in Lake Elmore. For those looking to fill the day, an early morning hike followed by a noon time swim might just be what you are looking for so it might not hurt to pack your swim suits.