Hinesburg Town Forest

Recreation elation

The Hinesburg Town Forest is Chittenden County’s largest and supports a range of human-powered recreational activities. Its vast, varied, and well-maintained trail network attracts plenty of hikers, bird watchers, dog walkers, trail runners, mountain bikers, hunters, and snowshoers.  

To each their zone

Town forests must meet the needs of many human visitors, from those who want more opportunities for recreation to those who wish to limit it. In the 2010s, based on the suggestion of the county forester, the Hinesburg Town Forest Committee adopted a “triad approach” to forest management to balance areas of heavy, medium, and light use. 

In recent years, they have added a fourth category of “reserve” zones, which have no trails or logging. The committee has also commissioned studies of how the forest is faring, paying attention to and learning about the balance between ecological health and wildlife habitat on the one hand and human use on the other—and how thoughtful forest management can support both.

Bikers built these trails

A local mountain biking group called the Fellowship of the Wheel deploys an expert trail crew and rallies hundreds of volunteers to steward the forest’s 18 miles of multi-use trails for sustainable human-powered recreation.

Most of the trails are considered advanced for mountain biking purposes, though there are a few options for beginners and intermediate riders. The forest also acts as a jumping off point to longer, more challenging routes north to Sleepy Hollow and south to the Carse Hills. 

Utterly gorge-ous

Explorers on the lookout for forest views can hit the Gorge Trail, a short stretch that connects the west end of the Economou Road extension near the west end of Bill’s Road, Homestead, and Blowdown. The trail crosses a stream gorge referred to by locals as the Grand Canyon of Hinesburg. The surrounding landscape, once cleared of most of its trees, now represents early-to-middle-aged forest.

At a higher elevation, Passing the Horizon is considered to be an easy two-mile trail route that leads to a lovely view of forested hills and the Champlain Valley. For those looking to get off the beaten path, the 100-acre forest reserve area leads to other spectacular winter vistas. Be sure to check the Town of Hinesburg website for current conditions and hunting ordinances.

The forest’s human history

The Hinesburg Town Forest has a storied history as one of the oldest and largest town forests in the state. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as an example of longstanding forest stewardship.

The town forest began in 1936 when the first 100 acres were given to the town. Over the years Hinesburg grew it to over 800 acres, piecing together several parcels. In 2022, VLT worked with Hinesburg’s Town Forest Committee, the Hinesburg Land Trust, and hundreds of residents to expand the existing forest and permanently protect the resulting block of 1,125 acres. 

Hinesburg’s hill farms

Much of the forest’s acreage was deeded to the town in the decades following the Great Depression, as farmers on the hilly terrain struggled to keep pace with a changing dairy industry and westward expansion.

Evidence of these “hill farms” can still be found in the forest, including cellar holes and wolf trees, especially along Homestead trail. 

A thoughtful approach to forest management

Hinesburg developed its first actionable forest management plan in 1978 to protect its long-term interests and the forest’s many values. An ‘ecological forestry’ approach guides decisions about what trees to harvest to foster old-growth conditions and support adaptation in a changing climate.

The resulting timber stays local, sold to lumberyards in the region. For example, several ash trees were harvested to forge the new wood floor for the town hall—an innovation that helped lower costs, while inviting more biodiversity into the forest and creating a place for young trees to grow unobstructed. 

Learning on the land

A related goal is to share best practices with other forest managers and the public in an open, inclusive way. In recent years, the forest has become the launchpad for dozens of public events about why and how the forest is managed.

Events have covered a wide range of topics, from managing forests for wildlife and bird habitat to adapting to climate change to protecting trees from threats like the Emerald Ash Borer and deer over–browse. 

Hunting as habitat management

The town forest committee encourages hunting to address forest health challenges from a growing deer population that over-browses the woods and stunts essential regrowth. It closes portions of the forest to non-hunting uses for varying periods during deer hunting seasons to manage ecological and safety concerns. 

Communities across Vermont are wrestling with increased pressures on their forests from climate change, invasive species, and loss of biodiversity. At the same time there is growing recognition of the importance of places for people to get out in nature and for sourcing our resources locally.