Restoration work will close trail sections and some parking areas in June, July and August
TRAIL INFORMATION LAST UPDATED: June 27, 2024
Public trails at Brewster Uplands in Cambridge are receiving a major lift this summer!
Upgrades on nearly two miles of trails will enhance accessibility for people of all ages and abilities. They will also improve stream health and clean water in the Brewster River watershed.
The seven miles of trails at Brewster Uplands are frequented by community members from the Cambridge and Jeffersonville area and visitors from further afield.
Trail work this summer is taking place on the Loggers’ Loop Trail network and the Pond Loop Trail. Two associated parking lots on Junction Hill Road and West Farm Road will also be affected. Work on both trail sections is being done by Rabbit Tracks Trail Works of Eden, and started in June.
Map of trail closures
Visitors are requested to stay clear of work areas and respect all trail and parking lot closures during construction.
“Brewster is a special place to so many in the community,” said VLT’s Annalise Carington. “We’ve worked closely with the Cambridge Trails Committee and other community members to develop these projects to make this popular trail system more welcoming and more sustainable. We’re grateful to all our partners and the local community for their ongoing support!”
Status of the Loggers’ Loop Trail network: Open to foot traffic
The trail opens July 1 to FOOT TRAFFIC ONLY as we allow the earthwork to settle. We will be monitoring conditions and will announce when bikes and horses are allowed back on the trail later in July.
The Loggers’ Loop Trail network (which includes the main trail and adjacent trails Junction Hill, Canyon Road, and the Old Carriage Road) and the Junction Hill Road parking lot were closed through most of June, but trail improvements are now complete.
Several lifted culverts were either reset or replaced with shallow ford crossings that allowed water to flow naturally across trails and forest roads. Visitors will recognize the feel of these shallow crossings from the recent work done to remove breached culverts on the nearby West Farm Trail. (The picture above is of a crew from the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps working on those improvements to the West Farm Trail in summer 2023.)
In addition, new water bars and grade reversals were installed to improve drainage and help mitigate erosion and muddy conditions. These upgrades will improve stream and wetland function and enhance flood resilience in the watershed.
Status of the Pond Loop Trail and upper parking lot on West Farm Road: Closed for two months
Work on the Pond Loop Trail has started, and the trail will be CLOSED to the public until work is complete in late August or early September. The upper parking lot on West Farm Road will be closed during construction to stage equipment and materials.
Now that the Loggers’ Loop work is complete, the crew from Rabbit Tracks Trail Works has transitioned to the Pond Loop Trail to work on accessibility upgrades for that trail, the pond overlook spur, and the upper parking lot on West Farm Road. This work started in the second half of June and should take about eight weeks to complete.
The entirety of the trail and the upper parking lot is closed during this period.
Trail upgrades will incorporate best practices for universal trail accessibility provided by the US Forest Service. The upper parking lot on West Farm Road will be improved to feature new ADA (American Disabilities Act)-compliant parking, better drainage and surfacing, and an improved driveway entrance.
“The benefits of time spent in nature are well known,” added Annalise, “and we want the lands that VLT owns and manages to be welcoming to everyone, regardless of age, ability or experience-level in the outdoors. The Pond Loop Trail was intentionally selected with input from the community as a great fit for accessibility upgrades with its gentle grade and open trail corridor.”
A more even, well-drained and stable trail surface allows for easier walking and unrestricted movement of mobility devices like wheelchairs, walkers, or other power-driven devices.
“In addition, trail bump-outs, benches, and an improved pond overlook area will provide more places to sit and rest along the way,” explained Annalise.
“My family, friends and I are very excited and thankful for all those involved in making these upcoming accessibility improvements possible,” said Berni Kuntzelmann of Cambridge. “This is a beautiful asset to our community and should be enjoyed by all, which these improvements will help to do. I look forward to exploring the new, improved Pond Loop Trail and parking lot in my mobility chair ASAP!”
Laird MacDowell of the Cambridge Trails Committee said: “The Committee applauds VLT for hiring Rabbit Tracks Trail Works to rebuild the one-mile-long Pond Loop Trail to be fully wheelchair-accessible, providing a rare flat, wooded trail for all users to complement the LVRT (Lamoille Valley Rail Trail) and Cambridge Greenway gravel trails. In addition, VLT will resolve a major issue with lifted culverts utilizing the same local contractor on the popular Loggers’ Loop trail, which will greatly improve the trail and make it more bicycle friendly.”
All other trails open throughout the summer
The other trails at Brewster Uplands will remain open throughout the summer including the West Farm Trail, the Brewster River Connector Trail, and the Alden Bryan Brewster River Trail. The Loggers Loop Trail network including the Junction Hill Trail, the Canyon Road Trail, and the Old Carriage Road Trail will reopen after work is complete in June.
The main lower parking lot on West Farm Road will remain open throughout the summer.
