Exploring Stowe, Vermont: Sunset Rock Trail

  Continuing my series during the Covid 19 pandemic semi-lockdown, today Catalina and I explored the nearby trail to Sunset Rock, here in Stowe. Even though she is getting to be a much better hiker, I still carried her in the hiking backpack for about 4/5 of the time. She is rocking her new trail runners and as you can see by her outfit, the weather has turned cold. We woke up the temp in the upper forties today...and it is still August. It was quite refreshing though, as it means we can turned on the fire here at the Stowe treehouse and sip coffee in front of the heat producing flames. We'll see how it is when the temperature goes negative, but this is quite doable, and just downright pleasant.

   To get to this trail we had to park right in the middle of the 'downtown' old town part of Stowe. The buildings actually butt right up to the base of the mountain where this trail starts. Cute little inns and b&bs dot the side road, while the church bells of the main chapel in Stowe keep all informed of what time it is.

  The trail is well maintained and rises steeply for about 100ft in eleveation before you get to sunset rock. This was a well known spot for locals to go to even before the Stowe Land Trust aquired this land back in 1999. There is an interesting kettle hole just beyond the sunset rock, which was formed back when glaciers were melting all around and carving out the landscape. The trail heads up from here another quarter mile to a higher overlook and popular picnic spot. It seemed to me that the trees in this area have grown enough were the overlooks didn't look much different than the rest of the trail. In fact, the two of continued on for another mile or so down some side trail because we though we hadn't gotten to the overlook yet.

  It was a lovely hike in the woods, complete with a magical deer encounter and a tree rope swing out in the middle of nowhere. The sounds of town were never totally out of earshot but we got that great feeling that you can only get when you are surrounded by nature.

 Another Stowe hit.