We had a hard time getting our act together this morning but finally ended up at The Bagel for breakfast (a NJ for Chris and a NY for me), then decided to hike up to Nebraska Notch.
Trout Lake (which is Private) – From the Trail
We used the book Day Hikes in Vermont for this one, and I have to say, I’m not thrilled with this book. I just find the information in it sketchy and/or inaccurate. A couple of examples from this hike:
1. It tells you to drive to the parking lot by the Trout Club. What it doesn’t tell you, is as you’re going along the road you’ll see a sign in front of you that says Private Property Trout Club and another that points to public long term parking on your right (in an open field just to the left after you make the right). Well, don’t park there. That’s for people hiking the long trail (i.e., gone over night). Yes, there’s a trailhead there (but no sign-in sheet) and you can follow a trail that goes through the woods (which we did), but it goes through the woods at the edge, about five feet from the road and I felt totally silly walking along there as two woman, walking on the road, passed us.
Instead, stay straight on the road until you actually see the Trout Club, which is private property, straight ahead. There will be a lot to your right and the trailhead with the sign in sheet.
2. The other piece of missing information, they don’t often tell you what color blaze sign to look for. Given many of these trails are marked for snow shoeing, hiking, cross country skiing, with different blazes, it would be helpful to know the color. By the way, for Nebraska Notch, use the blue signs.
Once we got to the actual start (and signed in) the trail veered from civilization and started to climb into the woods. It was a nice walk (except for the tons of bugs – felt like I was getting dive bombed for a good chunk of it as we forgot our Deep Woods Off) and not too strenuous (in comparison to Sunday’s hike). Climbing up mostly stone steps, through shaded woods, where you pass a waterfalls at one point.
Falls in the Woods towards Nebraska Notch
Actually, once you climb up and above the falls you’re not far from the valley (which we thought was the actual notch but Chris insists it was somewhere else). You take a path, still in the shade, that skirts the open meadow, where there’s a lake filled with beaver damns.
It’s also kind of cool because the valley is walled in all around by the sides of the mountain.
From the valley, it’s another very short climb to Taylor Lodge and the intersection with the Long trail. Taylor Lodge is really nothing more than a shack used for shelter by those people hiking Vermont’s Long Trail.
Taylor Lodge Sign
View From Taylor Lodge atop Nebraska Notch
The climb down was way quicker than the climb up (and we opted for the last distance on the road rather than that silly trail). During the entire hike, we saw two other couples hiking (one while we were heading up, they were coming down, the other vice versa, and one trail runner – give that boy credit).
This was a really good hike – not too hard but enough to leave you feeling like you accomplished something.
Are you in Nebraska now?? 🙂 just kidding. I know what you mean about hiking. I love climbing towers, the more stairs the better for the thrill of getting to the top and then the reward of the scenery. I do hope you are in Hawaii when I am here so I can take you on a good hike.