Description
The East Branch Trail is a 5-mile ungroomed, backcountry pathway built on a former logging railroad bed in southern Vermont's Windham County. The remote, heavily wooded trail lies just north of the Searsburg Reservoir and Deerfield River in the Green Mountain National Forest, home to a variety of wildlife, including moose, coyote, black bear, deer and wild turkey. Note that there will be a few small stream crossings. At either end, you can connect to the Catamount Trail (Section 3), a 300-mile cross-country skiing route that spans the length of Vermont.
Parking and Trail Access
From Wilmington, travel approximately 5 miles west on Route 9 (Molly Stark Scenic Byway) to Somerset Road. Turn north onto Somerset (a dirt road) and travel about 2 miles to the East Branch Trailhead.