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Long Trail

Boardwalk at Griffith Lake
Boardwalk at Griffith Lake

I am a Long Trail Mentor for the Green Mountain Club and am happy to give you advice about how to hike the Long Trail or what to expect. Thru-hiking or section hiking the Long Trail is a life-changing experience.

Overview and How To

My Long Trail Journal

  1. Long Trail Southern Terminus to Rt 9. Northbound: October 11-12, 2008. Solo.
  2. Rt 9 to Rt 11/30. Northbound:  May 23-26, 2008, NY/NJ AMC Trip.
  3. Clarendon Gorge to Rt. 11/30. Southbound, June 6-7, 2008, Solo.
  4. Clarendon Gorge to Middlebury Gap: Northbound, June 26-29, 2008, Solo.
  5. Middlebury Gap to Appalachian Gap: Northbound, July 18-20, 2008, Solo.
  6. Jonesville to Appalachian Gap: Southbound, August 1-2, 2008, Solo.
  7. Jonesville to Johnson, Northbound, August 22-24, 2008, Solo.
  8. Journey’s End to Johnson: Southbound: September 11-14, 2008, Solo.

Recommended Guides and Maps

Long Trail Planning Resources

SectionHiker Gear Lists

Health Advice

Long Trail History

22 comments

  1. Hi!
    I’m hoping to hike from Mt Mansfield to camels hump this summer. Can you steer me towards a good map that will help me know the distance and how long it might take me?
    Thank you,
    Denise

  2. Good morning,
    If you had just 7 days to hike, which portion of the long trail would you choose?

  3. Hello Philip!

    I am planning to section much of the LT this summer in preparation for anther hike in CA this September. I live and work in Burlington and will be hiking pretty much every weekend.

    I’ve already done the AT section and so will be focusing on the northern part of the trail.

    Before I spend hours pouring over my guidebook, do you have any resources about weekend hiking?

    Thank you!
    Myla

  4. Phillip,

    We are section hiking the Long Trail. We want to do Brandon Gap to Appalachian Gap parking lot this July, 2019. We are having so much trouble finding someone to pick us up at Appalachian Gap and take us back down to Inn at Long Trail where we are going to stay after. We are coming from New Jersey and have decided we will just have to drive 61/2 hours with two cars. Everywhere we call on GMC list is either disconnected or out of business. Is there an actual lot to park a car at Appalachian Gap? We would be leaving it there for 5 days. Any ideas would be appreciated. We used to have a pickup guy but its been two years since we used him and he hasnt responded.

  5. Hi Philip –
    Our 17-year old daughter is an experienced hiker, but has always hiked with at least one friend.
    She wants to hike one to two weeks of the Long Trail this summer.
    Is there a portion that would be safest, and have the most other hikers?
    Do you think we should tell her that she needs to find a friend to hike with?
    Will she find others on the trail that she will be able to hike with?

    • The southern section from North Adams up to where the AT turns east to NH. It will be crawling with people. This is the part that coincides with the AT. You know your daughter, I don’t. Hiking with someone else is a real pain in the ass though. Especially on a long distance trail.

  6. Is there a place to find errata from the Green Mountain Club publications? I’ve found a couple of things in the LT Guide (2017) that really don’t seem right, and I’m curious whether someone is keeping track of such things.

  7. A friend and I would like to do an overnight in a shelter on the LT. Ideally around the Breadloaf Wildnerness (for the beauty, maybe you know of an equally beautiful trail), ideally with a summit and view. Approx 5 up and 5 miles back, can do out and back or two cars. What would you recommend? Thank you Philip.

  8. Sounds god. Either way. Go for it.

  9. Normal time line for the full walk?

  10. Hello – I would like to get a Long Trail GPS file(s). I use GAIA app on my phone and have grown to rely on it. GMC recommends Avenza maps, but they are a total unknown to me and I would like to continue with the app I’ve trusted in prior hikes. Does anyone know where I could get a .GPX file for the Long Trail?

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