Outdoors
by Elizabeth Bassett

May Grab Bag – Some Things Old, Some Things New

Neither too hot nor too cold, May blesses us with wildflowers, jumping fish and, if the breeze blows, not even a black fly. Birds court and sing with the dawn. Looking for excuses to get outdoors?
In recent years busy beavers have altered the landscape at the Green Mountain Audubon Center in Huntington. It’s possible to get close to these industrious rodents because Audubon uses beaver baffles to manage water levels. Otherwise, much of their lower trail network would be submerged. Nocturnal by nature, beavers gnaw down trees large and small to construct dams and lodges. With the summer solstice approaching, there are few dark hours with much work to be done. You are most likely to see beavers near dawn and dusk at this time of year.
Also at the Audubon Center the Sensory Trail, with 20 Braille and large-print signs for the blind and visually impaired, is roped for its entire 0.7-mile length. Visitors are encouraged to touch, unleashing the scent of basil, parsley, bee balm, marigold and chives. Thorny hawthorns, black locust, raspberry and blackberry aren’t as friendly to the fingers. The Sensory Trail climbs through woodlands and winds over a ridge above the rushing Huntington River below. For the sighted it’s a safe and fascinating way to glimpse the life of those who cannot see (greenmountainaudubon.org).
Just down Sherman Hollow Road is Birds of Vermont Museum, a treasure trove of hundreds of lifelike carvings of birds in their native habitats with nests and eggs. Trails link the two properties, although wind damage has made the passage a bit tricky this spring. Make a day of it (birdsofvermont.org)!
Wildflowers have been early this year, so if you still haven’t seen your fill, head for the hills. Two of my favorite locales for late spring wildflowers (because they are cool), Texas Falls and Leicester Hollow, are closed due to flood damage that happened in August 2008. Both are in the Green Mountain National Forest. Keep an eye on this site for current conditions (fs.fed.us/r9/forests/greenmountain/htm/greenmountain/g_conditions.html).
High-elevation hiking trails are closed until Memorial Day weekend. The State of Vermont closes all trails on state land, including those on Camel’s Hump and Mount Mansfield. Other places to avoid in this region include Lincoln Ridge (Mount Ellen to Appalachian Gap).
Suggestions for May walks include the logging roads in Cotton Brook (Moscow), Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail, Stowe Recreation Trail, Alburgh Recreation Trail, Causeway Park in Colchester and the Six Easy Walks of the Winooski Valley Trail District.
Colchester Pond is one of the Six Easy Walks, in the far northeastern reaches of town. If your only image of Colchester is Costco or boat-filled Malletts Bay, pack a lunch and visit this property. In recent years the trail has been extended, replacing an out-and-back route with a route that encircles the pond. The 2.5-mile walk crosses fields and meadows and climbs into wooded ridges that are home to bobcat. You’ll find the map for this and other Winooski Valley Park District walks at wvpd.org.
You could also spend the better part of a day walking at and between the properties of the Ethan Allen Homestead (WVPD) and the Intervale Center. Both nestle along the meanders of the Winooski River in Burlington where fertile soil deposited over the millennia support rich farmland and vegetation. Intervale Center is host to a number of organic farms and expansive community gardens. There are canoe put-ins on both properties. From the Ethan Allen Homestead it is more than five miles to the mouth of the Winooski River at Lake Champlain. Because you will be paddling with the current, consider a car shuttle if you are not strong enough to return upstream.
Vermont State Parks open in late May for the season. The parks receive no state funding for operations and thus rely on fees paid by day users and campers. For 2009, visitors 14 years and older pay $3, children ages 4-13 pay $2, and children three and younger are admitted free. A vehicle pass (for all occupants) is $80 for the season; an individual pass is $25. A 10-visit punch card that can be used by more than one person is $20.
Niquette Bay is a new state park. Located on the north shore of Malletts Bay (take Raymond Road off Route 2), its miles of trails are mapped, there is a crescent of beach and several viewpoints for observing waterfowl. The Allen and Ledges Trails have lovely wildflowers, although the greatest show was in late April this year.
If you’re just getting in gear for biking, head to the Champlain Islands. Unless the wind is very strong, the flat terrain of the islands makes it easy to get the legs pedaling for the first time. If you stay off of Route 2, any route you choose will be flat and have minimal traffic. The “Local Motion Trail Finder” is a terrific resource for biking, hiking and walking routes, but it does not yet inventory the routes in Grand Isle County. Consult it for other ideas: localmotion.org/trails/
No excuses. Get outdoors!