Tracy Woods

 
 

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The Tracy Woods have been an important place for the South Hero community for many years. Thanks to land conservation, these woods, fields and trails will remain open to the public for generations to come. The Tracy family has carefully stewarded the natural resources of their home in South Hero since 1841. They created a unique balance of well-managed forest, farm fields, and marshy shoreline habitat. In 2016, the family partnered with South Hero Land Trust and the Lake Champlain Land Trust to conserve their land and continue a tradition of community access. Thanks to support from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and our community, the woods were conserved with a permanent conservation easement by the partners in 2018.

Tracy Woods Property consists of 35 acres of managed woodland, 7 acres of active farm fields, and 450 feet of Lake Champlain shoreline. With mature woodlands sheltering spring wildflowers, songbirds, amphibians, and a multitude of other natural wonders, opportunities for discovery and learning at Tracy Woods are varied and many. In addition to being one of the larger contiguous woodlands left in South Hero, the land contains five distinct natural communities: Silver Maple-Green Ash Swamp, Limestone Bluff Cedar-Pine Forest, Dry Oak-Hickory-Hophornbeam Forest, and Lakeside Floodplain Forest.

Use: walking, running, snowshoeing, skiing.

Distance: approximately 1 mile

Terrain: easy

Hours: Dawn to dusk

Dog-Friendly: Dogs are welcome but must be leashed at all times. 

Bathrooms: There are no bathrooms on site. Nearest bathrooms are at the Jolly Gas Station on Route 2 in the South Hero Village. 

Parking: There is a flat gravel parking lot with space for about 6-8 cars. The entrance to the trail is marked with a kiosk and map box, located at the SE corner of the parking lot.

Terrain: The trail has a variety of grades, ranging from flat to gently sloping. There is one small section along the forest trail that has a moderate slope. The total elevation change is about 200 ft and the total out-and-back distance is about 1 mile. The trail is generally 4-6 ft wide. Surfaces include grass and packed dirt. 

Trail infrastructure includes puncheon-style wooden boardwalks, corduroy-style boardwalks, and sunken stumps. (include links to each of these as photos). Boardwalks and bridges can be slippery when wet, and the trail itself can be muddy, especially in the spring. 

Trail Description:

  • Field Section:

    • The first 800 ft of the trail consists of a gently upward sloping mown path along the edge of a farm field. There is a cedar split-rail fence separating the active ag areas from the trail. The elevation gain in this section is approximately 50 ft. 

  • Forest Viewpoint

    • The trail enters the woods, coming to a T intersection. Continue straight (north) about 600 ft along a wide, level spur trail to reach an out-and-back viewpoint looking east, with views of the Green Mountains. Elevation gain is approximately 25 ft, and the trail surface is packed dirt without any significant roots or rocks in the way.

  • Connector

    • If you take a left (West) at the T intersection, the path becomes narrower, leading uphill, with occasional roots and rocks along the way. There is one moderately steep hill right after the “T” intersection. After about 400 ft you come to a “Y” intersection. Elevation gain is 56 ft, and the surface is packed dirt, with a small corduroy boardwalk section. 

  • Loop Trail

    • Take a left or right at the “Y” leads you around the main trail loop. This section is about 0.6 miles long, ending back at the “Y”. The elevation is 57 ft and the trail surface is packed dirt as well as two sections with a combined 200 ft of travel across puncheon and corduroy boardwalks. There are roots and rocks along the way. 

    • About halfway along the main loop, you will see a sign for a “short loop” option. This cutoff loop shortens the overall distance of the loop by about 0.2 miles. The elevation of the short loop is roughly the same as the longer loop option. There are roots and rocks along the way. 


If you have any questions about accessibility or trail conditions, please email us at info@shlt.org. If you have any feedback about your trail experience, please let us know!