Trail name(s)
Barnes Camp Wetland Walk Trail, Barnes Camp Loop Trail, Long Trail South
Location
Barnes Camp Visitor Center, Route 108, Stowe VT
Permitted uses
Hiking, Nature Study
Prohibited uses
No camping, No fires
Hours
Dawn to Dusk. The road to Smuggler’s Notch is closed during the winter season.
Fees and Parking
There is no fee to park or to use the trails. Parking at the Barnes Camp Visitor Center is limited to 30 minutes. For those planning on staying longer than 30 minutes, parking is available across the street at the base of the Stowe Mountain Resort. There is plenty of parking available across the street in two enormous parking areas. There is a pathway that leads from the parking area closest to the Visitor Center, across the street to the Base Camp Visitor Center.
Pets
Dogs are allowed on the trail and are asked to be kept on a leash.
Accessibility
There is a section of boardwalk that is wheelchair accessible. The Base Camp Loop Trail and Long Trail are not wheelchair accessible.
Hiker amenities
When the Barnes Camp Visitor Center is open, there are bathrooms available. There is an information kiosk at the Center and there is a posted map. There is also a QR code posted that gives hikers a description of the hikes. There is also a written description posted at the kiosk in both English and French. There are two additional information kiosks: one at the start of the Boardwalk that had Long Trail South on it, and the second, on the opposite area nearer to the Barnes Camp Visitor Center, that had Long Trail North.
Length and Trail information
This hike was done as a Loop Hike and was approximately 1.4 miles long. The hike is described as easy/moderate. The easy part of the hike is found along the 600 foot long, 5 foot wide, boardwalk and at the start of the hike and a short distance into the woods before any water crossings. After the water crossings the hike is more moderate than easy. Hikers are warned via a post at the kiosks,that this area has live rock slides and visitors should use caution while hiking.
We chose to start our hike at the Long Trail South kiosk adjacent to the Boardwalk, but because this is a loop hike, it can be done in either direction.
The boardwalk is universally accessible and leads visitors along Notch Brook wetland area to a viewing platform that overlooks a beaver pond and Smuggler’s Notch in the distance. There are education plaques installed along the walkway and at the viewing platform for those interested in learning more about the area and its history. This boardwalk offers a great opportunity to view wildlife because you are literally surrounded by the wetland.
Exiting the boardwalk, hikers enter a mixed forest with the typical woodland substrate of roots and rock along a narrow path. The trail is easy to follow and is marked by blue trail blazes and engraved wooden signs. There were two stream crossings during our hike. The first one we encountered included a descent down a steep staircase with no handrails. Please use caution as the steps can be wet and slippery, as is the crossing of the stream over partial submerged wet rocks. The next crossing was over stones that were also partially submerged. No doubt this is a very wet area after spring rains or summer showers. Again,use caution when traversing over partially submerged rocks. We found that after the second water crossing, there was a steady ascent and the hiking became more strenuous. It is a short hike, but there is also a 400 foot elevation change. Once on the Long Trail, the trail blaze changes to white.
We thoroughly enjoyed the hike, listening to birdsong and searching for fungi. It’s a surprisingly good workout in a short distance and would recommend it for the beauty of the area, especially during the fall foliage season.
