The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-01-15
GREEN MOUNTAIN
TRAIL COMING
THIS WAY
Continued from First Page

Access to the Long Trail is gained
mainly from the roads over the
mountain passes, which are all
crossed by the trail, and these are
approached from the towns on the
railroad. The people of a town may
use the Long Trail freely, but in it's
relation TO those who come from out.
side to use the trail, the town re-
mains only a port Of entry. Having
no trail attractions of it's own to OF.
fer, the visitor remains a bird of
passage and the town continues to
welcome the coming, and speed the
parting guest
Those who planned the Long Trail
foresaw that there must grow from
the Long Trail a number of loops
leading to points of interest. When
these loops became numerous, one
might travel the length of the trail,
then by using the loops in returning,
ind an entirely different trip. Then,
too, il seemed inevitable that in the
not distant future must come the
Great Loop, that is a parallel train
through the Taconic Range from Ben
nington TO Sudbury, connecting with
tho Long Trail via Brandon"
The solution of the difficulty con.
sists in increasing towns points
of contact with the Long Trail by a
loops or loops of trail BY touching
the Long Trail ten or twelve miles to
the north, and again an equal dis
lance to the south, the town secures
TWO short, and one long circular
trips, with three points OF contact
with the Long Trail. Bristol, Mid.
dlebury, Brandon and Rutland all
have exceptionally interesting coun-
Try in which to make such loops.
Manchester has practically ready
made system embracing Dorset and
Arlington. To quote again as to ul-
terror benefits to be derived.
Those who make the trip between
Camels Hump and Killington must
carry cooking kit, food and blank
cts, camping as they so. This exact
ly suits many who prefer to take
their outings in the rough. There
are, however, many others who en-
JOY the trail quite as well, yet VINO
prefer to eat at table and sleep at
an inn. There arises an opportunity
in meeting the preferences OF the
latter class of pedestrians by which
larger number may be attracted to
use the Long Trail. The interests
OF a town may also be served, and
the long delayed recognition Of Yer
mont as an ideal region for summer
recreation advanced"
With trail loops. those who do not
care to camp on the trail come to the
towns, and such a system of trail in
vites lingering. region where the
mountains are easy of access also i'll
vites the family who come for a long
summer holiday
The Trails Of the BENNINGTON
Quadrangle
While other towns must build trail |
to reap the advantages OF being a
mountain center, Bennington already |
has trail in abundance, and needs
only the coming Of the Long Trail |
to give a larger interest and a coher-
ent purpose to this existing web of
trail. The topographic map (U. S.
ieol. Survey of the Bennington
covers a region Il "a
niles wide and II miles long. Pic.
ure rude diamond within this
with its opposite
POINTS at Glastonbury mountain and
he Massachusetts line. and at
ieartwellville and Bennington.
Practically within the outline of this
igure are to be found over so miles
II existing trail. OF this some will
'e better. and some will be worse,
mt as the map which indicates this
rail was made in 1896 the trail will
till be in evidence, as there is an |
Inherent persistency in a road or
rail once established which makes
endure through many decades of
OF these trails there are six which
lay be called main trunk trails.
hese fit directly into the Long
rail project and form loops to Ben. \
ington. OF the six trails. three are
eady for service. while the remain.
ig three need extensions to make a
lem effective. These trails can De {
ken up consecutlvely by numbers I
, advantage.
Trail No. Bloomington to STRAIT
IN Mountain. The route is out the
ID railroad line to Camp Comfort. e
here a secondary road beyond soon I
rms into trail. This trail follows a
, Bolles Brook almost to its head. r
alters along the southern slopes of {
lastenbury mountain. finally enter. o
Il Somerset In the south west y
'rner Of the town. The trail con r
nues 10 Somerset village. Is miles.
en BY road north. miles. where a a
all is found which continues north U
miles. then continues on a secon- a
Try road to the Arlington road near +
rouis Pond. From a point l l-2 I
lies east on the Arlington road. the s.
oss Trail, at present not completed o
cends 10 the summit of cfraffo- 4