Green Mountain Club

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Waterbury Center, VT
Green Mountain Club

Founders and maintainers of the Long Trail. 10,000 Member, 1,000 Volunteer Non-Profit Founded in 1910

The Green Mountain Club exists thanks to folks who take the extra step to support the club through membership dues, donations, and volunteer time. The club relies on 1,000 dedicated volunteers every year, in additional to great seasonal trail crews and caretakers, to keep Vermont's hiking trails healthy and free to all.

06/14/2026

Up on the Long Trail’s highest summits and ridgelines, we do what’s called the "Rock Walk." Help protect Vermont’s rare alpine plants by staying on the marked trail and durable rock surfaces, avoiding stepping on the fragile vegetation.

Mount Mansfield, Camel's Hump, and Mount Abe are home to limited acreage of rare alpine plants. These plants, similar to those found in the Arctic tundra, are specially adapted to survive in harsh alpine environments but are still vulnerable to human and dog footprints which can kill them.

GMC caretakers use white string to delineate the trail in the alpine zone and help guide hikers where to step. Keep an eye out for string, blazes, and to step from rock to rock - many alpine plants look similar to ordinary grass!

Here's how you can help protect Vermont’s rare alpine plants:
- Avoid stepping off the trail and on any vegetation
- Do your best to step only on durable rock surfaces
- Stay within the areas delineated by white string when hiking on alpine ridgelines and summits
- Leash dogs in alpine zones

06/12/2026

Summer hiking conditions are here – meaning heat, humidity, and rain are in the forecast.

The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for western Vermont from noon to 8 p.m. Friday, warning of high temperatures and humidity that can lead to heat-related illness, and a hazardous weather outlook for much of the state.

Less extreme conditions are in the forecast for the rest of the weekend. Evening rain showers are expected Friday and Sunday evening, but daytime temperatures will reach the high 70s with less humidity.

As we continue to adjust to summer hiking season conditions, remember that your safety and wellbeing are the most important part of getting outdoors. Hikers are encouraged to choose hikes during the coolest hours of the day, watch exertion levels and be conscious of their limits, and remember that saving the hike for another day is always okay. On any hike but especially on hot days, make sure you check the weather before, during, and after the hike, stay well-hydrated, pack extra snacks, and carry the Ten Essentials!

06/08/2026

Early hiking season also happens to be black fly season. Black flies are most active from mid-May through late June or early July, causing annoyance and discomfort for hikers with their swarming and bites. Check out and share these tips for avoiding or minimizing black fly bites this summer!

06/06/2026

Happy National Trails Day! GMC has lots to celebrate today with over 500 miles of trails maintained by the club throughout the state. Since building the Long Trail over 100 years ago, GMC has continued to try to make the Green Mountains play a larger role in the lives of Vermonters and visitors, doing work to care for the trails and fostering a vibrant hiking community.

Our network of dedicated volunteers, members, donors, and hikers like you are what help us keep Vermont’s hiking trails well-maintained and protected for future hikers. That’s worth celebrating too!

Take a peek into some of the work GMC volunteers conducted this spring and into the start of hiking season. Volunteers from GMC’s 14 sections hosted dozens of weekend work days to clear blowdowns, clean out waterbars, and brush back overgrown vegetation to get the Long Trail ready for this hiking season!

06/05/2026

Tomorrow, June 6, is National Trails Day! Looking for a way to celebrate the Long Trail and Vermont’s other hiking trails? Check out one of these GMC hikes, work days, or outings:

Join a family-friendly Guided Hike and Storytime at the GMC Visitor Center and Short Trail! Meet at the GMC Visitor Center at 10:30 a.m. to start with an outdoor-themed story time. Then, take a guided hike on the Short Trail, an easy and interactive 0.7-mile loop on the GMC campus starting from the Visitor Center.

Give back to the trails on a volunteer trail work day! Remove blowdowns, clear drainage structures, and trim back brush with the Bread Loaf Section on the Long Trail near Hancock, with the Killlington Section on the Long Trail near Killington, and the Northeast Kingdom Section at the Silvio O Conte Wildlife Refuge. RSVP encouraged, no experience required!

Find more event details and RSVP information for each of these outings on GMC’s Calendar of Events and Outings.

06/03/2026

Recently, GMC partnered with an exchange group with PH International to do some work on the Long Trail! This was GMC’s third year partnering with PH International, an organization based in Waitsfield that fosters civic engagement, cross-cultural learning, and increased opportunities through global exchange and online programs. The 34-person group, of mostly 16-18 year old program participants from the Philippines and Pacific Islands, carried in most of the lumber to be used in work on the Clara Bow Trail bridge later this season.

"We've been working with the Green Mountain Club for a few years now. Every exchange group has shared similar feedback: our trail work days with the GMC are the most demanding, yet rewarding activities they do during the program. Learning about the history and mission of the GMC really brings the lesson of the trail work home. Many participants develop community impact projects when they return home that are directly inspired by our session with the GMC. And the conversations about hiking, land preservation, and local flora and fauna are always interesting and relevant. Thank you for being a great partner!" Drew Diemar, PH International's International Exchange Program Manager shares of the two organizations’ partnership.

“It's special to introduce them on their first trip to America and Vermont with a trip to the Long Trail. They ask engaged questions about the successes and challenges of managing the Long Trail and they're hard workers.” Lorne Currier, Volunteer and Education Coordinator, said of his experiences leading work days with the group.

06/02/2026

Don't forget to check for ticks!

As milder winters have become more frequent, tick populations and their range in the eastern U.S. have steadily increased, becoming a regular although unfavorable part of recreating outdoors. But it’s no reason to avoid getting outside. Brush up on your tick ID, learn about tick prevention from resources like TickEncounter and Tickcheck.com, and know what to do if you pick up these unwanted hitchhikers and need to remove them or test for Lyme disease.

Check out and share this post for a few tick tips!

05/30/2026

Build your summer hiking bucket list with GMC! Whether exploring close to home or visiting the Green Mountains from farther away, find inspiration for your hiking season and build your bucket list of trails to enjoy. Explore hike recommendation lists by difficulty, region, hike feature, and more!

- Explore recommended day hikes around the state

- New to backpacking? Spend a night on trail on a beginner overnight route

- Get outdoors with the whole family on a kid-friendly hike

- Hike the VT5, Vermont's five 4,000-foot peaks

- Explore more of the Long Trail's side trails with the Side-to-Side Challenge
Refresh your trip planning knowledge and hike safe!

Visit www.greenmountainclub.org/hiking/hiking-recommendations/ or contact the Visitor Center to find your next bucket list hike!

📷 Blue blazes up the Hell Brook Trail on Mount Mansfield, by Chris Wasser

05/29/2026

Join a family-friendly hike for National Trails Day on Saturday, June 6 with the Green Mountain Club!

Meet at the GMC Visitor Center at 10:30 a.m. to start with an outdoor-themed story time. We'll read "Hike," by Pete Oswald to celebrate the trails. Then, take a guided hike on the Short Trail, an easy and interactive 0.7-mile loop on the GMC campus starting from the Visitor Center.

Open to hikers of all ages and experiences! Pre-registration is encouraged:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/greenmountainclub/2115811

05/27/2026

Your hike begins before your even step foot on trail! A fun, successful, and safe hike starts with proper planning and preparation. GMC's visitor center has created a Day Hiking Gear Checklist to help you do the prep!

Download a copy of the Day Hiking Gear Checklist at the link in our stories and bio!

Address

4711 Waterbury-Stowe Road
Waterbury Center, VT
05677

Telephone

+18022447037

Website

http://www.greenmountainclub.org/

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