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Ascutney State Park |
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 Ascutney
State Park
1826 Back Mountain Road
Windsor, Vermont 05089Park Phone: 802-674-2060
In 1935, the state of Vermont, with federal public works funds, purchased a
560-acre parcel from Weston Heights, Inc., and a 640-acre parcel from E.J. York.
In 1938, an additional 300 acres were purchased from the Bicknell estate. This
1500-acre tract was the original area in which Civilian Conservation Corps
(CCC), Work Group SPI began the development of Ascutney State Park in 1935.
Subsequent land acquisitions have brought the total to about 2000 acres.
The original park, being the summit road, the stone toilet buildings, campsites
1 to 18, and the ranger's quarters had all been completed by 1939 when the CCC
camp moved to Okemo. The stonework is all of Ascutney granite. The ranger's
quarters and entrance are at an elevation of 550 feet. The summit road winds a
steep path through mixed hardwoods to a parking lot at an elevation of 2,800
feet in a saddle between the south peak and summit. A 0.8 mile foot trail takes
you the additional 344 vertical feet to the summit.
Excellent viewing is offered from points along the summit road and trail. The
original fire tower with the cabin removed has been relocated for excellent
views in all directions. Another excellent view is found at Brownsville Rock,
1/4 mile by trail northwest of the summit. This is also the hang gliding launch
site.
The park has 39 wooded tent/trailer sites and 10 lean-to sites that are arranged
within two camp loops. Each loop has a rest room providing modern plumbing and
hot showers ($). There is a sanitary dump station for RV's, but no hookups.
There is a small picnic area at the foot of the summit, and a picnic area and
shelter part way up the summit road.
Area Attractions: A visit to Windsor to view the birthplace of Vermont, the Old
Constitution House - State Craft Center, and the American Precision Museum.
Other attractions include VINS Nature Center, Quechee, Sugarbush Farm Cheese &
Maple Farm, Woodstock, Saint Gaudens National Park, Cornish, NH; Old Fort #4,
Charleston, NH; Ruggles Mine, Grafton, NH. |
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