The Belvidere Fire Tower is a distinctive landmark on the northern half of Vermont’s Long Trail, with commanding views of the Green Mountains to the north and south, including Jay Peak and Camels Hump. An inactive asbestos strip mine lies at the southwest base of the mountain with towering piles of tailings which could be called mountains in their own right. Most people don’t see them when they climb the fire tower from the south, but they’re hard to miss if you approach Belvidere Mountain from the west on the side trails leading to the Long Trail.
This summer, I’ve been hiking off the beaten path, working on the Green Mountain Club’s Long Trail side-to-side trail list, which traces all the side trails (blue-blazed trails) that lead to the Long Trail from the east and west. It’s a marvelous way to visit all the small towns that run from south to north on the west and east sides of the Long Trail to get to know the state and its different regions. I’m contemplating a move from New Hampshire to Vermont so I can be closer to trails I haven’t hiked or backpacked before since I’ve hiked the White Mountain Trail system in New Hampshire and Western Maine to death. Having completed two White Mountain Guide Redlines and the 4000 footer Grid, I am hankering to explore new terrain in Vermont in the nearby Adirondacks.
Exploring Vermont this way has been thrilling, rekindling the joy I feel when driving down unmarked dirt roads in the middle of nowhere to hike on new trails to new destinations. Vermont has also grown on me with its unique combination of down-home earthiness and sociopolitical sophistication. The state’s mantra is Freedom and Unity, emphasizing camaraderie, coexistence, and joint action even when people disagree. Residents are extremely active at the local level, participating in town and state government and involved in a wide range of community activities to guide and own outcomes. After living in states where people feel entitled but aren’t willing to roll up their shirt sleeves to pitch in, it’s a breath of fresh air.
With my Delorme Road Atlas open on the seat next to me and two GPS apps on my phone, I found the Tilliston Rd trailhead to for the Frank Post and Forrester Trails on the east side of the Long Trail. My plan was to hike a loop, following the Frank Post Trail to Tilliston Camp on the Long Trail, then hiking south on the Long trail to the Belvidere Tower Spur and climbing up to it for lunch, then looping back to the trailhead via the Forrester’s Trail.
Finding these trailheads is a grand adventure in and of itself since the roads leading to them are seldom signed or paved. Cell service is spotty in rural Vermont, with Google Maps going offline at inopportune moments en route. So it’s with a certain satisfaction when I arrive at the trailheads, even after numerous n-point turns on dirt roads, circling closer and closer until I reach my final destination. I enjoy the hunt.
The shared Tilliston Rd trailhead for the Frank Post and Forester’s Trail was a nondescript lot at the end of a badly eroded dirt road. Thankfully, I have a Subaru with a 9″ clearance that can handle such roads with a little care. While I’m often concerned about parking my car at remote trailheads, this time, I wasn’t that concerned since this lot was very obscure. Most people who climb Belvidere hike up the Long Trail from the south rather than following the side trails.
The Green Mountain Club maintains the side trails, although the state of maintenance on the side trails varies greatly. Some are well-brushed and well-used, and others are eroded and neglected. Weather is certainly a factor since bad flooding has hit Vermont in recent years. But the Green Mountain Club is a relatively small club with an aging membership base, making it hard to keep all the trails under their purview in tip-top shape. They do a tremendous job with their resources, but I know it’s a constant struggle to keep up with the annual maintenance of what they have, let alone tackle new projects. Still, they find a way.
The Frank Post Trail is a well-shaded and fern-bordered trail that climbs up to the Long Trail from the east. It was well-brushed and easy to follow with blue blazes. It meets the Long Trail at Tilliston Camp, a closed shelter with a door and wooden front windows that can be swung open and down for fresh air and light, provided you have insect protection. Unlike the open lean-to’s found on the Appalachian Trail, these Long Trail Camps are quite pleasant to sleep in with bunk beds and usually a table to eat.
After inspecting the camp, I turned south on the Long Trail for a few miles of pointless ups and downs, some mud, and a heavily vegetated trail. The Long Trail is sparsely blazed in white but still easy to follow, although the blazes are often placed after ambiguous decision points rather than before them, which is a little annoying. In 2008, when I hiked the Long Trail end-to-end, I learned to turn around to find the blazes on trees rather than counting on finding ones in front of me to ensure I was still following the trail. I employed that same tactic on this hike to great effect.
After hiking south on the Long Trail for nearly 3 miles, I came to the fire tower spur and climbed it to the top of the mountain before gingerly hiking up it for 360-degree views. It was a clear day with little forest fire smoke, and I could take the sights. But it was quite cold on top with a stiff breeze, so I came down without lingering, content to sit at the foot of the tower and enjoy my lunch while taking in the views.
Fortified, I hiked down the summit spur in search of the Forester’s Trail to take me back to the trailhead. First I hiked south looking for the junction, then north, only to find the sign about calf-height just a few paces north of the Firetower spur. This was despite my maps and GPS apps because their resolution was to low to easily discern whether the trail was on the north or south of the spur. I use the GMC’s Avenza map on my phone when I hike the LT or try to find the trailheads, and it’s not detailed enough to pinpoint many locations. Although it’s far better than using Gaia GPS on the Long Trail and its side trails, which is laughably bad.
The Forester’s Trail was in rougher and wetter shape than the Frank Post Trail, but it’s still not bad. It’s steeper at the top but quickly moderates. Hiking this loop counter-clockwise is still the best direction to go if you’d like to retrace my steps.
This was the first of three side-to-side trips on that day, and I was soon on my way to my next trailhead and more Long Trail side trails in Vermont’s North Country.
Route Plan: Belvidere Fire Tower Loop (day – 8.4 miles)
- Trailhead Parking: Tilliston Rd
- Frank Post Trail 2.2
- Long Trail South 2.8
- Belvidere Fire Tower Spur 0.4
- Forresters Trail 2.1
- Frank Post Trail 0.8
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