Mount Ascutney State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Ascutney State Park |
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Mount Ascutney State Park, August 2012
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| Type | State park |
| Location | 1826 Back Mountain Road Windsor, Vermont |
| Area | 3,131 acres (1,267 ha) |
| Operated by | Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation |
| Open | Mid May - Mid October |
| Website | https://vtstateparks.com/ascutney.html |
Mount Ascutney State Park is a fun state park located in the beautiful state of Vermont, in the United States. You can find the park entrance near the town of Windsor, in Windsor County. This park is managed by the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. A big part of the park is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a very special and important historical site!
Exploring Mount Ascutney State Park
This amazing park offers more than 12 miles (19 km) of exciting hiking trails. Imagine all the adventures you can have! Four of these main trails, including the Futures Trail and the Weathersfield Trail, all lead to the very top of Mount Ascutney. This mountain is the most important and highest point in the park.
If you prefer to drive, you can take the Mount Ascutney Parkway. This paved road takes you almost to the summit, rising over 2,000 feet (610 m) in less than 4 miles (6.4 km)! It's a steep but scenic drive.
Discover Cascade Falls
In 2016, a special area called the Cascade Falls Natural Area was created in the park. It's a protected space in the southwest corner. The Weathersfield Trail, which leads to the summit, goes right through this 203-acre (82 ha) natural area. Along this trail, you'll discover the beautiful Cascade Falls. It's an 84-foot (26 m) waterfall on Ascutney Brook, perfect for a photo!
A Look Back: How the Park Started
Mount Ascutney State Park was created in the 1930s. The state of Vermont got help from a special government program called the New Deal. This program helped put people to work during a tough time in history.
In 1933, Vermont bought over 1,000 acres (400 ha) of land for the park. Then, a group of young men from the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) came to help. The CCC was a program that employed young men to build parks and other public projects. These CCC workers built the parkway road to the summit, picnic areas, and places for camping. They worked hard to make the park ready for visitors!
The CCC group moved to another town in 1938. The area where their camp used to be is now part of the main campground. There are no buildings left from their camp, but their hard work is still enjoyed by thousands of visitors every year. Because of the amazing work done by the CCC, about 1,500 acres (610 ha) of the park were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. This makes it a very important historical site!
