Happy Monday, fellow outdoor enthusiasts! It seems this beautiful weather is going to stick around for another week, and hopefully longer! I hope you all got out for some outdoor fun this past week; I know I did. While I unfortunately didn’t get to a mountain as planned this past Saturday, my boyfriend Micah and I did take a great 2 and a half hour hike on the nature trails in our town of Winooski, Vermont. I even went on a trail I had never been on before, and I figured a post dedicated to these great trails would be worthwhile.

Micah and I started our hike at the Winooski Nature Trail trail head on East Allen Street in Winooski. It was a great path with both inclines and declines (mostly declines). The muddiness of the trail signaled spring’s arrival, and we were excited to hear all the birds singing their spring songs. The trail took us to a sandy beach right under the I-89 Exit 15 Bridge, where we encountered a man fishing, and another tagging graffiti on the bridge. After going under the bridge, the path turns into steep rocky cliffs that make for some excellent hiking.

A view of the Winooski River from the small cliffs on the Winooski Nature Trail. Photo courtesy of trailfinder.info.

The cliffs lead to railroad tracks and a train trestle, which marks the end of the trail. After a brief water break, we passed a power utility station and headed up George Street, which spit us out onto Route 15. We crossed Route 15 and took a right onto Dion Street, which led us to La Fountain Street. We walked east on La Fountain until we reached Gilbrook Road, which leads to the trail head of the Gilbrook Natural Area, which is a 1 and half mile nature path around the Winooski Upper Resevoir and its surrounding woodlands behind St. Michael’s College. Just my luck, the only wildlife I saw apart from birds and one little frog was a slithery garden snake. I don’t know who was startled more—me or the snake.

Both trails are easy to hike and are great because they are close to home and allow us to get out into nature a little bit without having to drive anywhere. Of course, there are constant reminders of civilization on both trails, as you can constantly see I-89, as well as a utility station and railroad tracks on the Winooski Nature Trail, and the Winooski Sewer Department on the Gilbrook Trail. Despite these minor disruptions, both trails are a fun hike and a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. If you live in the area and are looking for a short hike, definitely check out these spots.

-Melinda Gray