Those choosing Hartland can plan a stay around natural and recreational sites with different highlights: Eshqua Bog is an important plant habitat with a boardwalk, the Cady Brook Trail offers several possible activities, and North Hartland Lake has a nature trail and ranger-led programs. There are also places for picnicking, water sports, and winter sledding. This makes it possible to tailor the focus of a stay to your own interests.
Eshqua Bog and North Hartland Lake
Eshqua Bog is on Garvin Hill Road and is an important habitat for rare plants. Lady's slippers (Cypripedium reginae) also grow there. The bog has a 480-foot ADA-compliant boardwalk with four viewing platforms and three benches. The plant habitat and the trail therefore provide two specific points to consider when planning a visit to this natural area.
North Hartland Lake is in Hartland and Hartford. The lake has a nature trail and ranger-led programs. In addition to the trails, guided programs are another option to consider.
Trails with Different Highlights
The Cady Brook Trail is two miles long and is located in southwestern Hartland. It is suitable for hiking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, biking, and birdwatching. Its length and range of activities provide different points of comparison when considering the trail alongside other nature offerings.
The trails also differ in their layout: At 17-Acre Wood, an ADA-compliant trail first leads to a plateau and then to a lower level. The Timotheus Pohl Conservation Area has hiking and ski trails open year-round; it also includes farmland and viewpoints. Thus, 17-Acre Wood is described in terms of its sequence of a plateau and lower level, while farmland and viewpoints are additional features of the Timotheus Pohl Conservation Area.
Hartland Winter Trails has about 25 kilometers of groomed trails that cross around 30 private properties. During the winter season, the organization may use these trails only for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. This restriction applies to use by the organization; it should not be taken as general permission for visitors to access the trails.
Water, Picnicking, and Recreation Areas
The Sumner Falls Recreational Area has a picnic area and is popular with anglers, canoeists, and kayakers. A portage trail at Sumner Falls allows boaters to go around the falls. For planning activities on the water, both the recreational activities mentioned and the portage option offer specific points of reference.
Remains of historical use can be found at Sumner's Falls, including a former dam, a mill, and numerous other buildings. These structures are a different point of interest from the recreational offerings along the waterways.
Jenne Town Forest has a basic picnic area near the stream. Foster's Meadow has several ball fields and a disc golf course. Summarsell Gateway Preserve offers sledding in winter. The recreational options mentioned range from picnicking to ball games and disc golf, as well as a specific winter activity.
Parking for the Hartland Winter Trail Network
The main parking lot for the Hartland Winter Trail Network is across from the fire station at 50 Vermont Route 12. Use only the right, eastern side of the parking lot, marked with yellow HWT signs.
Discover more destinations: Cavendish, Bridgewater, Brownsville, Barnard, Hartford, Plymouth, Ludlow, Woodstock
For the broader travel overview: Windsor County.
