Hiking Trails
Tucker Mountain Town Forest
All mileages are one way
Tucker Mountain Road to the Summit: East Side
1.5 miles to the summit, elevation gain: 500 ft., easy to moderate
This is a popular, easy route to the summit of Tucker Mountain with its spectacular 360 view of New Hampshire’s White Mountains, Wright’s Mountain, Woodchuck Mountain and the Waits River Valley.
Trailhead: From the post office in the small village of West Newbury, VT, drive due west on Tucker Mountain Road for 1.6 miles to a parking lot with a kiosk on the right.
Route: Walk the road 1.2 miles to where it reaches its highest point, then turn left (south) on an old road that leads through a small patch of forest before opening to the old pastures that surround the top of Tucker. Hike the last .25 mile to the summit (1690 ft.).
Features: There are several interpretive signs this route. The stone walls along the way are remnants of a time when farmers living on the mountain cleared pastures for cows and sheep. You will walk past a deteriorating old house that was built sometime around 1808. There were once three homesteads in this neighborhood. The road crosses the West Branch of Vance Brook.
Tucker Mountain Road to the Summit: West Side
1 mile to the summit, elevation gain 445 ft., easy. The summit is a 1 mile hike up Tucker Mountain Road from the west parking lot.
Trailhead: West Parking Lot
To reach the west parking lot, head north from the village of East Corinth, VT, for 1 mile and turn right on Thompson Rd. In 1 mile, Thompson Rd. becomes Bowen Road. Continue .6 miles on Bowen Road to Tucker Mountain Road on the right. Follow Tucker Mountain Road 1 mile to its intersection with Woodchuck Town Trail. Just beyond that, the parking lot and kiosk are across the road from a small house by and an orange gate.
Of note: A class-4 road though mixed hardwoods and conifers passing two ponds and following Meadow Brook. Old stone walls and homestead sites. Trail heads to Woodchuck Mountain Loop Trail and Three Ponds Trail are along this road. There are several interpretive signs along this rout
Route: From parking light, walk left 0.75 miles east to the high point of Tucker Mtn. Road. At the kiosk, turn right on the High Meadows Trail, 0.3 miles to the summit meadows and views.
Putnam Trail to Tucker Mtn. Summit
1.5 miles, elevation gain 500 ft. – moderate
Trailhead: East parking lot.
Description: A wilderness trail through forests. Dramatic rock ledges, vernal pool, summit views. Parallels Tucker Mtn. Road.
Route: This trail leads from the east parking lot to the summit of Tucker Mountain. The Lower Putnam Trail can be wet and muddy after rain or during snow melt. The trail parallels Tucker Mountain Road to the north then turns south and crosses the road .5 miles from the parking lot.
Once the trail crosses Tucker Mountain Road, it becomes the Upper Putnam Trail and continues up an old road called the Old Boulevard for .3 miles, then turns west (right) into the woods. Follow the yellow blazes. The trail switches back around some interesting rock ledges and continues to a ridge where it switches back to follow the ridge north. In about .3 mile, the trail leaves the ridge and continues west to the summit. At that same point, there is a short spur road to a vernal pool with an interpretive sign.
History: The trail is named for West Newbury’s Putnam family. Tarrant and Daniel Putnam and their families each built homesteads and cleared land on the east side of Tucker Mountain in the 1790’s. Many of their descendants still live in Newbury and presently the seventh generation represents an unbroken chain of Putnam farmers. The old Putnam Cemetery is adjacent to the Town Forest.
Woodchuck Mountain Loop Trail
Access from Tucker Mountain Road, complete hike is 1.4 miles from west lot; 2.5 miles from east lot. Elevation gain 262 ft.- moderate
Description: At 1742 ft., Woodchuck Mtn. is the highest point in Newbury. Beautiful trail through diverse forests with interesting bedrock exposures.
Trailheads: Two marked trailheads: one by the second pond west of the upper kiosk on Tucker Mtn. Road, the second another 0.2 miles further west.
Route: Start at either trailhead and follow the yellow blazes. Near the top, there is a short spur trail to the summit sign. Follow the yellow blazes down to the other trailhead.
Three Ponds Trail
.5 mile, west from upper kiosk. – easy
Description: This lovely trail wanders through the forest on the west side of Tucker Mtn. and passes three ponds: two man-made ponds with beaver activity and one natural beaver pond. It offers an excellent view of Woodchuck Mtn.
Trailheads: From the west, the trail starts opposite the Woodchuck Loop Trailhead on Tucker Mtn. Road. From the east, the trail leads west off the High Meadows Trail.
Route: From either trailhead, follow the yellow blazes.
Beaver Pond and Wetlands View Trail
0.7 mile from east lot, elevation gain 60 ft. – easy
Description: One branch leads to an abandoned beaver pond; another branch leads to our woven arch bridge and wetlands view. The Wetlands Trail, in progress, continues west the bridge to where trail construction ends. The Beaver Pond Trail was built by local students in 2022.
Trailhead: Far side of the East parking lot.
Route: From the far side (north) of the parking lot, follow the Lower Putnam Trail. The Beaver Pond and Wetlands Trail junction is near to where the Lower Putnam joins Tucker Mtn. Road. The trail heads north for 400 yards, then turns left into the woods at a second junction. To reach the wetland’s view and bridge, return to the second junction and hike north toward the wetland, then follow the trail left into the woods. You will reach the bridge and view in less than two minutes. Continue beyond the bridge on the Wetlands Trail, under construction.
Vance Brook Trail
0.5 mile loop – easy
Description: This trail was built along the route of our future all-persons (accessible) trail. We hope to make it suitable to wheelchairs in the next few years. For now, it is a lovely path that wanders through the forest and follows Vance Brook.
Trailhead: Just north of the East Parking Area, continue straight where the Lower Putnam Trail turns left.
Oliver Spring Trail
0.5 mile loop – moderate
Description: A trail in progress that will lead to the Woodchuck Mtn. Summit. For now, it’s a small loop trail from the west kiosk. When the trail meets an old logging road, turn left back to Tucker Mountain Rd. to complete the loop.Trailhead: West parking lot Kiosk