VAST Trail 7 Endless Mountains

VAST Trail 7 cuts a 45-mile swath across Vermont’s most remote country, linking abandoned logging camps from the pulp and paper era. The route follows old railroad grades and skidder trails through the Endless Mountains region, where you’ll cross the same ridgelines that challenged 1800s loggers. Key waypoints include the remains of Camp 10 logging operation and the technical descent into the Cold River valley, where bridge abutments mark spots where narrow-gauge railways once hauled massive white pine logs.

Difficult in places with steep technical descents and creek crossings that wash out annually. Stock vehicles won’t make it—you need aggressive tread, skid plates, and recovery points. Best tackled June through September when snowmobile groomers aren’t working. VAST membership required ($45 annual) plus landowner permission in some sections. Fuel up in Ludlow; next services are 60+ miles north. The isolation is the point—you’re threading through country where cell towers fear to tread.