Vermont’s VAST Trail 108 Iron Furnace Loop

VAST Trail 108 follows old logging roads and abandoned railroad grades through Vermont’s Green Mountains, connecting a chain of Civil War-era iron furnace ruins that once fed the Union Army’s appetite for cannon balls. The route winds past the crumbling stone remains of Pittsford Furnace and continues north to the more intact Chittenden Furnace, where charcoal kilns still dot the hillsides. Summer travelers can access this network when snow melts reveal the rocky doubletrack that challenges even experienced drivers with steep grades and loose stone.

This is difficult territory requiring low-range gearing, skid plates, and aggressive tires for the steep climbs over Mendon Mountain. The trail is passable June through October, though muddy sections linger into July. No permits needed, but respect posted private land boundaries that checker this route. Fill up in Rutland before heading out—cell service disappears quickly in these mountains. You’ll trade comfort for a history lesson written in stone and stunning views across the Champlain Valley.