Camp on Mount St. Catherine

Looking for the best view in all of Poultney, Vermont? Look no further than Lake St. Catherine Mountain. Located within Deane's Nature Preserve, this fast and easy hike tops as one of the best views and camping spots for the little time and energy needed to reach the summit. Only 30-45 minutes from the bottom, this hikes quickly climbs roughly 600 ft to a clearing that looks west, best for sunset and star viewing. A platform and plenty of extra space at the top allows for easy camping and chill out opportunities.

Located 4.5 miles away from downtown Poultney, a quick 10 minute drive on Route 30 will get you to Endless Brook Rd. on the left. Once on Endless Brook Rd; travel up .8 of a mile to reach the parking lot for Deane's Nature Preserve on the right. Go down the driveway, cross over a small bridge, and select one of the two trails to go on. From the sign, there is an easier trail on the left that zigzags up the mountain, where a steeper and quicker climb is on the right. The steeper trail is about a mile to the top, where the more gradual trail is about 1.5 miles.

After a great night of sleep and star gazing, head over to Nancy's Place on Main Street in Poultney for a warm cup of coffee and delicious home made baked-goods.

Bonus Tip! If you start this trail just an hour before sunset, you will arrive at the top with amazing sun rays coming through the trees as you finish off the hike in the woods on a ridge-line. Another perk is when hiking this in the fall, the Milky Way is visible in the south-western part of the sky, and the colors of the trees are unbelievable from this spot.