Birdwatching in Vermont, p. 77.

Kent Pond, Gifford Woods State Park, and the Appalachian Trail in Killington afford plenty of birding opportunities. Located in the heart of the Green Mountains, this area offers a variety of birds in a beautiful setting.

There are two options for viewing Kent Pond. One is the fishing access on Route 100 (on the west side of the pond). The second is along the impoundment on Thundering Brook Road (the east side of the pond). The area is heavily used by anglers and kayakers, especially on summer weekends.

A pleasant hike is to take the Appalachian Trail south of the parking lot and continue east along Kent Pond and across Thundering Brook Road. This route will take you over a ridge to the bottom of Thundering Brook Road. You can then return the way you came or walk up Thundering Brook Road to the pond and then back along the trail to the fishing access parking lot.

Common Merganser, Mallard, Common Loon, and Spotted Sandpiper are often present on Kent Pond. Sometimes Osprey are seen and, on more rare occasions, Bald Eagle. Spotted Sandpipers nest here. In the summer of 2009, a pair of loons unsuccessfully attempted to nest on one of the islands in the pond; it is hoped they will succeed in future years.

The pond is a particularly good place to visit after stormy weather in spring or fall. On June 23, 2009, Roy Pilcher wrote about some of the unusual visitors that have been seen at the pond in the past. Click here for more details. On May 31, 2011, observers there to check on the nesting loons were startled to find an American White Pelican perched on one of the rocks near the loon nest.

There is a ramp for small boats on the east side of Kent Pond with access from Route 100. No restroom facilities. Not plowed in the winter.

Kent Pond is on the Appalachian Trail.

Kent Pond (99 acres) is a site for the Vermont LoonWatch annual survey. Birders are encouraged to volunteer as often and whenever they are able. See Join LoonWatch for details.

Vermont’s Long Trail follows the main ridge of the Green Mountains from the Massachusetts-Vermont line to the Canadian border. Built between 1910 and 1930, it was the vision of James P. Taylor and later became the inspiration for the Appalachian Trail. The Long Trail and Appalachian Trail share 100 miles of trail in the southern part of the state.

On the Long Trail, hikers encounter the best natural features Vermont has to offer, including pristine ponds, alpine sedges, hardwood forests, and swift streams. Known as the “footpath in the wilderness,” it is easy in a few sections and rugged in most. Steep inclines and plenty of mud present hikers with plenty of challenges.

As maintainer and protector of the Long Trail, the Green Mountain Club works in partnership with the Green Mountain National Forest, the State of Vermont, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and private landowners to offer a world-class hiking trail.

The Long Trail is truly the trail for everyone. Each year, hundreds of thru-hikers set out to complete the trail in one go, a journey that has been completed in under 5 days but typically takes multiple weeks. Section hikers tackle the trail in bursts, often completing the Long Trail over the course of many years.

Hikers who hike every mile of the Long Trail, whether in day trips, multi-day sections, or all at once, are called “End-to-Enders” and are eligible to register for inclusion in the GMC’s official records.

Most trail users are day hikers, who enjoy desired destinations as day trips without camping out on the trail.