Mad River Greenway

Mad River Greenway

Waitsfield, Vermont 05673

West Greenway (TrailFinder) website

About this Location

The West Greenway is an easy 2.3-mile (out and back) trail. It is a charming path along the Mad River with beautiful vistas of the mountains and farm fields. Along the way, there is a gazebo where you can sit and enjoy the sounds and views of the Mad River as it winds its way north. Beyond the gazebo is a memorial bench and the trail continues up gentle steps to VT Route 100. At several points along the path, you can access the river for swimming and fishing.

The rich floodplain along Meadow Road is part of a working farm, following a long-standing tradition of agriculture in the Mad River Valley. Raising sheep was the first dominant agricultural activity in Waitsfield, shifting to dairy in the mid-1800s. Over time, agriculture heavily influenced the landscape, removing crucial riparian forests along the river. Farming today, as demonstrated on this land, strives for the restoration of healthy riparian forests alongside productive farmland. Friends of the Mad River and volunteers work with landowners across the watershed to reforest these areas for their benefit to wildlife habitat, clean water, and flood resilience. The West Greenway and adjoining agricultural land is permanently protected thanks to the Town of Waitsfield, the Vermont Land Trust, and generous landowners.

Notable Trails

The TrailFinder website has a description and map of a hike on the West Greenway.

Features

  • Restrooms on site

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Entrance fee

Content from West Greenway (TrailFinder) website

Last updated October 12, 2023