If you are interested in reading my last post on resupplying on trail, check it out here.
Hello again, welcome to my second post on my thru-hike preparation. In this post, I will go over how I’m getting to and from the trailheads.
The Long Trail is point-to-point trail located in Vermont, and it is not the easiest place to get to. A point-to-point trail starts at one location and ends at a different location. Coming from Virginia, I have a few options to get there.
The southern trailhead of the LT is near Williamstown, Massachusetts. Williamstown is a decent-sized town there are many options to get there. The Northern trailhead, however, is very remote. It is at the Canadian border near the small town of North Troy, and it is impossible to get there via public transportation. A private shuttle is required in most circumstances.
I am going NOBO (northbound), so I am starting at the southern trailhead and ending at the northern trailhead. After much consideration (and luck), I decided to drive up via my personal vehicle and use a hired shuttle.
I plan to drive from DC up to a location near the northern trailhead, dropping off my resupply boxes along the way. This will save me in shipping costs. With the assistance of the Green Mountain Club, I found a long-term parking option about 13 miles from the Canadian border. My vehicle will be parked there for the duration of my hike. An individual has volunteered to shuttle me from my parking location all the way to the southern terminus (for a fair price).
Once I get to the southern terminus, I will begin my hike. Once I reach Journey’s End at the Canadian border, I have arranged a ride to my nearby vehicle.
Other Options
There is a myriad of other ways to get to The Long Trail. The best resources I have found are the Long Trail Facebook group and the list provided here. If you live near the DC area, there is an Amtrak-run train called the Vermonter. It runs daily from DC to Vermont with many stops in-between.
If you are planning on hiking the Long Trail, I hope this post will give a little insight into what options are available. The way I am deciding to do it is by no means the only or correct way.