Smuggler's Cave Information Booth from Big Spring via VT 108
3.0 mi
Distance
1 hrs 39 min
Time
terrain
623 ft
Elev Gain
Overview
This is a moderate one way trail in Mount Mansfield State Forest. This trail goes by Big Spring, Hell Brook Trailhead, Bingham Falls, Sterling Pond Trailhead, Historic Marker: Smuggler's Notch, and Smuggler's Cave Information Booth.
Rate this Hike
★★★★★
Public Tracks
Notch Road
Route 108 to be exact. In the summer, this provides an exciting drive for flat landers, stellar access for bouldering. It also usually costs at least one truck driver per season a few hours and a pretty penny, when they ignore signs and realize they do not fit, resulting in a tedious rescue.
In the winter however, it remains unplowed, providing ample access to Vermont’s most incredible sidecountry. For some, the notch road makes a great first skin, or a morning snowshoe. For others, it’s simply the mellow glade back after skiing thousands of feet of glades. Either way, the Notch Road is the heart of it all, providing a return back to Stowe or Smuggs after skiing sidecountry, as well as an approach to numerous “bottom up” objectives, such as Blind Fate and Playground Gullies.
It’s as straightforward as it comes, but an important thing to note is that the hight of land is right near Playground Gully, meaning anything south of Playground Gully allows for an easy ski back to the gondola. If you ski Birthday Bowls or back bowls, you will need to walk back up to the height of land before you can ski back to Stowe. Plan some extra time for that.
Notch Road
Route 108 to be exact. In the summer, this provides an exciting drive for flat landers, stellar access for bouldering. It also usually costs at least one truck driver per season a few hours and a pretty penny, when they ignore signs and realize they do not fit, resulting in a tedious rescue.
In the winter however, it remains unplowed, providing ample access to Vermont’s most incredible sidecountry. For some, the notch road makes a great first skin, or a morning snowshoe. For others, it’s simply the mellow glade back after skiing thousands of feet of glades. Either way, the Notch Road is the heart of it all, providing a return back to Stowe or Smuggs after skiing sidecountry, as well as an approach to numerous “bottom up” objectives, such as Blind Fate and Playground Gullies.
It’s as straightforward as it comes, but an important thing to note is that the hight of land is right near Playground Gully, meaning anything south of Playground Gully allows for an easy ski back to the gondola. If you ski Birthday Bowls or back bowls, you will need to walk back up to the height of land before you can ski back to Stowe. Plan some extra time for that.