Run It - Trail Running in Woodstock, Vermont

When you run somewhere you love, your run automatically becomes better. Not necessarily easier…but better. Today on Run It, Angela, Laura, Nellie and I are inviting you to our favorite running spots, and why we love them. So come run vicariously with us in Woodstock, Vermont; the seacoast of New Hampshire; Brooklyn, NY; and the suburbs of Seattle, WA!

Today I’m taking you trail running in Woodstock, Vermont, in the Marsh Billings Rockefeller National Historic Park. I introduced you to this beautiful place to run when I first moved here in May this year. Now, it’s become my familiar running route, and getting out there for a run never fails to make me happy.

Marsh Billings Rockefeller National Historic Park is a park of about 600 acres, with carriage roads and trails throughout. It became part of the US National Parks System in 1992, when the last owners of the site, Mary and Laurance Rockefeller, bequeathed it to the federal government.

In my video at the end of this post, I’m taking you on the Faulkner Trail, which zig-zags its way up the side of Mt. Tom, then down some wide carriage trails to the Pogue, a pretty pond in the middle of the national park. The Faulkner trail is shaded by the forest, so even on the most humid summer days (yes, it does actually get hot in the summer in Vermont!), it’s still relatively comfortable to run. At the top, you get to catch your breath while checking out the beautiful views, before making your way to a lovely loop around the water of the Pogue.

Recently, one of my regulars in my early morning bootcamp class was talking about the star on the top of Mt. Tom. Every winter it is lit up and you can see it from the town below. I told her I loved running to the top of Mt. Tom, but I hadn’t yet seen the star. “Then you haven’t been to the top of Mt. Tom,” she replied. I was so confused – the peak is quite flat, so it didn’t seem possible I had missed some extra part of the climb. That afternoon, I set out up the Faulkner Trail to try to find the elusive star.

The last part of the trail is basically climbing up rocks, then it opens up to the flat top of the mountain. There are three telegraph poles there, and the first time I ran there, I accidentally took the path back down to the left of the poles rather than the right and got pretty lost for a while, so they quickly became a landmark for me. I knew the star had to be a significant size, since it could be seen from the village below. I thought maybe it was actually on the side of the mountain and I just hadn’t looked down enough. Then I started looking up at the trees, wondering if it was suspended from the branches. Finally I came back to where I’d come off the Faulkner Trail, convinced there was so hidden peak leading any higher. It was then that I glanced up at the ‘telegraph poles’ and saw the enormous star I can’t believe I had missed. I must have been up there a dozen times without noticing.

With so many trails in the park, it’s easy to map out whatever distance you want to run, and not get bored of the same scenery. I actually take my boys hiking here as well – although ‘hiking’ may be a strong term for what happens with my littles. Basically Roman bolts ahead and falls down a number of times, while Tanner determinedly tries to keep up with his brother with his little chubby 2-year-old legs, before announcing he really needs a “huggie” (that’s not-so-subtle code for, “Carry me, mama, I’m done.”). Whichever trails you take, I highly recommend detouring by the Pogue for the very short loop around the edge (less than a mile). It’s tranquil and soul-soothing to run here, with the water on one side and just the sounds of your footfalls and the birds in the forest. It’s my favorite spot in the park. 🙂

Find out more, and see some more gorgeous views, in my video below!

Now don’t miss the favorite running routes of some of my favorite running bloggers, Angela, Nellie, and Laura (Allie and Sarah will be back for Run It next month!):

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If you’re new to the Run It series, you can find our past monthly installments here:

How to Beat the Heat While Running

Hydration Tips and Tricks for Runners

6 Workouts for Running Injuries

The Best (and Worst!) Running Advice

How to Stay Sane on the Treadmill

Winter Running Tips

Last year, the same group of bloggers brought you 12 months of workouts for runners! That’s 72 workouts at your fingertips – you can access those posts here.

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