Short, sweet and steep – the Mt Peg Summit Trail rewards you with beautiful, sweeping views at the top, as well as an option to make it a longer hike with trails heading all over Mt Peg. Here’s what you need to know!
How to Get There
The trailhead entrance is at 12 Golf Avenue, right in the middle of Woodstock Village, so it’s a perfect short hike for anyone staying right in town. There is a very small parking area near the trailhead, but it’s just as easy to park along South Road, right beside Vail Field. Walk into Vail, past the playground, then over the small bridge out of the field. Go straight ahead on Maple Avenue, and you’ll see the trailhead up on your left on Golf Avenue.
Distance
This hike is about 2 miles round trip, so it really is short and sweet. It starts out pretty steep (the switchbacks help), then the trail turns into more rolling hills. The summit of Mt Peg is 1,080 feet. When you reach the summit, you’ll see signs for another couple of trails leading into the rest of the Mt.Peg trail system. You could add on an out-and-back on one of these trails, just be aware that most of them lead to either the golf course, or finish up past the Athletic Center at Knox Meadow, which is about 1.5 miles from the Summit Trail trailhead.
Hiking Ability
The Mt Peg Summit Trail is an easy trail and kid-friendly! Because it’s short, this is a trail I have been taking my kids on since my littlest was 3 years old. There are a couple of benches along the way on the Summit Trail to stop and rest if necessary. [Click here for more tips on hiking with kids!]
Recommendations
There is a bell hanging from a tree not far up the trail, which my boys love ringing. Once you get to the top, there’s a picnic table and several benches, so this is a great lunchtime hike to bring a picnic. The views from the top are beautiful – you’re looking out at Mt Tom, Billings Farm and the Ottauquechee River Valley.
Try taking either Spruce Trail or the Red Pine Trail on your way back down – Spruce is very pretty, lots of corners and narrow in part. Dogs are welcome on leash on all these trails!
Best time of day to hike? Very early morning is lovely, but any time of day works well – even midday in the summer, since the majority of the trail is wooded and shady (the last little bit is over the open fields of the summit itself). Remember to bring bug spray from late spring to early fall!
Don’t miss this hike if you’re staying in Woodstock – for such a short distance, the views are fabulous and if you go with kids, they will feel accomplished for having reached the summit of a mountain!
