Hiking still a big draw in 2020
More hikers hit the trails in Vermont earlier than usual this year, as people sought the calm of the outdoors during the initial weeks of the pandemic. That interest in outdoor recreation keeps bringing locals and visitors out to the wilds of nature as summer goes on.
The uptick in trail activity started in April, according to Keegan Tierney, director of field programs for the Green Mountain Club, which oversees the Long Trail.
“Once lockdown orders started to go into place, we saw a significant uptick in trail usage, at least in Vermont,” Tierney said. “The parking lots were full on any nice weekend.”
The club certainly heard a lot about how glad hikers were — and still are — to escape into nature for a while.
“Folks are just looking for a way to get out and just feel safe, getting to a place where they can relax,” Tierney said.
While the Green Mountain Club has delayed some trail maintenance due to the pandemic, the group continues to monitor trail and summit activity, as usual. Early-season activity at the major summits of Mansfield, Killington and Stratton dropped while summer resorts were shut down, but those numbers bounced back soon after resorts reopened. However, Tierney said some of the club’s less frequented trails saw increased usage, such as the Stratton Pond Trail/LT loop in southern Vermont and the trails at Camels Hump. Thru-hiker numbers on the Appalachian Trail continue to be low as most thru-hikers left the trail when Appalachian Trail Conservancy put out a closure order in March. As of June 26, all trails and facilities on the Long Trail and AT in Vermont were opened.
The AT released safety information for hikers amid the pandemic, and the Green Mountain Club also published COVID-related guidelines on its website.
The region’s numerous trails continue to offer an escape from daily life and a chance to reconnect with nature, as they always have. While those needs take on a unique meaning now and are clearly a draw for people beyond these borders, the groups managing the LT and AT have been proactive in dealing with this new normal. With that being said, these special places will continue to be important resources in 2020 and beyond.
— Gareth Henderson
