Mount Hunger via the Waterbury Trail Hiking Guide
Mount Hunger is the most popular of the five peaks in the Worcester Range, and the Waterbury Trail is its busiest approach. The climb is short and stiff, steady through the forest and then onto open rock, and the bald summit looks east, south and west over nearly every peak in the Green Mountains, from Mansfield to Camel's Hump to Killington.
Steady, Then Steep Rock
Mapping apps list the Waterbury Trail at 3.9 miles out and back with 2,276 feet of gain; Trail Finder gives 3.6 miles round trip, and other guides quote anywhere from 4.0 to 5 miles, so treat it as roughly 4 miles. Either way, that is a lot of climbing for the distance. Trail Finder rates it moderate, but the grade is relentless, and near the top the trail turns to open rock where you will use your hands. At the summit the Waterbury Trail meets the Hayward Trail and the Skyline Trail, which runs along the ridge to Mount Worcester and Stowe Pinnacle.
Finding the Trailhead
From the Cold Hollow Cider Mill on Route 100 in Waterbury Center, Trail Finder's directions go south on Route 100, left on Hollow Road for 0.3 miles, left on Howard Avenue, left on Maple Street for 0.2 miles, then right on Loomis Hill Road for 1.9 miles, which becomes Sweet Farms Road. The trailhead and lot are 1.5 miles down Sweet Farms Road and are plowed in winter. There is no fee. Trail Finder flags Mount Hunger as a high-use trail, busiest on weekends from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and asks that you pick another hike if the lot is full.
The Summit Slabs
The top is broad bare rock with no tree cover. That is the point of the hike, but it also means wind, sun and storms hit you directly, and the slabs below the summit are slick when wet or icy. Leave time for a careful descent over the same rock. In winter, the Champlain College outdoor guide says microspikes or snowshoes will be needed depending on conditions.
Dogs
Leashed dogs are allowed on the Waterbury Trail, which crosses state land in C.C. Putnam State Forest. The ledges are worth thinking about: the Green Mountain Club has published a photo of the Waterbury Backcountry Rescue Team carrying two dogs down from Hunger Mountain, as a reminder to plan how you would get an injured dog off a mountain. Pack enough water to share with your dog.
Spring Closures
Like other high Vermont trails, the upper Worcester Range is fragile while the snow melts. The state and the Green Mountain Club post official mud-season closures weekly on Trail Finder, and the club asks hikers to stay off muddy high trails until the season ends, typically Memorial Day weekend. Vermont State Parks advises keeping spring hikes below 3,000 feet.
Hiking tips for Mount Hunger via the Waterbury Trail
- Follow Trail Finder's turn-by-turn directions; the Sweet Farms Road trailhead is easy to miss.
- Expect about 2,300 feet of climbing in under 2 miles each way and pace accordingly.
- Keep your hands free for the open-rock section near the summit.
- Pack traction for the slabs from late fall through spring.
- Turn around if storms are building; the summit has no shelter.
Nearby trails to explore
- Stowe Pinnacle Trail
- Burrows Trail (Camel's Hump)
- Mount Mansfield via the Long Trail from Route 108
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Mount Hunger is a short, hard climb to a summit with almost every Green Mountain in view. Use TrailMates to find Burlington-area hikers heading to Mount Hunger. Download the TrailMates app to connect.