Elevation: 3,840 feet (1,170 meters) Prominence: 3,040 feet (930 meters) Location: Manchester Town, Vermont (Bennington County) Range: Taconic Range Coordinates: 43°09'58" North     73°07.03" West Rating: Difficult (this hike is steep and strenuous and has roughly 2,840 feet of elevation gain.) Features: Summit Visitor Center Distance of highlighted hike below: Roughly 6.25 miles

Equinox Mountain is the highest peak in the Taconic Range and in Bennington County, Vermont. It is one of only 13 peaks in Vermont to have a topographic prominence of more than 2,000 feet, just behind Mount Mansfield and Killington Peak.

The only trail up to the summit of the Blue Summit Trail, which is part of the Equinox Preservation Trust. That trail is 3.10 miles (see map below). There is a toll road which allows visitors to drive to the summit to take in all the incredible views. You can see Mount Washington in New Hampshire, on a clear day.

In 2011 an old hotel called the Sky Line Inn, which was at the summit of Equinox Mountain, was torn down to make room for a brand new visitor center called the Saint Bruno Viewing Center.

Lists Equinox Mountain are on:	= A patch is available for this list
New England Hundred highest New England Hundred highest in Winter season New England Fifty Finest

The map below shows how to get to the summit of Equinox Mountain.

From the end of West Union Street in Manchester, Vermont there is a parking area on the right side of the road. You will see a red gate that indicates the start of the trail. Hike on the Red Gate Trail until you come to the 2nd junction with the Blue Summit Trail. Vear right to take the Blue Summit Trail. Hike this entire trail until you reach the summit of Equinox Mountain. This is a steep and strenuous trail. More than half of it is loose rocks, so be careful. About halfway between the summit and the parking lot is a spur trail for a spring. There is a wooden bench where the spur trail starts. (It is just a big pipe with water flowing out of it.) If you wish to get a great view of the town of Manchester, hike to Lookout Rock, which is roughly 0.50 miles.

To get back to the parking area, go back the same way you came up.

Click to download PDF Trail Map of Equinox Mountain

Red gate parking lot, to start the hike up to Equinox Mountain. Taken on 9/17/14.

Kiosk at the beginning of the red gate trail. Taken on 9/17/14.

Sign at the bottom of the Blue Summit Trail. Taken on 9/17/14.

Blue Summit Trail marker to head up to Equinox Mountain. Taken on 9/17/14.

Half of the Blue Summit Trail looked like this: some loose rocks on a wide path. Taken on 9/17/14.

Pretty young forest section of the Blue Summit Trail. Taken on 9/17/14.

Spring, roughly halfway between the parking lot and Equinox Mountain. Taken on 9/17/14.

Visitor Center at the summit of Equinox Mountain called the Saint Bruno Viewing Center.

Photo of a framed photo inside the visitor center of the original Sky Line Inn that used to sit on Equinox Mountain complete with a restaurant.

Views from the summit of Equinox Mountain. Taken on 9/17/14.

Views from the summit of Equinox Mountain. Taken on 9/17/14.

A look inside the visitor center on top of Equinox Mountain. Taken on 9/17/14.

Views from the summit of Equinox Mountain. Taken on 9/17/14.

Views from the summit of Equinox Mountain. Taken on 9/17/14.

If you have a GPS, you can enter West Union Street in Manchester, Vermont, and drive to the end where you will see a parking lot on the right side with a red gate in the back.

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