Green Mountain National Forest's Wildflower Viewing Areas

By jan schultz on Jul 7, 2012

Where to find rare native plants and flowers on the Green Mountain National Forest.

Wildflower Viewing Areas are sites of high botanic interest selected by botanists for the native plants and flowers found within them. Two of these areas can be found on the Green Mountain National Forest. Consider visiting these sites during your next trip to the forest. Don't forget your camera!

Leicester Hollow (Middlebury District): Leicester Hollow, near Forest Dale, Vermont, is a narrow, steep-sided, forested valley, with an unusually rich flora due, in part, to the underlying Forestdale Marble bedrock. The southern end of the trail traverses the west side of the hollow, eventually leading down to a wide trail on gentle terrain at the bottom of the valley that follows Leicester Hollow Brook north to Silver Lake, an excellent spot to picnic or swim. This trail also intersects with the Chandler Ridge Trail to the west, which is more or less parallel to it, though higher in elevation. The Chandler Ridge Trail offers the hiker a good opportunity to walk through a dry oak woodland, a community that is rare in Vermont. More on this Wildflower Viewing Area…

Rochester Ranger District Gardens (Rochester District): Visitors to the Rochester Ranger District of the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forest can view many species of wildflowers and pollinators in the two wildflower gardens there. One large garden features species of open, sunny sites, and is currently in transition from a mix of native and non-native (and non-invasive) plant species to just native species. The other garden, in a more protected location, features native species of northern hardwoods and woods edges. The site is in the flat bottom of a fertile valley with steep sides, in the heart of the Green Mountains. More on this Wildflower Viewing Area…

Contact person: Mary Beth Deller (802) 767 4261 or mdeller@fs.fed.us