Carol's Vermont 251 + 4 Geocaching Challenge Finish

On a beautiful summer day Carol and I headed way up north to Avery's Gore in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom for her finish in the Vermont 251 + 4 Geocaching Challenge. This involves finding at least one geocache in each of Vermont's 251 towns and 4 "Gores," a project she has been working on for several years (after previously completing the Challenges in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island).

The target cache is located at the edge of Unknown Pond, a remote backcountry water body reached by hiking along the Unknown Pond Trail, Bluff Ridge Trail and a VAST snowmobile trail.

 

All of this hike is on private land under conservation easement. Thanks to the landowners! 

 

 

 

 

The Unknown Pond Trail starts out on a woods road passing by some maple sugaring lines.

The three stream crossings were easy with low water levels.

The current Unknown Pond Trail was opened around 2019 as part of the Kingdom Heritage Trails system developed by the Green Mountain Club, North Woods Stewardship Center and and VT Dept. of Parks, Forest and Recreation. Note that the trail does not actually go to Unknown Pond.

Unknown Pond Trail is a delightful meander with moderate grades and excellent footing.

Next up was a short segment on the Bluff Ridge Trail.

Another fine trail.

We had read reports of dreadful mud on the last segment along the VAST snowmobile trail. Thanks to recent dry weather, the trail was mostly dry and whatever mud we encountered was firm.

A neat meadow-like area with a glimpse of Middle Mountain.

After a brief search we found the geocache and a happy cacher completed her quest! Congratulations!!

There is a privately owned camp near the shore of the pond, presumably leased from Weyerhauser, the timber company landowner.

Unknown Pond is a serene, 19-acre backcountry beauty. Middle Mountain is seen across the water.

All was quiet here save for the rattlings of two Belted Kingfishers.

Enjoying the scene at Unknown Pond.

On the way out I made a quick side trip to a viewpoint a short distance north along the Middle Mountain Trail.

 

 

Here there was a wide view west to the northern Green Mountains, including the Jay Peaks to the right of center.

Looking SW to Bald Mountain, one of the highest peaks in the Kingdom. An excellent guide to the trails in this wonderful area is the "Northeast Kingdom Mountain Trail Guide," published by the North Woods Stewardship Center.