Vermont · Hiking

Ice Beds

1.8 mi
round trip
598 ft
climb
1,304 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Ice Beds open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests. It doesn't name Ice Beds, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Ice Beds is an easy out-and-back hike in Vermont's Manchester Ranger District, part of the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests. The trail is about 1.8 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 598 feet, and it reaches a high point of 1,304 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is natural-surfaced and open to bikes. The climb is steady, with the steepest stretch at about 0.47 miles in, where the grade reaches 19 percent. The trail starts at roughly 1,187 feet and ends at the same elevation, so the 598-foot gain is for the whole trip. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Peru, at a similar elevation, show July highs around 75°F and lows near 56°F, while winter highs stay in the 20s. The hike is open from about May 15 to November 1, and the trip takes about an hour. The Keewaydin Trail starts just 0.1 mile away, and Greenwall Shelter is about a mile off. Mears Meadow Trail and the Appalachian Trail;Long Trail are both within about 3 miles.

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Ice Beds

    Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      27° / 8°

    2. Feb

      31° / 10°

    3. Mar

      38° / 17°

    4. Apr

      50° / 30°

    5. May

      64° / 42°

    6. Jun

      70° / 51°

    7. Jul

      75° / 56°

    8. Aug

      73° / 55°

    9. Sep

      67° / 47°

    10. Oct

      56° / 37°

    11. Nov

      43° / 26°

    12. Dec

      32° / 16°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Peru, VT, 13.1 mi away at 1,700 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.