Vermont · Hiking · Big Branch Wilderness

Lake

4.3 mi
round trip
3,058 ft
climb
2,657 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests. It doesn't name Lake, so check the source for the area it covers (4 listed).

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

Lake is a 4.32-mile out-and-back trail in Vermont's Big Branch Wilderness, within the Manchester Ranger District of the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route crosses into the Appalachian National Scenic Trail corridor. The trail is rated moderate, with a total elevation gain of 3,058 feet over the round trip, and the high point reaches 2,657 feet. The climb is steepest at about 1.4 miles in, where the grade reaches 32 percent. The trail is natural-surface and not accessible. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Peru, which sits about 950 feet lower, show July highs around 75°F with lows near 56°F, while winter highs stay in the 20s. The trail opens from May 1 to November 30, and the trip takes about three hours. Griffith Lake Trail starts just 0.1 mile away, and the Appalachian Trail;Long Trail passes within 0.4 mile. Peru Peak Shelter is 0.6 mile off, and Otter Creek, a canoeing spot, is about 1.8 miles away.

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Lake

    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, 4.1 mi away at 1,700 ft. The station sits about 1,000 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.