Lye Brook Wilderness

The Lye Brook Wilderness is east of Manchester Center in the southern Green Mountains of Vermont. It ranges from 900 feet to 2,900 feet above sea level, most of it above 2,500 feet on a high plateau with several ponds and bogs. The western section is extremely steep, facing west-northwest toward U.S. Route 7 and Manchester. Waterfalls and rocky streams may be found here, as well as reflecting pools. The Wilderness is named after Lye Brook, which flows through its western half. Approximately 80 percent of the area is forested with northern hardwoods — birch, beech, and maple — and thickets of small spruce dot the area. Remnants of railroad grades and old logging roads remain. Several species of neotropical birds, black bear, moose, deer, pine marten, and bobcat inhabit these woods. Four and a half miles of the Appalachian/Long Trail cross the northwest tip of the Wilderness. There are many marshy areas off trail and the ecological balance is quite fragile. Take care and be prepared for muddy trails and an intense black fly season in the spring and early summer. Hunting opportunities for deer bring many seasonal visitors, as do snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter months.