Laura Cowles Trail - Sunset Ridge Loop - Mt. Mansfield - Underhill, VT
Laura Cowles - Sunset Ridge Trail Loop 4.5 Miles, 2555 elevation gain Mt. Mansfield had been calling to me for a while. My original plan called for a longer loop hike but the forecast called for afternoon thunderstorms. I decided to hike a shorter route on a trail I had never hiked. The Laura Cowles Trail is a trail with limited views and a steep ascent. The trail that parallels it, the Sunset Ridge Trail offers plenty of views and an easier ascent so it has been the trail of choice on other occasions. The sign at the trailhead offers little information; I wondered if it was on purpose? The hike starts from Underhill State Park . From there it's a short hike to the junction of several trails. The Laura Cowles Trail follows a stream and stays in the woods for much of the hike. On this humid day I welcomed the coolness of the stream and shade. It didn't take long to learn that I had a stair-stepping climb ahead of me. The trail is a short 1.5 miles from the time i