Easy but with a great payoff:

While everyone and their dogs will be hiking up the beautiful but crowded Sterling Pond Trail, we suggest you avoid the traffic jam and head over to the Stowe Pinnacle Trail instead. Only 2.8 miles from downtown Stowe, it’s such a great hike you might not be motivated to try anything else. A relatively easy 1.4 miles will take you to the 2,700’ summit (only 1,100′ of altitude gain from the base) with great payoff views of Stowe, Mt Mansfield and the surrounding area. Because this hike is so short, it’s a great hike to bring the kids and a lunch. The bald rock face and panorama will show the kids just why hiking is so great, but without too much of an effort to get to the top.

This hike is also a great candidate for a packed bottle of wine and some snacks. The sunsets are amazing and if you hustle you’ll still have time to scramble down before it gets too dark.

Where is it?
From downtown Main Street in Stowe, head south on School St for a quarter of a mile and bear right onto Stowe Hollow Road. Drive 1.5 miles and turn right on Upper Hollow Rd. From there it is half a mile to the trailhead parking area lot on the left.