HIGHLIGHTS: In this section, the Appalachian Trail descends from 4,235 foot Killington Peak to Pico Camp and the Pico Peak Ski Area. Pico camp has an enclosed cabin style shelter that is not far from the ski slopes and it’s a 0.4 mile ascent to Pico Peak (3597 feet) on a side trail behind the shelter. From here, the A.T. continues the descent to Sherburne Pass which is the site of the Long Trail Inn, built in 1939. The Inn is said to be the first ski lodge in Vermont and it has overnight lodging for hikers.
The Maine Junction is just north of Sherburne Pass, and it is at this point that the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail (which have shared a common footpath since the Massachusetts and Vermont border) part ways. A trail sign marks this junction, and the Appalachian Trail cuts east toward New Hampshire from here, while the Long Trail continues north to the Canadian border. Gifford Woods State Park is located not far from the Maine Junction, and the A.T. makes its way past the park to VT 12, near the community of Woodstock.
