Rootville Trail to Prospect Rock - Hiking trail near Manchester, Vermont, United States - Description

The trail, blazed with blue, follows the old Rootville Road up along the Downer Glen Ravine. After passing the Forest boundary and a spur trail, the trail gets steeper and crisscrosses several mountain streams. At 0.8 miles the trail leaves the brook at an old spring. The trail then meets up with the Appalachian/Long Trail at about 1.5 miles. Just past the junction, a spur trail on the right leads 200 feet west to Prospect Rock. The summit has a fine view of the Manchester Valley. To the west is the prominent Mount Equinox, the tallest mountain in the Taconic Range. The lesser peaks of Little Equinox (south of Mount Equinox) and Mother Myrick Mountain to the northwest are also visible.

From Route 7 in Manchester, travel about a ¼ mile east on Route 11/30 to East Manchester Road. Turn right onto East Manchester Rd. then immediately left onto Rootville Road. Follow Rootville Rd. for about a mile. Limited parking is found on private land just before the water tower; please be respectful.