Upper Valley Anonymous

We've been doing a lot of hiking on Robinson Road in West Fairlee.  To get to Robinson Road, take Route 113 west from Thetford into West Fairlee Village. Mill Street is right across from B and B Market.  Mill Street becomes Robinson Road as soon as the pavement turns to dirt. Although Robinson Road becomes steep and narrow, it's easily accessible by any type of vehicle, at least until Southworth Park, which is on your right at the top of the hill. 

Southworth Park has picnic tables and a parking lot, and it is a trailhead for one of the Rivendell Trails. On the right side of the parking lot, there is an opening in the brush that leads to a meadow. There is a nice view from the hilltop.  One of the West Fairlee portions of the Rivendell Trail begins on the left of the parking lot. This part of the Rivendell Trail is somewhat difficult, although I am fifty and have a bad left foot and I am more than capable of hiking it.  Some of it is steep, and this trail involves climbing over and around some rocks, streams, and one uprooted tree. This trail leads over to Blood Brook Road in West Fairlee Center. There is a stone wall about halfway between Southworth Park and Blood Brook Road. From the park to the stone wall, the trail is very well marked, after the stone wall, the path and markings are less clear. 

Maps of the Rivendell Trail used to be available for free to download online. Unfortunately, I see that is no longer the cast, and hikers have to buy one at stores listed on the Rivendell Trail site. http://www.crossrivendelltrail.org/index.html

 

 

In the above collage, the top picture is the apple tree right next to the park. The blossoms were so pretty earlier in the Spring. The picture on the bottom left shows a series of stone steps leading from the top of a hill down to a stream. The trail continues on the other side of the stream and up over another hill. At the top of that hill, you will find the partially uprooted tree depicted on the bottom right. The trail actually skirts around that tree. The middle picture is a picture of the stone wall. I love stone walls. (These pictures were placed in the collage based on how they fit, rather than in order of appearance on the trail.) 
        Since I have a bad left foot, I really can't hike more than two miles a day, so most of my hikes are in two mile increments. If you had two cars, you could park one at the Blood Brook trailhead and one at Southworth Park and hike all the way through.  It is about two miles between the two trailheads.