In addition to the basics, Sam’s Outdoor Store also carries what we like to call “survival gear”.  This isn’t just outdoor gear.  And who doesn’t need gear, right? Sam’s carries everything you need for outdoor adventures to hikingthe Green Mountains (and getting lost for a month) or climb Mount Everest. Thinking of living off the land as many enjoy doing here in Vermont? Sam’s carries fishing poles and Vermont fishinglicenses; anything guns and ammo; -40 degree sleeping bags; the strongest tick and mosquito repellent on the market; tents; anything fire; raincoats; and…. need we say more? Sounds like a manly shopping paradise all in one store.

On one occasion, “John”, a staff member here in the Brattleboro store, spent over 40 minutes seeking out a jacket for a customer to find they didn’t make the specific style they were looking for. The next day John called them directly to say they found an almost identical match. John went above and beyond and for that, we like to keep it local.

Shopping in Brattleboro isn’t just for the girls and even appeals to kids with their free popcorn.  As a side note, Sam’s has some of the best popcorn in Brattleboro (although the Latchis is a close second).  Popcorn and Patagonia fit perfect together at Sam’s. Check out Sam’s Outdoor Store in downtown Brattleboro just a short walk from our inn and check out their website for deals and steals!

While there are a variety of approaches to the summit, we have found our personal favorite to be the White Arrow Trail. Hiking the White Arrow Trail takes about two hours from the parking area up to the summit and about an hour and fifteen minutes down. We would say that this hike is moderately difficult, the park states that there is an average 27% grade. There are some sections that are steep and rocky. We would not suggest hiking this trail in the wet weather as there are sections that become streams in the rain. On an average day most of the trail is dry and clear, with about 3/4 of the hike in the wooded section and about 1/4 above the treeline.

To reach the start of the White Arrow approach, park in the lot off the Old Toll Road – on NH Route 124.   After paying your $4 park admission (can you believe that they maintain these parks for $4?) head up the old toll road trail.  This trail will take you to the intersection of the White Arrow Trail, which is located at the Old Halfway House.   Don’t worry – all of the trails are well marked and your $4 includes a map of the mountain.

The trail makes several turns, with a variety of other trail options splitting off here and there.  White Arrow is the most direct route to the summit however.

For most of the hike you will find yourself under a tree canopy (bring bug spray).  But after about an hour you will be able to see the summit.  While it looks very close, this is where the hiking gets somewhat more challenging, incorporating some large stretches of relatively smooth rock face.  Take your time, be sure to look around and chose the best path up the rocks, sometimes the easiest path is not the most obvious.   This is also a great time to take a gander at the forest below – there are several great points to take a break on the rocks and enjoy the amazing views and cool breezes.

The view at the top is amazing – although it is likely to be “crowded”.  There are several approaches to the summit and so regardless of how busy your trail was (White Arrow tends to be moderately busy – especially on weekends) the summit is guaranteed to be bustling with other hikers.

On the descent – which is markedly easier – you still must be careful of your footing and ease your way down the same rock surfaces carefully.

Mount Monadnock is in Monadnock State Park in New Hampshire.  The White Arrow Trail (Old Toll Road) starts about 30 miles from our Vermont Inn.  Travel Route 9 into Hampshire – to 101 to 124 to a town called Jaffrey.  Its a scenic drive that will take about 40 minutes.

The Park is open 7 days and hiking is popular year round.  Off season hikers should check in at the base (located off of Dublin Road – a bit further down 124).

There is a great (and funny) list of Monadnock FAQ’s on the GCC site that should be able to help with any other questions.

Also, you can check out this step by step guide assembled by one of our guests!

Hiking Mount Monadnock is certain to be an experience you remember.  There is a reason that it is one of the most hiked mountains in the world and if you are in the Brattleboro area, why not explore it for yourself.   Of course, we hope that you will stay with us at our beautiful Vermont Inn which makes a great base camp for this and many other activities in New England.  To read about some of our other favorites, be sure to subscribe to our blog!

The trail system is open year round and is more than 9 miles long.  The Retreat Trails cover over 400 acres of forest and agricultural land and include some interesting sites, like the Harris Hill Ski Jump, Grafton Cheese Country Store, the old Cemetery and the Retreat Tower.

There is a nice map of the trail system available at several information kiosks along the system, the map is also online here and we have printed copies of the map at the Inn for you as well.

The trails range from flat and easy, to somewhat steep and rocky.  None are really more than “moderate” in difficulty and most can be trekked year round.  We have taken some great winter hikes in the snow up these trails, sliding down the steeper parts in our snow pants.

For those staying with us at our Brattleboro B&B, you can access the trails from our back yard (these trails connect to the shorter Hogle Wildlife Sanctuary Trail).  For others, there are 5 public access points to the trail system – outlined here.

Update: The retreat trail maps seem to be moving all of the time, and the links are occasionally broken.  So we have included the retreat trail map below for your permanent reference.  Click on the image for a full size version of the map that you can print to carry with you when you are hiking the trails.

While I’m sure that the doctors had the best of intentions, some patients chose to use the tower in a different manner.  In the years following its construction, according to the book “Weird New England” a fair number of patients climbed to the top of the tower and hurled themselves off of it onto the rocky cliff below.  While the number of suicides at this site is a closely guarded secret, the tower was sealed off and remains so today.

For those looking for the haunted side of Brattleboro, ghost hunters report sightings of an airborne human-like form at the top of the tower that appears briefly and then disappears into space.

You can find the tower off of the “Tower Climb” trail on the Retreat Trail system.  It’s a fairly easy 10 – 15 minute walk from our Inn.  The tower is visible from the Retreat Meadows and a lot of the north side of Brattleboro as well – particularly in the winter and fall as the trees clear.

The tower opens to the public typically just one or two times per year.  The dates are not consistent, but you can certainly keep an eye on our twitter feed to know when it opens – as we will definitely be there.

Start by walking downtown and crossing the steel bridge into New Hampshire.  Make the first left and follow that dirt road to the end.  You’ll see a small parking area, where you can head off in several directions.

When we want to take a leisurely stroll with the dog we head to the left and take the nearly flat walk along the Connecticut River.

When we are looking to build some endurance we will head up the hill to the right, and take the winding  switchback style jeep trail to the top of the mountain. This trail is pretty gradual, but a steady climb.  We would label it as a moderate hike, and it takes about three hours from our front door to the top and back.

Finally, if we are short on time, we will take the short cut straight up the mountain which is much steeper, but shorter.  We would label that path moderately difficult, this trail only take about two hours from our door step and back.

Both the switchback and the short cut will take you to a clearing at the top where you will see panoramic views of Brattleboro and the river valley.  Even on a hazy day you can see our slate roof peaking out over the trees and our huge Japanese Maple with its bright red leaves, in the back yard.

If you are really looking for a longer adventure, venture over the top of the mountain and hike the backside down all the way to the old “Castle” (see our haunted hike).  Be warned though, that is a long trek.

When you come off of the mountain, you walk back to the Inn through downtown, where you can stop to enjoy a well deserved lunch.  This certainly makes  Mount Wantastiquet a great local hike and one of the many reasons we love living in Brattleboro.

For more great Brattleboro area activities, be sure to keep an eye on our blog at InnBrattleboro.com!

Vermont Days offer free admission to all State Parks, Forests, and State owned Historic Sites.  This means you can take advantage of some free hiking (not that we mind the normal $4 or so, which just goes to supporting the parks).   In the southern Vermont area, I would highly recommend Molly Stark State Park, which is just minutes from our B&B, Fortry Putney Road.

Molly Stark has several trails to chose from, most are fairly gentle and a few lead to a fire tower you can climb and take advantage of beautiful Vermont views.  Molly Stark is also a great place to have a picnic.

Vermont Days also offer free fishing, with no license required, on Saturday and in addition, all of the State Historic Sites and Museums will be free.  So why not take this as the perfect excuse to go ahead and check out something new around Vermont.

You can find all of the details and a list of locations on the Vermont Vacation website.

The 448-acre forest is part of the Wantastiquet-Monadnock Greenway, a series of trails connecting the mountains of southwestern New Hampshire and includes a trail which connects to the Mount Wantastiquet State Forest. (See our hike up Mount Wantastiquet).  The forest is named for the eccentric Madame Antoinette Sherri, who built a European chateau on Gulf Road in Chesterfield back in 1924.

Madame Sherri was a music hall singer in Paris in the early 1900′s.  She married Andre Riela in Paris and they relocated to America in 1911 to join his family here.  Madame Sherri and her husband became prominent theatrical costume designers and ran a successful costume shop in New York City.  They are actually cited as having taught Charles LeMaire (the noted Hollywood costume designer) the art of costuming.   During the Prohibition Era, Madame Sherri and her husband would travel to Chesterfield NH to “party” with friends of theirs from the Broadway scene.  After her husbands death in NY in 1924, Madame Sherri purchased a farm in the area she had grown to love, on Gulf Road in Chesterfield.  Her plan was to build herself a summer home.  The exotic stone castle that she ended up having built in the woods, as well as her unique touring car (a cream colored Packard), her French accent, and of course the numerous interesting visitors from the theatrical world kept local gossips busy for years.  Her pet monkey and her frequent chauffered rides around Brattleboro wearing nothing but a fur coat certainly added to the mystery and intrigue around this interesting woman.  Rumors persist that Madame Sherri ran a brothel from the castle.

In the 1950s the home was abandoned as Madame Sherri grew older and moved to Brattleboro’s Maple Rest home.  The stone castle had been abandoned and neglected for years when it was destroyed by a fire in October 1962.  Madame Sherri herself died three years later, at the age of 84.   To this day visitors report hearing voices, music and the sounds of parties from a time long passed.  Occasionally a visitor will even encounter the ghost of Madame Sherrie, beautiful and young, gracefully descending the stone stairway which still stands today.

To get to Madame Sherri’s forest from our Brattleboro Inn, take a left from the driveway and head to the traffic circle.  At the circle, bear right onto Route 9 west to Chesterfield. Just after you cross the bridge into New Hampshire, make a right onto the first street (Mountain Road). Then take your first (immediate) left which will put you onto Gulf Road. Travel up the scenic Gulf Road for just a little more than two miles; Madame Sherri’s Forest is on the right.  There is a small parking area.  Cross the footbridge and head up the hill for to see the stone stairs…

I have asked some folks around and haven’t had much luck with that either. So far all of the details that we have are that the area east of the water behind us, the “Retreat Meadows” is some type of bird and wildlife sanctuary. We have walked the path many times (its quite a beautiful walk) and have seen plenty of birds and even saw a bald eagle circling overhead last week.

Even in our own yard there are always abundant birds. Some birders who have stayed with us have said that they spotted some unique birds, but for the non-birder like myself, all I can say is that we always have plenty of goldfinches, cardinals, larks, sparrows, bluejays and hummingbirds. As a matter of fact, our giant Japanese Maple is home to about a dozen birds right now.

Anyhow, if you have any information about the who the Hogles are (or were), and / or what specific wildlife is being preserved on this sanctuary, we would love the details to be able to share with our guests.

In the interim, be sure to take the stroll along this path, its a beautiful piece of Brattleboro.

For our guests, the path starts in the back of the yard, to the right.

For non-guests, our parking is limited to guests only, so you can park at the Brattleboro Retreat and pick up this trail along the baseball field. Follow it toward the cliff and you will see the trail there.