One of Vermont's oldest wilderness areas, centered on a forested high plateau, the Long Trail, and Lye Brook Falls.
Lye Brook Wilderness
Lye Brook Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area in southern Vermont, forming one of eight wilderness units within the Green Mountain National Forest. The area covers roughly 18,000 acres across parts of Bennington County and Windham County, northwest of the small town of Stratton. Created by the Eastern Wilderness Areas Act of 1975, it ranks among the oldest wilderness areas in Vermont and has been expanded by subsequent wilderness legislation in 1984 and 2006.
The wilderness is defined by a high forested plateau that rises from about 900 feet at its low point to nearly 2,900 feet at its summit, with most of the terrain sitting above 2,500 feet. Northern hardwood forests dominate the landscape, interspersed with spruce thickets, brook valleys, ridgelines, and ponds. A defining feature is Lye Brook, which flows through the western half of the area, and Lye Brook Falls, one of the tallest waterfalls in Vermont.
Lye Brook Wilderness is valued as a hiking and backcountry destination rather than a roadside attraction. The Long Trail crosses the wilderness through Stratton Pond, and a network of side trails such as the Lye Brook Trail and the Branch Pond Trail provides access to waterfalls, ponds, and remote ridgelines. Black bear, moose, deer, pine marten, and bobcat are among the wildlife that inhabit the area.
