trscavo's Journal

The State of Vermont recognizes 97 natural community types. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department publishes an informative fact sheet for each natural community:

• Natural Community Fact Sheets
• Vermont's Natural Communities By Name

Each natural community has been assigned a state rank. For example, the Open Peatlands are a group of peat-accumulating wetland communities:

• Dwarf Shrub Bog – State Rank S2
• Black Spruce Woodland Bog – State Rank S2
• Pitch Pine Woodland Bog – State Rank S1
• Alpine Peatland – State Rank S1
• Poor Fen – State Rank S2
• Intermediate Fen – State Rank S2
• Rich Fen – State Rank S2

Each fact sheet includes a detailed list of associated plant and animal species. A short list of places in Vermont that typify the natural community is also included.

There's an extensive wetland complex (including a fen) on Blue Ridge Mountain (~2,900 ft) in the Green Mountain National Forest in the town of Chittenden in Rutland County, Vermont. I visited this place on June 15, 2024. It was a difficult hike but well worth it.

Here are a couple of maps that illustrate where this place is:

• Blue Ridge Mountain
• Blue Ridge Fen

The first map shows the larger picture, with landmarks and (and a subset of) parking areas. The second map shows a close-up of the fen, where the green dots indicate some of the plants I found. Both maps are centered on the fen.

To reach Blue Ridge Fen, I followed an old woods road up the eastern slope of the mountain. The road ended about halfway (as shown on the first map), at which point I bushwhacked the remaining stretch of slope. Question: Is there a trail up Blue Ridge Mountain? What is the best path to Blue Ridge Fen?

Observations

• My observations on Blue Ridge Mountain
• All observations within 2 km of Blue Ridge Fen