Adams Camp

Location: Western portion of Stowe adjacent to Mt. Mansfield State Forest and the conserved Trapp Family Forest property.

Date Protected: September 2006; easement purchased with funding from Vermont Housing Conservation Board, Town of Stowe, 550 private individuals and foundations.

Acres:  513 

Landowner: Privately owned; SLT co-holds a conservation easement with the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board and the Town of Stowe.

Conservation Purposes:  Provide for permanent non-motorized public recreational access, with a secondary purpose of wildlife habitat protection.

Project Background:  The effort to conserve the Adams Camp property was undertaken by Stowe Land Trust (SLT) in mid-2004, when plans for the property's development prompted SLT to begin negotiations with Trapp Family Lodge (TFL). Through extensive negotiations it was determined that SLT would purchase the development rights for $1.75 million.  In March 2006, the voters of the Town of Stowe voted in support of a bond for $450,000 to purchase the development rights of the property.  The overwhelming Town support for this project helped SLT obtain a $600,000 grant to put toward the purchase price.  With over $1 million committed, Stowe Land Trust raised the remaining funds from over 550 supporters and closed on the purchase late in 2006.

Skiing in the Ranch Valley circa 1940

Property Description:  The Adams Camp property consists of 513-acres of mixed northern hardwood forest interlaced with a variety of recreation trails.  The Ranch Brook runs through the northern edge of the property and is known to support a population of brook trout.  Hunting, recreation and timber management have been the predominate uses of the property over the past 100+ years.  The property sits adjacent to the Ranch Valley, a historic winter recreation area that supported the birth of skiing in Stowe.  Trails found on the Adams Camp property, including portions of the Catamount Trail and Stowe Derby Trail, provides access to a large trail network in Ranch Valley, Mt Mansfield State Forest and private trails owned by Trapp Family Lodge.  During the summer months, the trails are used by hikers, bikers, hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts. 

Public Access:  The Adams Camp property is open to the public for a number of non-motorized recreational activities including hunting, swimming, fishing, hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, mountain biking, wildlife observation, nature study and other pedestrian uses. Primary access to the property is via Ranch Brook Road or the Haul Road. Skiers and riders wishing to use the full network of maintained trails should purchase passes and access the trails through Trapp Family Lodge.

Adams Camp Trail Map