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Popular Brousseau Mountain trail in Essex County conserved for peregrine falcons and future generations

The view looking southeast from Brousseau Mountain in Norton on September 4, 2021. Photo by K. Fiegenbaum/VTDigger

By K. FiegenbaumPublished Oct 16, 2026, 2:32 PMUpdated Oct 17, 20264 min read

A blue lake nestled among rolling, forested mountains under a sky with wispy clouds.

The view looking southeast from Brousseau Mountain in Norton on September 4, 2021. Photo by K. Fiegenbaum/VTDigger

" data-large-file="https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/BrousseauMountain_KFiegenbaum-1200x900.jpg?crop=1" /> The view looking southeast from Brousseau Mountain in Norton on September 4, 2021. Photo by K. Fiegenbaum/VTDigger

A remote, scenic hike in the border town of Norton has been permanently preserved for public access.

Ann Sage, who grew up in the tiny Essex County town, and her husband, Victor Peters, sold a 21-acre parcel to the town of Norton this summer, Vermont Land Trust announced earlier this month. The town conserved the parcel, which hosts a quarter mile of the popular Brousseau Mountain Trail, with the land trust.

“We wanted it left for generations to come” and “for the moose and the deer and bear that travel through there and the peregrine falcons that nest on the cliff, just a little ways up from the property,” said Sage, who now lives in Chittenden County, in an interview last week.

The Brousseau Mountain Trail in Norton on September 4, 2021. Photo by K. Fiegenbaum/VTDigger

Vermont Land Trust holds the conservation easements on more than 650,000 acres, covering over 11% of the state. The easements are permanent legal agreements limiting development and protecting land for farming, forestry, nature, clean water or recreation. Such easements sometimes qualify the owner for reduced property or income taxes.

The Brousseau Mountain Trail, which Sage said has been open since the 1970s, is a short, moderate hike with a round-trip distance of 1.6 miles and around 600 feet of elevation gain. After leaving the now-town-owned parcel, it traverses an already-conserved working forest to reach the 2,723-foot peak.

A cliff lookout near the top provides extensive views to the southeast over Little Averill Lake and into New Hampshire. The cliff is also host to the nests of peregrine falcons, one of the fastest creatures on the planet. The raptors almost went extinct due to pesticide poisoning in the middle of the 20th century. Visitors are advised to avoid nesting areas during the birds’ incubation period of March through August.

Views across the border into Canada are visible on the hike back down.

“We wanted to keep the magical, pristine peacefulness of the whole area intact,” Sage said.

The property directly connects to thousands more acres of conserved forestland that is open for non-motorized, recreational public access.

“We just didn’t want to take the chance of selling the land to individuals that might consider closing the trail,” Sage said. “I adore the idea that nothing is going to happen to it because Vermont Land Trust has stewardship of the property.”

Norton voters approved the acquisition at this year’s Town Meeting, according to the meeting minutes. The cost of acquiring and conserving the property — assessed at $43,000 — was covered by the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and private donations, said Kerry O’Brien, project director for the land trust, in an email.

The town’s acquisition of the property means it will lose $983 annually in tax revenue, a tradeoff voters found worthwhile for its permanent protection.

Brousseau Mountain (on right) as seen from the south on September 4, 2021. Peregrine falcons nest on the mountain’s cliffs. Photo by K. Fiegenbaum/VTDigger

The trail will continue to be managed by the NorthWoods Stewardship Center in East Charleston. NorthWoods runs summer camps and outdoor programs that regularly include the hike up Brousseau Mountain. It also runs the Northeast Kingdom Mountain Challenge, a hiking challenge checklist that consists of 20 mountains in northeastern Vermont — including Brousseau Mountain.

“The Brousseau Mountain Trail is such an important part of our community,” said Stephanie Thibault, Norton Selectboard member, in a press release. “It’s a great hike and a beautiful view. We are thrilled that it’s protected and will be enjoyed for generations.”

Read the story on VTDigger here: Popular Brousseau Mountain trail in Essex County conserved for peregrine falcons and future generations.

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Popular Brousseau Mountain trail in Essex County conserved for peregrine falcons and future generations

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