Luce's Lookout, Woodstock VT


• 4-star hike
• 3 mile out-and-back
• Moderate | Gain 580 feet
• Barnard, VT | Central East Region
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A person in a red shirt climbs an exterior wooden ladder attached to the side of a rustic cabin with a green metal roof, ascending toward an elevated wooden lookout deck built on top of the ridge under a clear blue sky.
Climbing the steps to the rooftop lookout view.

Luce’s Lookout is a rustic private cabin perched above the Appalachian Trail north of Woodstock, and within the boundaries of the town of Barnard. Although the cabin sits on private property outside the official Appalachian Trail corridor, the owners generously allow visitors and thru-hikers to enjoy the site. Maintaining 'Leave No Trace' principles by packing out all trash, keeping pets leashed, and respecting the structure ensures this spot remains open to the public.

The trailhead for this hike is located on a sharp bend near the end of unpaved Green Gate Road, where a few roadside parking spots are available. Please park responsibly without blocking local driveways or road access.   !   Note that Google Maps incorrectly directs drivers up Lakota Road - a correction for which we've submitted. Both OpenStreetMap and Apple Maps provide accurate directions to the trailhead.
⬤ 4★ Luce's Lookout   2.6 mi out & back, moderate, gain 580 ft
GPX File · AllTrails · Directions GPX?
 P  Free parking  

The hike begins on an eroded logging road that climbs steadily from the start. Shortly into the climb, the trail intersects the Appalachian Trail at a signed Y-junction. Bear right to follow the AT southbound. When in doubt, stay on the widest path, which consistently leads toward the lookout.

After joining the Appalachian Trail, the terrain levels out briefly before climbing again. At a sharp left turn, a signed spur trail branches off to the right. Follow this short spur directly to Luce’s Lookout.

The spur terminates at a small, rocky clearing where the weathered wooden cabin appears. A steep exterior wooden staircase ascends to a rooftop observation deck, offering expansive views across the Green Mountains. Please treat the cabin with care, leave no trace of your visit, and respect the privacy of the surrounding land so future hikers can continue to enjoy this unique landmark.

A hiker with a large black backpack and two trekking poles walks away from the camera along a narrow dirt trail in a dense forest. The individual wears a white short-sleeved shirt, dark shorts, grey socks, and dark hiking footwear. The trail ascends through an area populated with thin-trunked trees and green leafy undergrowth, with sunlight filtering through the canopy onto the forest floor.
A section-hiker on the Appalachian Trail.

A wide panoramic view shows layered, forest-covered mountains extending into the distance under a clear light-blue sky. The immediate foreground and midground feature rolling hills densely packed with green trees, displaying subtle variations in foliage tones. Farther in the background, multiple successive mountain ridges fade into soft blue hues, creating a sense of depth across the horizon. The lighting is bright and even across the entire landscape.
Unending rolling hills viewed from Luce's Lookout.

A wide landscape view features layered, forest-covered mountain ridges receding toward a hazy horizon under a pale sky. The foreground and midground display dark green, heavily forested rolling hills. As the mountain layers stretch into the background, atmospheric haze gradually shifts their color to lighter shades of blue. White low-lying clouds or mist settle in the valleys between the distant peaks. The scene spans horizontally across multiple undulating ridgelines with daylight casting an even illuminate across the terrain.
Shooting into the sun for another landscape vantage.

A high-angle, point-of-view shot looks straight down from an elevated wooden platform toward a steep wooden staircase attached to a building's green metal roof. Two dark-colored athletic shoes belonging to the viewer stand at the edge of the wooden deck planks in the immediate foreground. Wooden railings frame the top of the stairs, which descend along the pitched green roof down toward a grassy, brush-filled ground level below. Bright sunlight casts distinct shadows of the wooden structure across the deck and steps.
Exericse care on the steep steps.

Two printed paper notices are pinned vertically to a textured wooden wall. The top notice, titled 'Lookout Farm,' states that the cabin is private property, welcomes hikers, and asks them to respect guest privacy and keep the cabin clean. The bottom notice, titled 'Notice: Hikers Welcome,' requests that visitors pack out all trash and help pick up trash left by others. Handwritten graffiti, names, and dates are carved into and drawn on the surrounding wood planks as well as directly onto both paper notices.
House Rules at Luce's Lookout.

Trailspotting nearby:
4★ Quechee Gorge (1-4 mi)
4★ Deer Leap Overlook (2 mi)
5★ Killington Peak (4-8 mi)
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