Deer Leap Trail — Attraction in Killington

A great, “quick” hike that is pretty aggressive for flatlander tourists visiting the Killington area. What it is short in distance is made up with altitude, attitude and a reward at the end.

We were taking the scenic route from Western NY to Manchester NH and were looking for a nice 1-hour roadside hike and this certainly fit the bill.

AllTrails has this trail marked as a “Moderate”. Please understand that this is a very subjective scale and that for avid mountain hikers, this might be an easy climb, but if you’re a tourist visiting from NYC or Boston, be ready for a workout.

The trail is very intimidating at the beginning. It’s heavily traveled and eroded with lots of roots and boulders exposed. You can tell that it could scare a lot of people int stopping and turning around. Don’t fall for it. Not saying it’s a piece of cake later but it’s a clearer central trail.

The trail intersects with the Appalachian Trail, which gives it some credibility and a little bragging right.

The view at the end of this out-and-back is a tremendous reward and of course, the downhill return is much easier with gravity on your side. Just watch your step, it’s very easy to mess...

5 stars because it’s a great trail for adults and older kids. BUT - We picked this trail after reading reviews that it’s kid friendly and not too difficult. I felt the need to give my honest review so parents with young children know that this trail is NOT ideal for kids 6 and under especially in December when the top half of the trail is covered in ice and becomes very dangerous. You will be climbing over rocks, stepping between hundreds of tree roots, slushing through mud at the bottom, and slipping on ice towards the top. It took us about 2 hours to get to the top, and an hour to get back down. I believe it would be a more enjoyable experience for anyone not having to carry their 35lb child all the way up and down over these...

Deer Leap Overlook Trail is a moderate 1.9 mile, dog friendly trail through the woods up to a beautiful clearing. The view is well worth the hike as you can see several mountains, roadways and ski trails. Parking can be found across the street from the Long Trail Inn. NOTE: The trail head to deer leap is NOT on the same side that you park. You must cross the road to access the trail head which is to the right of the Long Trail Inn. Although there are hiking signs there is no crosswalk or light so be careful cruising especially with children and pets. The Inn does offer trail maps...