Kelly Stand Road

Kelly Stand Road is an unpaved road running between East Arlington and Stratton, Vermont in southern Vermont. It travels over a high plateau adjacent to the Lye Brook Wilderness in the Green Mountain National Forest (GMNF). The road originally served numerous logging camps and early settlements during the nineteenth century. From Stratton, the road continues eastward to West Wardsboro as a paved, year-round road. The western portion is dirt and not plowed or maintained during winter months.

Kelly Stand Road is notable as the site of US Senator Daniel Webster's famous Kelly Stand speech of the 1840s. A historic marker commemorates the spot. The road is near the location near where Benton MacKaye first conceived his idea of a hiking trail that ran along the Appalachian Mountain range of the eastern United States.

Appalachian Trail (AT) / Long Trail (LT)

The Appalachian Trail, and likewise the Long Trail, which share the same path in the southern Green Mountains of Vermont, cross Kelly Stand Road before the trail crosses over the summit of Stratton Mountain, which lies to the north of the road. Overnight AT/LT trailhead parking is available on the road, which also serves as an access point for other nearby trails.

Northbound from Kelly Stand Road the next AT/LT shelter is the Stratton Pond shelter at AT mile point 1625, and to the south lies the Story Spring AT/LT shelter at mile point 1615.

Damage from Tropical Storm Irene

On August 28, 2011, Tropical Storm Irene caused major damage to the road. Until scheduled repairs were made by the US Forest Service, it remained inaccessible from the Arlington side. Destinations could still be reached from the Stratton side. But as of September 17, 2014, Kelly Stand Road is completely open from the Arlington side, after three years of reconstruction and $3.8 million.

External links


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