Battell Shelter

About

Battell Shelter sits at 3,300 feet on the Long Trail, positioned on the south side of Mount Abraham in Vermont's Green Mountain National Forest. Built in 1967 by work parties from Farm and Wilderness Camp in Plymouth, this three-sided Adirondack-style lean-to is one of the highest shelters on the Long Trail System. The shelter sleeps eight and is accompanied by tent platforms for overflow camping. Access is via the blue-blazed Battell Trail, a 2-mile hike from the trailhead at the end of USFS Road 350 off Lincoln Gap Road. The route gains significant elevation through hardwood and spruce-fir forest before reaching the Long Trail junction, then continues a short distance to the shelter. Water is available from a stream 1/8 mile south on the trail but must be filtered or treated. The Green Mountain Club maintains a backcountry caretaker at this site during hiking season to manage use and protect the surrounding high-elevation vegetation. Groups are prohibited from staying overnight due to the shelter's popularity and environmental sensitivity. The GMC has announced plans to build a new shelter adjacent to the existing structure to increase capacity while preserving the historic 1967 lean-to.

Directions

From Lincoln, Vermont, take Quaker Street to Elder Hill Road (USFS Road 350). Bear right at Ball Diamond Road, then bear left to stay on FR 350. Continue to the Battell Trail trailhead parking at the road's end. Hike 2 miles on the blue-blazed Battell Trail to the Long Trail junction, then continue uphill to the shelter.