Mount Hunger’s prominence over the nearby landscape and its bald summit make this more difficult trip well worth the effort for children over 8. Though it’s just over 2.0 miles one-way, we’ve seen many crying 4-year-olds on this trail; your older, more aggressive hikers, however, will get a great sense of accomplishment from this short yet challenging hike. Combined with nearby swimming holes in Stowe or Bolton, this can make for a positively great day. Also: bring some bug spray if visiting in June or July; the blackflies on the summit at that time of year can send you scurrying back down the trail.

The defining characteristic of this trail is unrelenting steepness. The first few hundred yards from the trailhead are rooty, then the trail starts up at a steep grade and doesn’t really stop until it pops out on the summit. About a third of the way up, the path crosses two small tributary streams, and at about the 1.0-mile mark it passes an impressive, unnamed, little waterfall. No swimming holes here, but there is a pool deep enough to dip your head in on a hot day.

Next come the ledges. The second mile is punctuated by short sections of ledgy terrain with scrambles. These can be great fun for the kids—just keep them close and spot each other on the steep sections.

About a 0.1 mile from the summit, the trail to the equally exciting White Rock Mountain heads off to the right. Continue straight, over ledges and boulders, to finally reach one of the best views in this part of the state (2.0 miles). Situated at the southern end of Vermont’s Worcester Range, Mount Hunger is actually in the same range as Elmore Mountain (see Trip 72) as well as White Rock Mountain, Stowe Pinnacle, and Worcester Mountain. Mount Hunger is the tallest of the mountains in this small yet impressive range, and the view from the summit extends from Mount Mansfield directly across the valley to the west, and to New Hampshire’s Presidentials to the east.

Return along the same route.

Your kids may mutiny if you make it all the way here without a stop at the Ben & Jerry’s factory on VT 100 in nearby Waterbury. Factory tours, free samples, and a full ice cream shop will delight. For a great after-ice-cream swim, head to nearby Bolton Potholes. Several deep potholes and a wide and shallow sandy bottomed pool make this a great spot on a summer day. You won’t be the only ones there, but it is still a refreshing and fun place.

Stowe Village is chock-full of cafés, bagel shops, pizza places, and delis. Waterbury also has many fine places to grab a bite.