Camel’s Hump is located in the Green Mountains of Vermont. It is the third highest peak in the entire state, standing at 4,083 feet in elevation.
Elevation: 4,083 feet (1244.50 m)
Elevation gain: 2,349 feet (715.98 m)
Distance: 4.8 miles roundtrip (7.72 km)
Duration (book time): 3 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Trails
Burrows Trail – 4.8 miles round trip
Begin hiking on the Burrows Trail from the parking area for roughly 2.1 miles. You will then reach a junction for the Long Trail. At the sign, turn right and continue along the Long Trail for another 0.3 miles until you reach the summit of Camel’s Hump. After soaking in the views, begin your descent by following the Long Trail back to the junction. Retrace your steps until you reach the trailhead parking lot where you began.
Trail Map
Alternate routes
Monroe Trail
The Monroe Trail is rather steep, and less popular than the Burrows Trail. To begin your hike on the Monroe Trail, continue along until reaching an intersection with the Dean Trail. At the junction, it gives you the option to turn left onto Dean Trail and then take the Long Trail up to the summit or continue straight on the Monroe Trail to reach the summit. If you choose to continue on the Monroe Trail, you will reach the hut clearing area, where the Monroe Trail ends and becomes the Long Trail. The climb to the summit of Camel’s Hump is not far from here. After reaching the summit and soaking in the views, start your descent by retracing your steps the way you came from.
Elevation gain: 2,578 feet
Distance: 6 miles roundtrip
Duration (book time): 4 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Hiking in Winter
Camel’s Hump is often climbed via the Burrows Trail and Monroe Trail during the winter. The Monroe Trail requires a road walk from the winter parking area to access the start of the trail. The Burrows Trail parking lot is usually plowed.
Camping and Overnight Hiking Options
The Montclair Glen Lodge and the Hump Brook campsite are available for hikers looking for camping and lodging in the immediate area. Fees and reservations may apply.
Parking
The parking area for the Burrows Trail is located on Camels Hump Road in Huntington, Vermont.
Directions
To get to the Burrow Trail parking area
From I-89 North, take exit 10 for VT-100 South towards Waturbury/US-2. Drive 0.3 miles and turn left onto VT-100 South. Drive another 0.5 miles and turn right onto US-2 W/N Main Street. Continue on US-2 West for 9.6 miles. Take a left onto Cochran Road and drive 0.3 miles and turn left onto Wes White Hill. Drive for roughly 3.1 miles and continue on Pond Road. Drive 1.4 miles and continue on Bridge Street. Drive 0.6 miles and turn left onto East Street. Take a slight right turn onto Main Road and continue for 2.5 miles. After 2.5 miles, turn left onto Camels Hump Road. Drive 0.6 miles and stay to the right onto Camels Hump Road. Drive to the very end of the road going past the gate. If the gate is closed, park in the Winter lot right before it.
To get to the Monroe Trail parking area
From I-89 off of Exit 10. Take Route 2-100 south to the town of Waterbury. Stay on the road until you cross over a bridge. Once over the bridge, turn right on Route 100, and another sharp right turn onto Main Street. Follow Main Street until you reach a T intersect with River Road. Stay straight onto River Road, which is a dirt road, all the way to Camel’s Hump Road. Take a left turn to reach the Monroe trailhead 0.4 miles from the intersection.
Weather
The summit of Camel’s Hump is exposed to the elements, so pack and plan accordingly. Here is a detailed four day forecast:
Waterbury, VT
Tonight
Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 34. Southwest wind 8 to 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Saturday
A chance of rain before 10am, then a chance of rain and snow between 10am and 3pm, then a chance of freezing rain. Cloudy, with a high near 34. West wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Little or no ice accumulation expected.
Saturday Night
A chance of freezing rain before 7pm, then a chance of freezing drizzle. Cloudy, with a low around 29. Northwest wind 3 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no ice accumulation expected.
Sunday
A chance of freezing drizzle before 7am, then snow showers likely between 7am and 1pm, then snow. Cloudy, with a high near 30. Southeast wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.
Sunday Night
Snow. Cloudy, with a low around 27. Southeast wind 9 to 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 5 to 9 inches possible.
Monday
Snow before 7am, then snow showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 31. Southwest wind 16 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.
Monday Night
Snow showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 20. West wind around 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Additional Photos
Photo credit – Wikipedia
Andrea is a writer, hiker, and adventurer from New England. She enjoys snowboarding, sunrise hikes, winter, night hiking, traveling, and photography.