August 14, 2023. After walking the Robert Frost Trail in Ripton, I got on Route 7 and headed north to Ferrisburgh and Little Otter Creek Wildlife Management Area (and National Natural Landmark).
From Greenbush Road on the east side, I took a narrow gravel road to a parking area, then walked past a gate onto a forest road and over railroad tracks. The forest road looked lightly used, and after a few tenths of a mile it became an overgrown hodgepodge of vegetation. Views of the water and marshes were lovely, though. This area has boat access elsewhere, and I bet the views from the river itself are gorgeous.
From vtfishandwildlife.com: “Little Otter Creek is a lowland river in the Champlain Basin with three major branches. The WMA is 60% wetland and the rest mostly upland forest, with a small amount of acreage in field. Near the mouth, the river’s water level is naturally regulated by Lake Champlain, creating a rich diversity of aquatic plants. The upland forest is a mix of red maple, white ash, gray birch, red and white oak, shagbark hickory, white pine, and hemlock.”
