Mt Independence Visitor Center in Vermont

Mt. Independence Historical Park, located on the shores of Lake Champlain in Orwell and Shoreham, Vermont, preserves one of the largest and most intact Revolutionary War defensive sites in the United States. From 1776 through the later Revolutionary years, this peninsula and its adjacent shore were fortified to protect the Champlain Valley and guard British access between Canada and the American colonies. Today, the park preserves earthworks, foundations, interpretive trails, reconstructed structures, and a rich archaeological record that together tell the story of military life, engineering, and civilian experience during America’s fight for independence.

The Mt Independence Trail System

The archeological structures are linked together by a well-maintained trail system that’s easy to walk, with lovely meadows where families can picnic and take in the sights. There’s also an informative Museum at the park’s visitor center, which has an interesting and quite modern curved roof on top. While I primarily visited to hike the trail system, I was surprised at how much history I picked up along the way after reading the educational signage displayed along my route.

Fort Ticonderoga is visible across a narrow channel at the south end of Lake Champlain.

While Mt Independence is a mere 200 feet high, the site sits on a long, low peninsula that directly faces Fort Ticonderoga across the narrow, southern part of Lake Champlain. Together, the two positions formed a defensive barrier controlling the lake route between Canada and the Hudson River valley. In 1776, after the loss of Quebec and threats from British naval and land forces, American generals recognized that control of the lake would be decisive. Work at Mt. Independence began in the spring of 1776, when thousands of troops, engineers, and laborers built lines of earthworks, gun batteries, roads, barracks, shipyards, and magazines to support a flotilla and to create a mutually supporting defensive system with Ticonderoga.

Ruins of the Mt Independence Hospital

Having finished the Long Trail Side-to-Side Trail List in September of 2025, one of my new “quests” is to hike all of the trails mentioned or depicted in 50 Hikes in Vermont, published by the Green Mountain Club. Those familiar with White Mountain Redlining will immediately understand this “game”, which involves compiling and hiking all the trails in a guidebook, a practice I’m calling Greenlining, as it will focus entirely on Vermont, the Green Mountain State. I hope to publish a first draft of a trail list for 50 Hikes in Vermont in the coming weeks to record my progress and let others join in the challenge. One significant difference between 50 Hikes in Vermont and the AMC’s White Mountain Guide is that 50 Hikes includes maps that highlight trails not mentioned in the text, yet still beckon to be hiked.

Once the scene of military conflict, the waters at the southern end of Lake Champlain host sport fishing and boating.

The Mt Independence trails total 6.6 miles, but I easily hiked 8-9 miles to hike every trail in its entirety and the spur trails along the sides. The Baldwin and Orange Trails are the only ones listed in 50 Hikes in Vermont, but there is a map in the book depicting the Blue Trail, so I felt compelled to hike it also. Doing so necessitates repeating some previously hiked miles, but that is the nature of this game.

• Baldwin Trail – 1.6 miles
• Orange Trail – 2.5 miles
• Blue Trail – 2.2 miles
• Southern Defenses Trail 0.2

It was fast hiking, though. The tread is well-maintained and fairly flat, so I was able to hike at a brisk pace. The trails are well-blazed and signed, making this a very pleasant and enjoyable sojourn back into the past. I hiked the trails on a Friday and only saw a few people, though I suspect the place fills up on weekends. But if you’re looking for an easy place to hike with good picnic areas to bring your family or parents, and to teach your young ones a little bit about our nation’s history, Mt Independence is worth the trip.

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