Renovating Bryant and Bolton Cabin

A Call to Action for the Friends of Bolton Valley Nordic and Backcountry!

Please help our Beloved Bryant Cabin and Bolton Lodge! Donate at the Green Mountain Club Burlington Section Website.

The Green Mountain Club in association with the Catamount Trail Association and FOBVNB has committed its resources to restore these historic cabins. We need to raise $30,000 for this work. Building plans include bringing the cabins up to “code”, as well as historic restoration work. The idea is to return these cabins to their original purpose: four season overnight use. Additionally, plans are to create hiking trails to connect Bolton Lodge and Bryant Cabin to the Long Trail. The GMC will be managing the cabins under an agreement with State Dept. of Forests, Parks, and Recreation.

Bolton Lodge was built by GMC volunteers in 1928. During that time, hikers crossed the Winooski by ferry, the Long Trail passed through Bolton land and along side the lodge (re-routed in the early 1980s). The New Foot Bridge across the Winooski will hopefully again bring Long Trail hikers closer to Bolton, enticing them to return to the lodge for warm weather use. Skiers of course will enjoy winter time overnight stays.

Edward Bryant, a fascinating character owned vast acreage of Bolton from 1922-1951. He was forester, outdoorsman, and pioneer skier. Mr Bryant built 3 cabins on this land. Only one, the uppermost cabin now survives, the present day Bryant Cabin. This cabin has housed many adventurous overnight skiers over the past 80 years.

In order to accomplish these goals, our combined groups will need to raise about $30,000. We are launching the Bolton Lodge, Bryant Camp Fund. Donations are channeled directly to the GMC through their website.

Also, see the new “Historic Doc” section, on the menu bar at the top of this page, which contains a history of Edward Bryant, very early trail maps and more!